 When the Lords rejected the Reform Bill , public violence ensued . That very evening , riots broke out in Derby , where a mob attacked the city jail and freed several prisoners . In Nottingham , rioters set fire to Nottingham Castle ( the home of the Duke of Newcastle ) and attacked Wollaton Hall ( the estate of Lord Middleton ) . The most significant disturbances occurred at Bristol , where rioters controlled the city for three days . The mob broke into prisons and destroyed several buildings , including the palace of the Bishop of Bristol , the mansion of the Lord Mayor of Bristol , and several private homes . Other places that saw violence included Dorset , Leicestershire , and Somerset . 
