What was so special about the decade of 1841 to 1851? Some say it was because it was a pivotal decade, which was both a time of paradox, and schism, but also involved retrenchment and the consolidation of established ideas. It was a time when Britain stood on the verge of the excitement of industrial development but seemed unable to break away from its stoical agrarian past; when on one hand, religious certainties bolstered the community whilst on the other were rallied insurrectionist movements whose agendas seemed to challenge and threaten the very basis of faith of any kind.