Tolpuddle - are we still martyrs to the cause?

By John Wiseman
Each summer trade unionists meet at the Tolpuddle Martyr's festival to celebrate the legacy of those Agricultural workers, who decided to stand up for their rights.
It is clear that these trade unionists laid down an example for the future.

I attend the festival each year and find that there are new trade unionists attending. They may be young or old, but they all attend for the same reasons;the principles of trade unionism and the opportunity to reflect. Invariably Brendan Barber, Tony Benn and a minister or two will be in attendance, but we all come to celebrate the lives of trade unionists.

A bit of History

On 16th March 1832, Michael Sadler introduced a Bill in Parliament that proposed limiting the working time of all persons under the age of 18 to ten hours a day. After much debate it was clear that Parliament was unwilling to pass Sadler's Bill. However, in April 1832 it was agreed that there should be another parliamentary enquiry into child labour. Sadler was made chairman and for the next three months the parliamentary committee interviewed 48 people who had worked in textile factories as children. Sadler discovered that it was common for very young children to be working for over twelve hours a day.

At the turn of the 19th century high corn prices and low labourers' wages had led to a several years of unrest, with incidents of rural sabotage and numerous uprisings.
In March 1834 six english farm labourers were sentenced to 7 years transportation to a penal colony in Australia for trade union activities. The labourers were arrested ostensibly for administrating unlawful oaths, but the real reason was because they were trying to protest at their already meagre wages. The labourers at Tolpuddle lived in poverty on just 7 shillings a week and wanted an increase to 10 shillings (50 Pence in today’s money), but instead the wages were cut to 6 shillings a week.

The Whig government had become alarmed at the working class discontent in the country at this time. The government and the landowners, led by James Frampton, were determined to quash the union and to control increasing outbreaks of dissent.

Six of the Tolpuddle labourers were arrested: George and James Loveless, James Brine, James Hammett, Thomas Stansfield and his son John. It was George Loveless who had established the Friendly Society of Agricultural Workers in Tolpuddle.

At their trial the judge and jury were hostile, and the six were sentenced to 7 years transportation to Australia.

After the trial many public protest meetings were held and there was uproar throughout the country at this sentence, so the prisoners were hastily transported to Australia without delay. The people were incensed at this treatment and after 250,000 people signed a petition and a procession of 30,000 people marched down Whitehall in support of the labourers, the sentences were remitted. After some delay, the six were given a free passage home from Australia.

When finally home and free, some of the 'Martyrs' settled on farms in England and four emigrated to Canada.

The tree under which the 'Martyrs' met is now very old and reduced to a stump, but it has become a place of pilgrimage in Tolpuddle, where it is known as the 'Martyrs Tree'.
A commemorative seat and shelter was erected in 1934 on the green by the wealthy London draper Sir Ernest Debenham. The Tolpuddle Martyrs contributed a proud chapter in the history of Trade Unionism and in 1934 the T.U.C. erected six memorial cottages in the village. Once a year, leading socialist politicians, under colorful banners, march past the green where the commemorative seat and shelter have been erected.

The role of trade unionism in this account and its legacy

Since trade unionism began with these agricultural workers meeting in the village of Tolpuddle, we have seen many changes with ups and downs for the movement. It is important to note that their struggle is still being repeated today. You need only look at the 1984 Miners Strike and the more recent Fire Service dispute to grasp the need for effective trade unions. The Gate Gourmet dispute is a more up-to-date example of the need for the right to fight for justice in the workplace.

There is the case that the legacy of the martyrs will last for a long time and that the tide as changed to a point that society recognises that we need a world in which all workers are treated equally and fairly.
So we now look as Gazette Supporters, at the future and we can say that each of us in our own way plays a part in fulfilling the legacy of the Tolpuddle Martyr's.

Return to top of the page

Return to previous page