Britain Depth (2): Chartism c.1838-1850 Flashcards

1
Q

The National Convention 1839

A

Organised meeting of chartists to discuss plans to propose petition to parliament. 53 members met. Disagreements set in over tactics. In general, southern representatives were more moderate whilst Northerners favoured violence. Reports that in Newcastle-on-Tyne weapons were being prepared. Reconvened in Birmingham with 35 members and planned out a ‘sacred month’ and a run on the banks.

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2
Q

The Newport Rising 1839

A

John Frost led 5000 miners in a protest march to Westgate hotel. Due to poor organisation one segment arrived to the hotel too early so only 1/3 of the 5000 troops were present. This led to 24 deaths and 125 arrests. Between June 1839 and July 1840, over 500 chartists were arrested, including most of the leaders.

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3
Q

First petition 1839

A

3 miles long. Defeated 235 voted to 46. 1.2 million signatures. Some wanted to respond with national rebellion, some wanted to avoid the use of physical force. Sacred month was voted down by the convention 13 votes to 6.

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4
Q

Second petition 1842

A

In 1842 there were 50,000 chartists and 40,000 branches. This was significant for the scale of mass petitions presented to parliament. 3.3 million signatures. Rejected 287 votes to 49. Led to the plug plot which involved removing plugs from factory boilers to prevent them from being used.

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5
Q

Third petition 1848

A

In 1848 revolutionary fervour spread across Europe. Chartism often fluctuated in line with economic conditions. Boasted to have over 5 million signatures only ended up having under 2 million. Chartism was effectively dead, but it’s legacy lived on fuelling radical movements which persisted through the 17th century. Was rejected once again and gov formed an investigative committee which discredited the document.

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6
Q

The Kennington Common Rally 1848

A

April 1848. The idea was to form an intimidatingly huge crowd that would march from Kennington common to Parliament to deliver the 1848 petition.
Calvary and infantry were stationed at the south side of the bridges across south side and more troops along the north side. 10,000 men could have been concentrated in minutes at any given spot. 170,000 citizens were sworn in as special constables to assist the police.
Demonstration was a damp squib. Only 12-15,000 showed when up to 150,000 had been expected, in part, due to bad weather. Chartists were humiliated.

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7
Q

William Lovett

A

Formed the LWMA in 1836. Studied and debated the ideas that would form the people’s charter. Often seen as the voice of moderate Chartism. Favoured ‘moral force’ to achieve the movements aims. After the bull ring riots of 1839 he was sentenced to 12 months in jail for seditious libel. Disillusioned w/ the leadership of the movement he stopped campaigning after he release in 1840.

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8
Q

Fergus O’connor

A

Began his political career in Ireland as an MP. Impact on Chartism was monumental. Joined the LMWA in 1836. 1837 moved to Leeds and began the Northern Star which became the organ of the Chartist cause. Advocated the use of ‘physical force’. April 1843 he proposed plans for a Land scheme in the NS and proposed the scheme publicly under the name of the Chartist Cooperative Land Society. Was a disaster and ceased functioning after 1848.

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9
Q

Why did Chartism fail to achieve it’s aims by 1850?

A
  • Divisions in leadership
  • Divisions in tactics
  • Divisions in working class support
  • Difficulty coordinating actions
  • Attraction of alternative campaigns
  • No lasting support from Trade Unions
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10
Q

Women and Chartism

A

During the 1840s - women weren’t offered a role in the National charter association committees and subsequently were reluctant to attend NCA meetings
Never considered for roles in the national movement
Just under 100 female chartist associations.
Elizabeth Hansen led the Elland female radical association which suggested women should cooperate with men in their work of regeneration. “Females of all ages have been the best advocates for liberty”.
Women largely involved in fundraising activities.
Shopping boycott.

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11
Q

Chartism and the middle class

A

Failed to gain the support of the so-called ‘aristocracy of labour’, the highly paid and highly skilled craftsmen and the growing number of engineers and other skilled men working on the railway network.
ACLL = Manchester 1838, claimed the working classes would also benefit from the repeal of the Corn Laws because repeal would inevitably lower the price of bread.
Enjoyed some middle-class support in the early years.
-In the 1840’s they attempted to join forces with the Anti-corn law league and complete suffrage union, but this was never successful. The differences in aims were too different, and the CSU soon collapsed.
Opposition:
-They quickly lost support as the movement was increasingly violent and dangerous, following 1832 the chartists were reluctant to work with middle class groups again: the philosophical gulf between the ideas of middle class free trade and the political ambitions of the working class were too wide to be bridged effectively.

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12
Q

Chartism and Trade Unions

A

In 1834 When the GNCTU had collapsed and the Tolpuddle martyrs were transported to Australia trade union activity had essentially collapsed. Those small unions that survived were allowed to exist, but could be prosecuted for strike actions.
In 1839 They saw the proposal for the sacred month and knew if it was carried out it would lead to government reprisals of the trade union movement.
O’Connor tried to form an alliance with the Trade Unions by changing the name of his newspaper to the ‘Northern Star and National Trades Journal.’

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13
Q

National support

A

In Suffolk Chartism was active in the large towns of Ipswich, but had little support in outlying villages or in the fishing ports.
Enjoyed its strongest support in the expanding industrial areas of the Midlands and the North. e.g. Manchester, Stockport, Ashton-under-Lyne.
Never largely supported in Ireland.
Only 1% of Essex and Suffolk combined supported Chartism.
Difficult to sustain allegiance to Chartism in London due to it’s sheer size in terms of geography and population.

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14
Q

Use of police forces

A

1839-48, more than 3,500 chartists were tried.
1929 Peel = The Metropolitan Police Act - set up a single, professional and uniformed force of around 1000 men charged with maintaining order in London and surrounding counties. Extended by the Rural Police Act 1839 which empowered authorities in counties and boroughs to raise their own police forces, which were paid for by a local rate.

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15
Q

Physical force

A

Britain wasn’t involved in European conflicts so used armed forces to maintain domestic peace. Wellington encouraged that, troops were deployed to the plug riots in 1842. 1500 arrested, 79 guilty.
1848 was the year of revolutions in Europe which created fear for the government.

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16
Q

Response in parliament

A

Peel’s government didn’t pass any legislation that aroused Chartist anger. On the contrary, several of his policies were broadly welcomed, he reduced duties on imported corn and supported the Mines Act which banned the employment of women and young children in coal mines.

17
Q

New technology

A

The electric telegraph was developed in 1848 the government received information almost immediately about the Chartists’ intentions and their likely strength following the rejection of the third petition.
Two waves of railway mania 1836-38 and 1844-46 led to the creation of a substantial network of lines, covering over 5000 miles by 1850. Absence of a nearby railway hampered their response. Troops from Winchester had to be marched 100 miles to Bristol and crossed the River Severn by steamer, only arriving in Newport 6 days after the rising. Response to Bull ring riots was better due to the build of a railway between Birmingham and London.

18
Q

The Northern Star

A

Circulation of 50,000 at its peak. voice of the Chartist movement helping to spread their political ideas.
In 1838 it had a circulation of 10,000, during mass agitation of 1839 its editions sold an average of 36,000 copies. 1852 circulation dropped to 1200.

19
Q

Sir Charles Napier

A

Sympathised with the chartist and advised against the use of violence, claiming eventually they would run out of money and supplies to continue striking - he was correct. made it clear that he would use force if the chartists did.
“We have the physical force, not they”
Appointed in April 1839 to command 4000 troops in the 11 counties that comprised the Northern district.
His fears of violence were eased when he attended the mass meeting held at Kersal Moor in which O’Connor predicted would have a turnout of 1 million but it had one of only 30,000.

20
Q

Successes of Chartism

A

By 1918 5 objectives were met. Mass Working class movement. Organisation of Chartism prevailed in the long-term.
- Organisation E.g. Petitions, National convention, Land scheme.
- Massive, Nationwide popular support.
- Growth of working class culture.
- Longevity, National Charter Association continued to 1858.
- Stepping stone from radicalism to other forms of organisation and protest.
- Increasing political experience of women.

21
Q

The Charter (1838)

A
  • The right to cote for every man over 21.
  • A secret ballot.
  • The abolition of property qualifications for MPs.
  • The payment of salaries for MPs.
  • Constituencies of equal size based on the number of voters.
  • Annual elections.
22
Q

National charter association

A

1840 - gave central direction to the movement for the rest of the decade
It had established 400 associations and a membership of 70,000