Who were the Tolpuddle Martyrs

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A.� A group of six farm labourers in the village of Tolpuddle, Dorset, who were transported to Australia in 1834 for 'administering unlawful oaths'. They had set up a 'union' and threatened to withdraw their labour unless their pay was guaranteed.< xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

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Q.� Background

A.� Enclosures changed the English rural landscape between 1770 and 1830. This was simply land theft: landowners stole vast areas of common land, producing even greater wealth. This was a time of great greed and power by the landowners (Click here for a feature on the corn laws.) Peasants no longer had plots to grow vegetables upon; they had also been robbed of common land for grazing their single cow or sheep and pigs. All their independence had been taken away and they replied almost entirely upon the farmers for work.�

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Q.� So the world was ready for industrial action

A.� Indeed. An agricultural labourer's wage in 1830 was nine shillings. This was soon reduced to eight shillings, then to seven. A reduction to�six was planned for 1834 and it was around this time that the men of Tolpuddle, inspired by fellow labourer George Loveless, started the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. They met under a sycamore tree in the village.

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Q.� And it expanded

A.� Yes. It grew through the winter and the men agreed that in the spring they would not accept any work for less than 10 shillings a week.

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A.� Fright. Rural unrest had spread across southern England in 1830, and the authorities wanted no repeat of that. In March 1834, six men were arrested - James Brine, James Hammett, George Loveless, James Loveless (George's brother), George's brother-in-law Thomas Standfield and�Thomas's son, John.

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Q.� Charged with what

A.� They were accused of unlawful assembly and 'administering unlawful oaths'. Although their trade union was legal, they had made the mistake of taking a pledge of loyalty. The Unlawful Oaths Act had been passed in 1797 to deal with a naval mutiny, and never repealed.

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Q.� The case went to court

A.� Oh yes - the Dorchester Assizes. The jury, predominantly of landowners, found them all guilty and the judge, under pressure from the government, sentenced them to seven years' transportation in New South Wales, Australia.

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Q.� It brought protest

A.� Yes. A big campaign formed. The great reformer Lord Russell demanded that Prime Minister Lord Melbourne pardoned the Tolpuddle Martyrs, arguing: 'If being members of a secret society and administering secret oaths was a crime, the reactionary Duke of Cumberland, as head of the Orange Lodges, was equally deserving of transportation.'

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Q.� It worked

A.� They were pardoned in March 1836. Only one of the six, James Hammett, settled again in Tolpuddle, where he died in 1891. His grave is in the churchyard. Three emigrated to Ontario, Canada, where John Standfield became the mayor.

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Q.� Any memorial to them

A.� Yes - there's a museum, memorial cottages and a commemorative seat and shelter.� All that remains of the sycamore tree is a stump.

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by Steve Cunningham

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