Tolpuddle Martyrs
Their Story
In 1834 six Dorset agricultural labourers, united together to - "preserve ourselves, our wives, and our children, from utter degradation and starvation".
News of their formation of the Tolpuddle Lodge of the Agricultural Labourers Friendly Society enraged the draconian local magistrate and landowner James Frampton who wrote to the Home Secretary, Lord Melbourne, to inform him that labourers were being induced to "enter into combinations of a dangerous and alarming kind, to which they are bound by oaths".Although Trade Unions had been declared legal in England the six men were charged under the 1797 Mutiny Act and at their trial they were found guilty of administering illegal oaths. The judge unjustly sentenced them to seven years transportation to the penal colonies of Australia and Van Dieman’s Land (Tasmania).
'The Victims of Whiggery' by George Loveless, and 'The Horrors of Transportation' by James Loveless, James Brine and John Standfield, were written on their return from transportation and published to support the relief and re-settlement of the returned convicts and their families.
These two pamphlets have been the major primary source for all published works on the Tolpuddle Martyrs. tolpuddle martrys
"I am told that the working man ought to remain still and let their cause work its way - that God in his good time will bring it about for him. However, this is not my creed; I believe that God works by means and men, and that he expects every man who feels an interest in the subject to take an active part in bringing about and hastening on so important a period. Under such an impression, I would call upon every working man in England , and especially the agricultural labourers, who appear to be the lowest, degraded, and the least active, to shake off that supineness and indifference to their interests, which leaves them in the situation of slaves. Let every working man come forward, from east to west, from north to south; unite firmly but peaceably together as the heart of one man; let them be determined to have a voice in, and form part of, the British nation; then no longer would the interests of the millions be sacrificed for the gain of a few, but the blessings resulting from such a change would be felt by us, our prosperity, even to generations yet unborn".
Tolpuddle, August, 1837 George Loveless.
Victims
"It will, however, first be necessary to state what led me to become a member of that society which, by the idle and wealthy, has been denounced as illegal and injurious; but which then, as now, appeared to me to be established on just and equitable principle".
Wages
"From this time we were reduced to seven shillings per week, and shortly after our
employers told us they must lower us to six shillings per week.
We consulted together what had better be done, knowing it was impossible to live
honestly on such scanty means".
Friendly Society
"It was resolved to form a friendly society among the labourers, having sufficiently learned that it would be vain to seek redress either of employers, magistrates, or parsons. I inquired of a brother to get information how to proceed, and shortly after, two delegates from a Trade Society paid us a visit, formed a Friendly Society among the labourers, and gave us directions how to proceed".
Arrest
"At daybreak, I arose to go to my usual labour, and had just left my house, when Mr. James Brine, constable of the parish, met me and said, I have a warrant for you, from the magistrates. "I and my companions walked in company with the constable to Dorchester, about seven miles distant, and was taken into the house of a Mr. Woolaston, magistrate, who, with his half brother, James Frampton, and Edward Legg, were ready to receive us. After asking us several questions, to which I answered by saying," We are not aware that we have violated any law"
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Prison
"As soon as we got within the prison doors, our clothes were stripped off and searched, and in my pocket was found a copy of the above placard, a note from a friend, and a small key. After our heads were shorn, we were locked up together in a room, where we remained day and night, till the following Saturday, when we were called before a bench of magistrates in another part of the prison. Legg again swore to us, differing considerably from the first statement. We were then fully committed to take our trial at the next assizes".
Trial
"As to the trial I need mention but little; the whole proceedings were characterized by a shameful disregard of justice and decency; the most unfair means were resorted to in order to frame an indictment against us; the grand jury appeared to ransack heaven and earth to get some clue against us, but in vain; our characters were investigated from our infancy to the then present moment; our masters were inquired to know if we were not idle, or attended public houses, or some other fault in us; and much as they were opposed to us, they had common honesty enough to declare that we were good labouring servants, and that they had never heard a word against any of us; and when nothing whatever could be raked together, the unjust and cruel judge, John Williams, ordered us to be tried for mutiny and conspiracy, under an act Geo.III., cap. 123, for the suppression of mutiny amongst the marines and seamen, several years ago, at the Nore".
