The Tolpuddle Martyrs were six agricultural workers in England sentenced in 1834 to be transported to Australia's New South Wales penal colony for 7 years.
They were arrested on the basis that they swore an oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.
The Society A group of agricultural workers in Tolpuddle, Dorchester, England formed the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers after several years of enduring gradual reduction of wages.
The group was spearheaded by George Loveless, a charismatic peasant and Methodist local preacher with a special dedication towards the betterment of the lot of his co-workers.
They met at the house of Thomas Standfield, forging the start of the union.
The membership in the surrounding area steadily grew overtime.
They swore an oath never to accept work for less than 10 shillings per week.
At that time, peasants were receiving 7 shillings a week.
Such rate would still be reduced to 6 shillings per week.
Government's Swift Action Learning of the growing threat in the area, the local landowner James Frampton, sent a letter to the Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, complaining about the group.
Frampton mentioned that the members of the union swore an oath similar to the one that incited the naval mutiny of the early 18th century.
Shortly afterwards, the British Government, fearful of yet another rural unrest acted swiftly by arresting the members.
The government, reminded by Frompton's invocation of an old law, decided to quell the union.
Loveless and five other members were immediately arrested and convicted of inciting unrest and taking unlawful oath.
George Loveless, James Brine, James Hammett, George's brother-in-law Thomas Stanfield, Thomas' son John Stanfield, and George's brother James Loveless, were found guilty and sentenced to be transported to Australia.
It only took 5 minutes for the jury to convict the six of unlawfully administering oaths of loyalty to the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.
Interestingly, the head officiating judge was a local landowner in the area who has everything to lose if the union got its way.
Heroes Unfortunate it may seem at first, the group became heroes locally and throughout Britain.
The public's reaction was so intense that they became known throughout the country as the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
The government eventually remitted the sentence.
Only one of the six returned to Tolpuddle.
The rest immigrated to Canada where John Stanfield became a mayor in his district.
Many historians at present put credits on the controversy surrounding the case and consider it the birth of trade unionism in Great Britain.
News of the sentence also reached the other parts of the British Empire.
It was a big Australia news although it did not directly affect the agricultural and labor landscape of the country.
They were arrested on the basis that they swore an oath as members of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.
The Society A group of agricultural workers in Tolpuddle, Dorchester, England formed the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers after several years of enduring gradual reduction of wages.
The group was spearheaded by George Loveless, a charismatic peasant and Methodist local preacher with a special dedication towards the betterment of the lot of his co-workers.
They met at the house of Thomas Standfield, forging the start of the union.
The membership in the surrounding area steadily grew overtime.
They swore an oath never to accept work for less than 10 shillings per week.
At that time, peasants were receiving 7 shillings a week.
Such rate would still be reduced to 6 shillings per week.
Government's Swift Action Learning of the growing threat in the area, the local landowner James Frampton, sent a letter to the Prime Minister Lord Melbourne, complaining about the group.
Frampton mentioned that the members of the union swore an oath similar to the one that incited the naval mutiny of the early 18th century.
Shortly afterwards, the British Government, fearful of yet another rural unrest acted swiftly by arresting the members.
The government, reminded by Frompton's invocation of an old law, decided to quell the union.
Loveless and five other members were immediately arrested and convicted of inciting unrest and taking unlawful oath.
George Loveless, James Brine, James Hammett, George's brother-in-law Thomas Stanfield, Thomas' son John Stanfield, and George's brother James Loveless, were found guilty and sentenced to be transported to Australia.
It only took 5 minutes for the jury to convict the six of unlawfully administering oaths of loyalty to the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers.
Interestingly, the head officiating judge was a local landowner in the area who has everything to lose if the union got its way.
Heroes Unfortunate it may seem at first, the group became heroes locally and throughout Britain.
The public's reaction was so intense that they became known throughout the country as the Tolpuddle Martyrs.
The government eventually remitted the sentence.
Only one of the six returned to Tolpuddle.
The rest immigrated to Canada where John Stanfield became a mayor in his district.
Many historians at present put credits on the controversy surrounding the case and consider it the birth of trade unionism in Great Britain.
News of the sentence also reached the other parts of the British Empire.
It was a big Australia news although it did not directly affect the agricultural and labor landscape of the country.
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