The Tolpuddle Martyrs | Historic UK By Ellen Castelow , Contributing Writer | Comments Throughout history, tales of brave, courageous people being executed for their beliefs, usually religious ones, are well known but the men who became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs were not persecuted for their religion. Tolpuddle is a village near Dorchester in Dorset , where in the years 1833 and 1834 a great wave of trade union activity took place and a lodge of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers was established. Entry into the union involved payment of a shilling (5p) and swearing before a picture of a skeleton never to tell anyone the union's secrets. Lord Melbourne was Prime Minister at this time and he was bitterly opposed to the Trade Union Movement, so when six English farm labourers were sentenced in March 1834 to 7 years transportation to a penal colony in Australia for trade union activities, Lord Melbourne did not dispute the sentence. The labourers were arrested ostensibly for administrating unlawful oaths, but the real reason was because they were trying to protest at their already pitiful wages.

The labourers at Tolpuddle lived in meagre poverty on just 7 shillings a week and wanted an increase to 10 shillings, but instead their 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 squash 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 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 story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs is perhaps the best known case in the early history of the Trade Union Movement. Useful Information: Tolpuddle Martyrs Rally - third week in July The annual festival to commemorate the memory of the struggle of the Tolpuddle Martyrs is held on the third weekend of every July in the Dorset village of Tolpuddle.

International speakers join with workers' representatives, and progressive musicians and artists to make it an occasion to remember. Shire Hall, Dorchester Built in 1797, this Grade I Listed Building was designed by London architect Thomas Hardwick. It retains the courtroom where the Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced to transportation to Australia for their part in the early trade union movement in 1834. It appears today as it did at that time. Under the court are the cells in which prisoners were kept while waiting for their appearance in court. Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like... The Rebecca Riots - The Rebecca Riots were in fact a series of protests that took place between 1839 and 1843, throughout the rural areas of west Wales ...The protesters were mainly simple farming folk who had been angered ... Dorchester - Thomas Hardy's Casterbridge, and its history ... Ascott Martyrs - A true story of 16 indomitable women and their struggle for justice ...

Peterloo Massacre - On that August day, the 16th, a large body of people carrying banners bearing slogans against the Corn Laws, and in favour of universal suffrage, held a meeting at St. Peter's Fields in Manchester. The magistrates of the day became alarmed and ordered ... Advertising Tolpuddle Martyrs | law case | Britannica.com Tolpuddle Martyrs District of Columbia v. Heller Tolpuddle Martyrs, six English farm labourers who were sentenced (March 1834) to seven years’ transportation to a penal colony in Australia for organizing trade-union activities in the Dorsetshire village of Tolpuddle. Their leaders, George and James Loveless (or Lovelace), had established a lodge of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers during the great national wave of trade-union activity in 1833–34.

Listen to Jason Wilsher-Mills, a U.K.-based digital artist, discussing the importance of the … © UK Parliament Education Service (A Britannica Publishing Partner) The Whig government, alarmed at the dimensions of working-class discontent, arrested six Tolpuddle labourers—the Loveless brothers, James Brine, Thomas Stanfield and his son John, and James Hammett—ostensibly for administering unlawful oaths but actually for combining to protect their already meagre wages. Convicted and sentenced by a hostile judge and jury, the six men became popular heroes. There was an immediate public reaction in all parts of the country, particularly in London , where there were large-scale demonstrations in which many future Chartist leaders took part. The government largely ignored popular sentiment , and it was not until March 1836 that the sentences were remitted. Learn More in these related articles: in organized labour: Origins in Britain ...Inherently unstable, as were the other broad labour formations of the period, this union did not expire without leaving an enduring legacy. Six Dorsetshire agricultural labourers—the Tolpuddle Martyrs—were convicted and sentenced to transportation to Australia for swearing a secret oath in connection with the union.

The union mounted a major campaign on their behalf, and... 1 Reference found in Britannica Articles Assorted Reference development of trade unions (in organized labour: Origins in Britain ) External Links Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles. You can make it easier for us to review and, hopefully, publish your contribution by keeping a few points in mind. Encyclopædia Britannica articles are written in a neutral objective tone for a general audience. You may find it helpful to search within the site to see how similar or related subjects are covered. Any text you add should be original, not copied from other sources. At the bottom of the article, feel free to list any sources that support your changes, so that we can fully understand their context. (Internet URLs are the best.) Your contribution may be further edited by our staff, and its publication is subject to our final approval. Unfortunately, our editorial approach may not be able to accommodate all contributions. Submit Thank You for Your Contribution!

Our editors will review what you've submitted, and if it meets our criteria, we'll add it to the article. Please note that our editors may make some formatting changes or correct spelling or grammatical errors, and may also contact you if any clarifications are needed. Uh Oh There was a problem with your submission. Please try again later. Close Date Published: June 03, 2016 URL: Access Date: January 06, 2017 Share Convicts To Australia ... Research Guide - Political Prisoners Fenians Apart from the majority of convicts who were convicted for stealing, assault and forgery, there were small groups who were transported at times for political crimes. Rather than seeking personal gain, they were more concerned with social change and protesting against injustices within their community. Some merely disturbed the peace by demonstrating against those in authority, but others were more disruptive and apart from holding meetings and giving speeches, refused to work, damaged property and assaulted people. In all, the transportation era may only have generated around 1000 political prisoners, but they had friends in high places and attracted a lot of attention from newspapers, politicians and people in public life.

In fact, they still attract a lot of attention today and have come to be known for the various causes they represented. Much has been written about them and in time more specialist web sites will be created to perpetuate their memory. First Scottish Martyrs The First Scottish Martyrs were five men who supported the ideals of the French Revolution - liberty, equality and fraternity. They were transported to New South Wales in 1794. Their names were Maurice Magarot, Thomas Muir, Thomas Fyshe Palmer, William Skirving and Joseph Gerrald. The Naval Mutineers In 1797 there was a mutiny in several British naval bases. The mutineers rebelled against the sailors' poor food, poor pay and poor conditions whereby they could be flogged for many minor offences. Some of the mutineers were hung and fifteen of them were transported to New South Wales, among them Dr William Redfern who had been a surgeon on the 'Standard'. Redfern was soon pardoned and in 1814, after three transports arrived in Sydney amid reports of a high death toll due to disease, he was ordered to prepare a report on conditions on board ships and suggest improvements for later voyages.

Peter Mayberry has identified the Naval men (some of whom were Irish), who took part in the mutinies at Nora and Spithead and who were transported to NSW in 1801 on either the 'Canada' or the 'Minorca':- Thomas McCann - Minorca - tried River of Thames George Lewis - Canada or Minorca James Irwin [Erwin] - Minorca - tried Brunswick John Burns - Canada or Minorca Thomas Brown - Canada or Minorca John Murphy - Canada or Minorca Christopher Mahane - Canada or Minorca Terence Dunn - Canada or Minorca Thomas Jourdaine - Canada or Minorca James Hailey - Canada or Minorca Patrick Devoy - Canada - tried Portsmouth Peter McGuire - Canada - tried Portsmouth John Hoare - Canada - tried Portsmouth James Cannon - Canada or Minorca - tried Portsmouth William Redfern - Minorca Irish Rebels There were several rebellions in Ireland during the convict era, especially in 1798, 1803, 1848 and 1867. The people of Ireland were agitating for political separation from Britain and large numbers of rebels were transported to Australia.

Two groups especially stand out in Australian convict folklore, one for the rebellion they led in 1804 at Castle Hill in New South Wales, and the other, the Fenians, for the events surrounding their flight from Western Australia after being transported in 1868. Peter Mayberry's web site includes a database of Irish Rebels to Australia 1797-1806 . Castle Hill Rebellion On March 4, 1804, soldiers were called in to crush an uprising of 300 Irish convicts at Castle Hill to the north of Parramatta in New South Wales. Fifteen Irishmen were killed and the leaders were hung. The rest of the convicts were moved to Newcastle and became the first inhabitants of a New South Wales secondary punishment establishment. Scots Rebels Two political rebellions occurred during March and April 1820. As in other cases, the rebels appear to have been seeking changes in electoral practices, in the hope of winning a less corrupt form of government. As a result of the first instance, nineteen Scots rebels from Bonnymuir and Paisley (near Glasgow) were transported to NSW after two of their colleagues were executed.

"The Scottish Radicals" by Margaret & Alastair MacFarlane (1981), details the lives of the rebels after they arrived in Australia. Yorkshire Rebels A second group, called the Yorkshire rebels, were transported to VDL. Eleven arrived in 1820 on the 'Lady Ridley' and a twelfth transportee, Michael Downing, arrived on the 'Phoenix' in 1822. Peter Thomas in Darwin, Australia is researching the Yorkshire group and is looking for possible links with the Scots rebels above. Principal names in the Yorkshire group were William Rice (1780-1853), William Comstive (1792-1858; he was sent to Norfolk Island on the 'Arab' in 1834), John Burkinshaw, Richard Addy, Joseph Cahpiel, Joseph Firth, Benjamin Hanson, John Lindley, John Peacock, Benjamin Rogers, and Charles Stanfield. The Tolpuddle Martyrs The Tolpuddle Martyrs were six men from the village of Tolpuddle in Dorset who were transported to Australia on the Surrey in 1834.

They were sentenced for unlawfully administering oaths of loyalty to the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers they had established to fight the continuing reduction of their wages. This was the beginning of Trade Unionism in England. It only took the jury five minutes to convict James Hammett, James Brine, brothers George and James Loveless, and father and son Thomas and John Standfield. Interestingly, the local magistrate was a factory owner who stood to lose if they got their way. Swing Riots and Machine Breakers The Machine Breakers were rural labourers in England who rebelled against the use of machines on farms. They felt they were taking away their jobs and tried to destroy them. As a result, many of the rioters were captured and sentenced and about 475 of them were transported to Van Diemen's Land and New South Wales. There were even a small number of ships, such as the Eleanor (NSW 1831) and Eliza (VDL 1831), which only transported convicted machine breakers.

Jill Chambers of Letchworth, Herts, England has been researching the "Swing Riots" for many years and publishes a newsletter called the "Machine Breakers' News" three times a year. She has published several books on the subject and some of the titles are: "Rebels of the Field - Robert Mason and the convicts of the Eleanor" "Wiltshire Machine Breakers - Vol. 1 The riots and Trials" "Wiltshire Machine Breakers - Vol. 2 The Rioters" "Hampshire Machine Breakers - The Story of the 1830 Riots" "Buckinghamshire Machine Breakers" Welcome | Tolpuddle Martyrs Contact Us Welcome In the 1830s life in villages like Tolpuddle was hard and getting worse. Farm workers could not bear yet more cuts to their pay. Some fought back by smashing the new threshing machines but this brought harsh punishments. In 1834, farm workers in west Dorset formed a trade union. Unions were lawful and growing fast but six leaders of the union were arrested and sentenced to seven years’ transportation for taking an oath of secrecy. A massive protest swept across the country.

Thousands of people marched through London and many more organised petitions and protest meetings to demand their freedom. The Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum tells the harrowing tale of the Martyrs arrest, trial and punishment, leading to the foundation of modern day trade unionism. The Festival 15-17 July 2016 Every year in July, thousands of people to enjoy the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival. It is a weekend of family entertainment, stalls, political debate, comedy, music and a grand procession through the village. As the sun rose on 24th February 1834, Dorset farm labourer George Loveless set off to work, saying goodbye to his wife Betsy and their three children. About In the 1830s life in villages like Tolpuddle was hard and getting worse. Farm workers could not bear yet more cuts to their pay. Some fought back by smashing the new threshing machines but this brought harsh punishments. In 1834, farm workers in west Dorset formed a trade union. Unions were lawful and growing fast but six leaders of the union were arrested and sentenced to seven years’ transportation for taking an oath of secrecy.

A massive protest swept across the country. Thousands of people marched through London and many more organised petitions and protest meetings to demand their freedom. Convict Crimes - Australia Convict crimes Convict Crimes Sometimes laws are created to exert a moral code, sometimes to solve a problem and sometimes to help the powerful consolidate their power. These motivations can all be found in the laws that resulted in Convicts being sent to Australia. By today's standards, the Convicts had only committed trivial offences and in the case of political crimes, had in fact showed a social conscience. The serious crimes, such as rape, murder, or impersonating an Egyptian, were usually punished in Britain with the death penalty. In Australia, laws were even more strict, or more specifically, authorities were given free rein to make anything they wanted to be a criminal offence. Consequently, Convicts soon discovered that, in Australia, it was against the law to be pregnant, rude, disrespectful, swear, drink, and even have their hands in their pockets. Because there was a sense of illegitimacy about whether the punishment fitted the crime, many Convicts decided that there was a difference between being a law abiding citizen and being a decent human being.

Such sentiments could be seen in verses of Convict poetry such as: "The law locks up the man or woman Who steals the goose from the common But leaves the greater villain loose Who steals the common from the goose " And song verses like "He bade the judge good morning And he told him to beware, That he'd never rob a needy man Or one who acted square, But a judge who'd rob a mother Of her one and only joy Sure, he must be a worse outlaw than The wild colonial boy. " Convict Crimes Unnatural offence Until 1850s Britain, homosexuality carried the death sentence and people who turned a blind eye or were an accessory to homosexuality risked being transported to Australia. One such man was William Bonill, who was accused of letting two men, James Pratt and John Smith, have sex in his room. Pratt and Smith were executed while Bonill was sentenced to 14 years. Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney were constructed to house Convict men and boys. Holes were constructed in walls so that guards could watch to ensure Convicts weren't having sex with each other. Homosexuality remained a crime in NSW until 1984.

Piracy In 1827, a small ship manned by nine Greek sailors robbed a British ship bound for Malta. The Greeks were later caught and brought to trial. In their defence, the Greeks argued that, under international law, they had been entitled to intercept and rob a vessel destined for a port occupied by Turkey (their enemy.) Initially, the men were sentenced to death, but concern about the validity of the English laws led to seven of the men being sent to Australia instead. Machine breakers and swing rioters While technology increases production, it also brings with it a human cost. In the 1830s, the introduction of threshing machines coincided with a series of difficult growing conditions and poor harvests. These machines took away the winter employment for ploughmen who were already doing it tough. Threshing machines were soon attacked and a mythical “Captain Swing” started sending threatening letters to farmers and manufacturers if the machinery wasn’t removed and wages increased. Rioting eventually broke out, with the troublemakers being tried as “machine breakers” or “swing rioters”. Irish rebels In 1690, Catholic Ireland was conquered by Protestant England.

The English subsequently passed laws that Catholics could not vote, could not enter university, could not be members of Parliament, could not own a gun, could not travel more than five miles from home and could not teach in Protestant schools. Before long, three-quarters of the Irish land was owned by the English Protestants who rented it to the Irish farmers. If rent was not paid, bailiffs would take anything moveable (such as livestock or furniture) and then evict the family. To survive, many Irish were forced to a life to crime. Other Irish struggled to realise political change. In March 1798, Ireland was declared to be in a state of insurrection. Under the Insurrection Act, Magistrates and Military Officers were empowered to arrest and punish, by death or otherwise, according to their discretion, people committing treasonable acts or even suspected of treason. An Indemnity Act protected them from suits for illegal acts committed by them in suppressing a rebellion, so that many thousands were, without any judicial trial or investigation, flogged, tortured, transported or executed. Sample of Irish Convicts that were transported on the Britannia in 1897.

Although records of their sentence exist, for many there is little-to-no records of crimes they were alleged to have commited. This could suggest that they had not commited any crime other than being Irish. In 1804, about 330 of the Irish Convicts launched a full scale insurrection. Although their catch cry was "liberty or death", most of the Convicts got neither. The ring leaders foolishly tried to negotiate a deal and were caught. The stunned mob was then fired upon and after 15 minutes of confusion, it fled to the bush. The principle ring leader was hanged almost immediately, eight others shortly followed, four received 500 lashes, thirty were sent to goal gangs and another thirty were sent to Newcastle. The Convicts who ran away surrendered in twos and threes over the next few days. Tolpuddle Martyrs The Tolpuddle Martyrs were six men from the Village of Tolpuddle in England who were transported in 1834 for trying to form a union. They were: George Loveless; James Loveless; Thomas Standfield; John Standfield; James Hammet; James Brine.

1834 print showing demonstration in 1834 against the sentences of transportation imposed on the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Between 35,000 to 100,000 people attended the demonstration, and over 200,000 signed for the remission of the Martyrs' sentences. Lord Melbourne at the Home Office refused to accept the petition. Scottish Martyrs The Scottish Martyrs were five men who promoted the ideals of the French revolution: liberty, equality and fraternity. As punishment for promoting these views, they were transported to Australia. They were: Maurice Magarot; Thomas Muir; Thomas Fyshe Palmer; William Skirving; Joseph Gerrald. 2009 Bust of Thomas Muir by Alexader Stoddart. Muir's charges proposed that 1) he said the government was oppressive 2) that he encouraged three people to to buy and read Paine's Rights of Man 3)that he circulated the work of Thomas Paine, A Declaration of Rights, to the friends of reform in Paisley. Naval mutineers Life was difficult for sailors in the 18th century.

They could be flogged without reason, food was scarce and pay almost non-existent. It had been said that 'being a sailor in a ship is being in goal with the chance of being drowned. ' Mutinies were usually dealt with by hangings. Occasionally; however, the mutineers were sent to Australia. One notable mutineer was a surgeon by the name of Dr William Redfern. In 1797, Dr William Redfern took part in a naval mutiny aimed at improving workplace conditions. He was sentenced to death as a result. After spending four years in an English jail, he was transported to New South Wales in 1802. Redfern became an advocate for the emancipist cause and in 1814 reported to Governor Macquarie on the sanitary problems of the Convict transport ships, which led to dramatic improvements in conditions. Canadian Rebels In 1837, a group of Canadian rebels staged an uprising to achieve reform. 29 were executed and 149 were transported to Australia. The Chartists The Chartists were a group of about 60 people from Monmouthshire in England who had drawn up a list of changes they wanted made to the political system.

The list included the ideas that everyone should be given a vote, that voting should be by ballot and Parliamentary members should be paid. (The system of the time only allowed rich men who didn't have to earn a living to enter Parliament.) For creating the list, the Chartists were transported to Tasmania. William Cuffay was one of the most well known chartists. He was the son of a West Indian slave and started agitating for political change in 1834. In 1848, he was charged with “sedition” and “levying war” after organising a Chartist rally. He was subsequently sentenced to 21 years transportation. He arrived in Hobart in 1849, but was immediately granted a ticket-of-leave, which allowed him to work. He was pardoned three years later. Upon receiving his pardon, he started campaigning against the Master and Servant Act, which aimed to restrict trade unions. He died in 1870 and was honoured with obituaries in numerous Australian newspapers. Black South Africans From 1828 to 1834 South Africa deported many blacks that were not political prisoners, but had transgressed the white South African laws.

Pickpockets Often the pickpockets were well organised gangs that targeted social gatherings of the rich and famous. In a crowd, the pickpocket's victim would not feel a hand relieving them of their valuables. As soon as the item was stolen, it would be passed to an assistant (often an elegantly dressed lady) who would hurry to another part of town. Orphans Convicts as young as 10 were transported to Australia. Such children had no parents, no homes and no schools thus took to a life of crime to survive. Other orphans were sent to Australia because business owners wanted them to work in their factories as slaves. Not even children were too young to transport. Mary Wade was just 11 when sentenced to death for the theft of a frock. This was communted to transportation to Australia. She later had 21 children. Aristocrats Some eccentric noblemen from England 's establishment were transported.

These included: James Hardy Vaux - An eccentric who despite acknowledging the folly of his ways, found it impossible to resist the temptation to break the law; Francise Greenway - Short fused architect who rubbed people the wrong way; James Grant- Discharged a weapon in a gentleman's 'duel' after his honour had been tainted; Sir Henry Brown Hayes - A knight and sheriff of Cork who kidnapped a lady and forced her to marry him. To create a sense of permanency about the colony, Governor Macquarie enlisted Convict architect Francise Greenway to design solid brick constructions. Robert Russel’s Hyde Park Barracks [1836] shows the barracks with the original domed guardhouses, now demolished. Women The Convict women were usually reported to have been low-class women, foul mouthed and with loose morals; however, this was not always the case. Often women would commit crimes deliberately to join their husbands in the colony. Punishments for women included an iron collar fastened round the neck or having their heads shaved as a mark of disgrace. Often these punishments were for moral misdemeanours, such as being 'found in the yard of an inn in an indecent posture for an immoral purpose'.

Sometimes women would intentional offend the authorities by bearing their back sides or name the priest when asked who the father was of their child. Convict women were often punished for having poor morality. In 1838, Convict women at the Cascades Female Factory reacted by mooning the visiting governor and the reverend. Servants In a house of nobility, if an item went missing or was misplaced, the servant was usually blamed. Convictions were assured even when there was a lack of evidence. Other servants formed relationships with their masters and were accused of theft when the master wanted the relationship to end.

Ye London maids attend to me While I relate my misery Through London streets I oft have strayed But now I am a Convict Maid In innocence I once did live In all the joy that peace could give But sin my youthful heart betrayed And now I am a Convict Maid To wed my lover I did try To take my master's property So all my guilt was soon displayed And I became a Convict Maid Then I was soon to prison sent To wait in fear my punishment When at the bar I stood dismayed Since doomed to be a Convict Maid At lenth the Judge did me address Which filled with pain my aching breast To Botany Bay you will be conveyed For seven years a Convict Maid For seven long years oh how I sighed While my poor mother loudly cried My lover wept and thus he said May God be with my Convict Maid To you that here my mournful tale I cannot half my grief reveal No sorrow yet has been portrayed Like that of the poor Convict Maid Far from my friends and home so dear My punishment is most severe My woe is great and I'm afraid That I shall die a Convict Maid I toil each day in greaf and pain And sleepless through the night remain My constant toils are unrepaid

 And wretched is the Convict Maid Oh could I but once more be free I'd never again a captive be But I would seek some honest trade And never become a Convict Maid.

Nearly 25,000 women were transported to Australia as convicts, half of them from Ireland. The Convict Maid became a popular folk song. Aborigines Aborigines became Convicts for either defending their home or cultural misunderstandings. Warriors such as Yagan, Pelmulwuy and Musquito were outlawed for enforcing the laws of their culture. Yagan and Pelmulwuy were eventually beheaded whilst Musquito was transported to Tasmania where he again made trouble and was then executed. Other Aborigines came before the law due to cultural misunderstandings. In nomadic societies, there was no concept of individual possession; rather, what was owned by friends was owned by all. Consequently, the Aborigines frequently walked off with any European item that held their interest. Subsequently, many officials found it ironic that they had established a penal colony amongst the greatest thieves on earth. Aborigines ended up in chains for various reasons. One reason was offence at the presence of the English.

As the Convict J.F Mortlock wrote in 1864, "I sympathized with a few unfortunate aborigines, transported hither from New South Wales, for resenting the intrusion and aggression of the English." They were usually chained by the neck like dogs. Ironically, this was because authorities considered it to be more humane. As stated by the Sydney Morning Herald in 1907, “In his annual report on his department for the year ending Juno last, Mr. H. C. Frinco, Chief Protector of Aborigines, states on the question of the neck chaining of native prisoners, that the following report has been sent to the Secretary of State:-With regard to the neck chaining of native prisoners it has been conclusively proved by all medical and other evidence that this method is most humane, and after full consideration the Government has approved of its continuance." Official crimes list The following is the list of crimes that was punishable by transportation to Australia 1.) All theft above the value of one shilling.2.) Thefts under the value one shilling. 3.) Receiving stolen goods, jewels and plate. 4.) Stealing lead, iron or copper. 5.) Stealing ore from black lead mines.

6.) Stealing from furnished lodgings. 7.) Setting fire to underwood. 8.) Stealing letters.9.) Assault with intent to rob. 10.) Stealing fish from a pond or river. 11.) Stealing roots, trees or plants. 12.) Bigamy. 13.) Assaulting, cutting or burning clothes. 14.) Counterfeiting the copper coin. 15.) Clandestine marriage. 16.) Stealing a shroud from a grave. 17.) Watermen carrying too many passengers on the Thames , if any drowned. 18.) Incorrigible rogues who broke out of prison and persons reprieved from capital punishment. 19.) Embeuling naval stores. Tolpuddle Martyrs banished to Australia - Mar 18, 1834 - HISTORY.com Tolpuddle Martyrs banished to Australia Share this: Tolpuddle Martyrs banished to Australia Author Tolpuddle Martyrs banished to Australia URL Publisher A+E Networks In England, six English agricultural laborers are sentenced to seven years of banishment to Australia’s New South Wales penal colony for their trade union activities.

In 1833, after several years of reductions in their agricultural wages, a group of workers in Tolpuddle, a small village east of Dorchester, England, formed the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. Led by George Loveless, a farm laborer, the union rapidly grew in the area, and it was agreed that the men would not accept work for less than 10 shillings a week. With the urging of the British government, which feared a repetition of the rural unrest of 1830, local authorities arrested Loveless and five others on charges of taking an unlawful oath, citing an outdated law that had been passed in the late 18th century to deal with naval mutiny. In March 1834, these six men, including one who had never taken the oath, were sentenced to seven years imprisonment at an Australian penal colony. Public reaction throughout the country made the six into popular heroes, and in 1836, after continual agitation, the sentence against the so-called “Tolpuddle Martyrs” was finally remitted.

Only one of the six returned to Tolpuddle; the rest emigrated to Canada, where one Tolpuddle Martyr–John Standfield–became mayor of his district. The popular movement surrounding the Tolpuddle controversy is generally regarded as the beginning of trade unionism in Great Britain. Related Videos History of the Festival | Tolpuddle Martyrs History of the Festival Contact Us History of the Festival Tolpuddle has been a place of great importance to the Labour Movement from the moment news broke of the harsh sentences imposed on the six farm workers who led the formation of the union. One of the earliest organised commemorations was in 1875 when the Agricultural Workers Union presented an engraved watch and illuminated address to James Hammett, the only one of the six Martyrs to return to Tolpuddle. In April 1908 a meeting of theTolpuddle Martyrs' Memorial Scheme Committee agreed to launch an appeal for a pamphlet to tell the story with the aim of erecting some sort of memorial in the village. In 1912 a memorial arch was unveiled outside the Methodist Chapel in Tolpuddle by Arthur Henderson, the Labour Leader.

In 1922 the Working Women’s Club Fete and the National Union of Agricultural Workers held a joint festival. In 1925 a party of ASLEF railway workers stopped in Tolpuddle to pay silent tribute at the arch. Other individuals visited the village including Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald on his way back from Cornwall in 1933. In 1834, Lloyd George, leader of the Liberals, came to lay a wreath and praise the role of trade unions. Centenary year: 1934 In 1934, the centenary year of the arrest, the TUC celebrated in style. Unions paid a farthing a member for two years to establish the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Memorial Trust – a charity to pay for the commemorations and retirement cottages. A book was published with contributors including TUC General Secretary Walter Citrine, Sir Stafford Cripps MP, Harold Laski, the Labour Leader, Arthur Henderson, GDH Cole, Sidney and Beartice Webb and George Bernard Shaw. Six cottages were built to house the ‘aged and poor’. Electricity was brought to the village and a new well dug.

A massive crowd came to witness the opening of the cottages. The 1934 book of the Tolpuddle Martyrs published by the TUC The cottages are opened in 1934 Memorial Cottages A play was performed, a medal struck, a headstone designed by sculpture Eric Gill unveiled and a thatched shelter was erected next to the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Tree. A lavish gala festival was held involving a range of activities such as sporting, writing and brass band competitions. A grand procession and pageant were held in nearby Dorchester. Part of the huge procession in Dorchester in 1934 George Lansbury unveils the new James Hammett headstone made by Eric Gill in 1934 See Pathe News coverage of the event here After the war the annual Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Rally reflected trade union confidence but in the 1950s some Labour leaders stayed away because of the involvement of Communist Party members. 150 years on The 1984 Rally marked 150 years since the Martyrs were arrested and transported. Margaret Thatcher had declared war on unions and thousands turned out to show their determination not to be beaten.

The sacked trade unionists from GCHQ were there as were striking miners. The 7:84 Theatre Company put on the play Six Men of Dorset, an exhibition was held in London and a first day cover issued. 150th anniversary exhibition Neil Kinnock speaks to the 150th Anniversary Rally in 1984. A new tree is planted in 1984 with Oliver Trevett, Rod Todd, Alan Sapper, Moss Evans, Neil Kinnock and Norman Willis. Festival gets new life By the 1990s the format of a procession and speeches lost its appeal and attendance fell. In 1997 Nigel Costley the new South West TUC Regional Secretary, with the help of Dick Muskett from the Workers Beer Company began to revive the event with more music, diverse speakers and entertainment. The mix proved popular and attendance stared to build. With the use of the neighbouring field, camping was introduced and people could come for the whole weekend. Billy Bragg plays in 2009 Thanks The late Harold Smith was a great champion for the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival.

His file full of letters and fliers was passed to the Marx Memorial Library who kindly dontaed the materials to the Tolpuddle Martyrs' Museum.

Question: In British history, how many Tolpuddle Martyrs were there?
Answer: Six