"benefit society. But at the time, friendly societies had strong elements of what are now considered to be the principal role of trade unions, and wages were at issue. The Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced not to death but to transportation to Australia, a harsh form of exile. The Belfiore martyrs (in Italian, ""Martiri di Belfiore"") were a group of Italian pro-independence fighters condemned to death by hanging in 1853 during the Italian Risorgimento. They included Tito Speri and the priest Enrico Tazzoli and are named after the site where the sentence was carried out, in the valley of Belfiore at"
"anybody has been executed for a similar matter in a civilised country was the case of John Brown at Harpers Ferry. The Fenians could not have wished for a better precedent."" The Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of 19th century agricultural labourers in Dorset, England, who were arrested for and convicted of swearing a secret oath as members of the ""Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers."" The rules of the society showed it was clearly structured as a friendly society, that is, a mutual association for the purposes of insurance, pensions, savings or cooperative banking; and it operated as a trade-specific"
"birthplace of the modern trade union movement when, in 1834, six farm labourers formed a union to protest against falling wages. The labourers, who are now known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, were subsequently arrested for administering ""unlawful oaths"" and sentenced to transportation but they were pardoned following massive protests by the working classes. The Dorsetshire Regiment were the first British unit to face a gas attack during the First World War (1914–1918) and they sustained particularly heavy losses at the Battle of the Somme. In total some 4,500 Dorset servicemen died in the war and of the county's towns and"
"Tolpuddle in Dorset, England, six agricultural labourers, known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, formed an early trades union in 1834. They were found to have breached the Unlawful Oaths Act 1797 and were transported to Australia. The subsequent public outcry led to their release and return. The tree now has a girth of 5.9 metres (19 feet, 4 inches) and a 2005 study dated the tree to 1680. The tree is cared for by the National Trust, who have pollarded the tree in 2002 and 2014. An ancient sycamore (sometimes described as a ""plane"") with distinctive yellow foliage formerly stood in"
"R v Lovelass R v Lovelass and Others (1834) 172 ER 1380 is a formative case in the history of UK labour law. It saw the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were farm workers that wished to form a union to prevent wage cuts, be convicted and deported to Australia. It triggered protests which led to the workers' eventual release. It stands as a symbol of the repression of freedom of association in the United Kingdom, which largely remained in place until the Trade Union Act 1871 and the Trade Disputes Act 1906. In Tolpuddle, a village in Dorset, George Lovelass (also"
"Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival The Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally is an annual festival held the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, England, which celebrates the memory of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. The event is a celebration of trade unionism and labour politics organised by the Dorset Committee of the National Union of Agricultural and Allied Workers, now a section of Unite the Union, and the Trades Union Congress (TUC). The festival is usually held in the third week of July, and features a parade of banners from many trade unions, a memorial service, speeches and music. Each year a wreath is laid"
"attempted to found a friendly society and to seek to affiliate with the Grand National. This was discovered, and in 1834 they were convicted of swearing unlawful oaths, and they were sentenced to transportation for seven years. They became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs and there was a large and successful campaign led by William Lovett to reduce their sentence. They were issued with a free pardon in March 1836. The organisation was riven by disagreement over the approach to take, given that many strikes had been lost, the Tolpuddle case had discouraged workers from joining unions, and several new"
"of the new Victorian factories and the surrounding communities which rose to service them became important issues of discontent, and the workers began to form trade unions to get their working conditions addressed. The first unions were feared and distrusted, and ways were devised to ban them. The most widely known case was that of the Tolpuddle Martyrs of 1834, an early attempt at a union whose members were tried on a spurious charge, found guilty and transported to Australia. The sentence was challenged and they were released shortly afterwards, but unions were still threatened. It was not until the"
"of the organization agreed to only work for wages greater than a certain amount. In 1834 a landlord complained, and key members were charged and convicted under laws prohibiting the swearing of secret oaths. The sentence of seven years penal transportation to Australia prompted a movement to defend the members, known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs (referring to the village where the organization originated), who were eventually released in 1836 and 1837. Presently, UK labor laws are defined within the Employment Relations Act 1999 (ERA) and the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992, and give workers no right to"
"Tolpuddle Tolpuddle () is a village in Dorset, England, on the River Piddle east of Dorchester, the county town, and west of Poole. The estimated population in 2013 was 420. The village is famous as the home of the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were sentenced to be transported to Australia after they formed a friendly society in 1833. A row of cottages, housing agricultural workers and a museum, and a row of seated statues commemorate the martyrs. The annual Tolpuddle Martyrs festival is held in the village in the third weekend of July. An ancient sycamore tree on the village green,"
"where the martyrs were tried, which has been little altered in 200 years, in Dorchester's Shire Hall, is being preserved as part of a heritage scheme. The story of Tolpuddle has enriched the history of trade unionism, but the significance of the Tolpuddle Martyrs continues to be debated since Sidney and Beatrice Webb wrote the ""History of Trade Unionism"" (1894) and continues with such works as Bob James's ""Craft Trade or Mystery"" (2001). The following places are named in their honour: In 1984, a mural was created in Edward Square, off Copenhagen Street, Islington, to commemorate the gathering of people"
"before moving to London, Ontario, Canada, where there is now a monument in their honour and an affordable housing co-op and trade union complex named after them. George Loveless is buried in Siloam Cemetery on Fanshawe Park Road East in London, Ontario. James Brine is buried in St. Marys Cemetery, St. Marys, Ontario. He died in 1902, having lived in nearby Blanshard Township since 1868. Hammett remained in Tolpuddle and died in the Dorchester workhouse in 1891. The Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, Dorset, features displays and interactive exhibits about the martyrs and their effect on trade unionism. A monument"
"that oaths were taken, and further oaths taken not to disclose the oaths. The prisoners were then to be deported to Australia. The case triggered a swell of protest. 800,000 signatures were collected for the Tolpuddle labourers, soon to be known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs to be released. The Home Secretary in 1837 eventually did release them. A Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally is held annually in Tolpuddle, usually in the third week of July, organised by the Trades Union Congress. R v Lovelass R v Lovelass and Others (1834) 172 ER 1380 is a formative case in the history"
"British trade union leaders and many union organisers from around the world, especially from countries where organising unions is difficult, such as Iraq and Colombia. Musicians include Billy Bragg, now an (almost) annual fixture, Dick Gaughan, David Rovics and Graham Moore. The UK Youth Parliament and Dorset Youth Council run youth debates annually also. Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival The Tolpuddle Martyrs' Festival and Rally is an annual festival held the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, England, which celebrates the memory of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. The event is a celebration of trade unionism and labour politics organised by the Dorset Committee of"
"working conditions. In 1824/25 these acts were repealed, so trade unions were no longer illegal. In 1833, six men from Tolpuddle in Dorset founded the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers to protest against the gradual lowering of agricultural wages. These Tolpuddle labourers refused to work for less than 10 shillings a week, although by this time wages had been reduced to seven shillings and were due to be further reduced to six. The society, led by George Loveless (or Lovelass), a Methodist local preacher, met in the house of Thomas Standfield. Groups such as the Tolpuddle Martyrs would often use"
"home for the warden. The widow of the warden, who then became the warden herself, was subsequently threatened with eviction when she retired in 2015. Three of the martyrs returned to England after they were pardoned – George and James Loveless and James Brine. They then lived from 1838 to 1844 in a cottage in Greensted which had been built in the 16th century on a core from around the 14th century. This cottage was listed for preservation as grade II in 1984 as the Blackstock and Tudor Cottage. Martyrs' Cottages There are several cottages associated with the Tolpuddle Martyrs."
"was erected in their honour in Tolpuddle in 1934, and a sculpture of the martyrs, made in 2001, stands in the village in front of the Tolpuddle Martyrs Museum. The Tolpuddle Martyrs festival is held annually in Tolpuddle, usually in the third week of July, organised by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) featuring a parade of banners from many trade unions, a memorial service, speeches and music. Recent festivals have featured speakers such as Tony Benn and musicians such as Billy Bragg and local folk singers including Graham Moore, as well as others from all around the world. The courtroom"
"Friendly Society had done. James Brine, James Hammett, George Loveless, George's brother James Loveless, George's brother in-law Thomas Standfield, and Thomas's son John Standfield were arrested, found guilty, and transported to Australia. They became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs. In the 1830s and 1840s, the Chartist movement was the first large-scale organised working class political movement which campaigned for political equality and social justice. Its ""Charter"" of reforms received over three million signatures but was rejected by Parliament without consideration. Working people also formed friendly societies and co-operative societies as mutual support groups against times of economic hardship. Enlightened industrialists,"
"nineteenth century England, training as a local preacher was one of the ways in which intelligent people who had little chance of formal schooling acquired education and an ability at public speaking. Although the church as an institution was by no means politically radical, many of its members were, and the discipline and eloquence of Methodist local preachers found a ready use in the developing labour movement of the later nineteenth century. Many of the founders of the trade union movement and the Labour Party in Britain were local preachers, perhaps most famously four of the Tolpuddle martyrs, including their"
"Martyrs' Cottages There are several cottages associated with the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Most are in Tolpuddle in Dorset while one is in Essex. The martyrs usually met in the cottage of Thomas Standfield in Tolpuddle on the Dorchester Road. This cottage and the adjoining, semi-detached cottage were listed for preservation as Grade I in 1956 as the Martyrs' Cottages. They have since been merged to form a single residence. The two storey building was constructed around the 18th century using a mix of plastered cob and brick. In 1934, the Trades Union Congress sponsored a terrace of six cottages in Tolpuddle"
"Tottenham outrage The Tottenham outrage of 23 January 1909 was a wages theft in Tottenham, north London, that resulted in a two-hour chase between the police and armed criminals over a distance of , with an estimated 400 rounds of ammunition fired by the thieves. The robbery, from the Schnurmann rubber factory, was carried out by Paul Helfeld and Jacob Lepidus, Jewish Latvian immigrants. Of the twenty-three casualties, two were fatal and several others serious, among them seven policemen. The two thieves committed suicide at the end of the pursuit. Helfeld and Lepidus were members of the Latvian Socialist Party"
"known as the Martyrs' Tree, is said to be the place where the Martyrs swore their oath. It is cared for by the National Trust. Tolpuddle has a public house, The Martyrs Inn, which is owned by nearby Athelhampton House, a Tudor house open to the public approximately to the west. Tolpuddle parish church is dedicated to St John the Evangelist and dates from the 13th century. In 1999, the A35 trunk road, which cuts through south Dorset, was moved to bypass the village. Tolpuddle Tolpuddle () is a village in Dorset, England, on the River Piddle east of Dorchester,"
"act established legal equality for Anglicans, Catholics and Presbyterians and was later extended to Methodists. Freedom of Religion was enshrined in Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia of 1901. By 1901 apart from the indigenous population and the descendants of gold rush migrants, Australian society was predominantly Anglo-Celtic, with 40% of the population being Anglican, 23% Catholic, 34% other Christian and about 1% professing non-Christian religions. There was a Lutheran population of German descent in South Australia. There were at least 15 Jews in the First Fleet, 14 convicts and one ""free"" child. Tolpuddle Martyrs were sentenced to penal"
"Lewes Martyrs The Lewes Martyrs were a group of 17 Protestants who were burned at the stake in Lewes, East Sussex, England between 1555 and 1557. These executions were part of the Marian persecutions of Protestants during the reign of Mary I. On 6 June 1556, Thomas Harland of Woodmancote, Near Henfield, West Sussex , carpenter, John Oswald (or Oseward) of Woodmancote, Near Henfield, West Sussex husbandman, Thomas Reed of Ardingly, Sussex and Thomas Avington (or Euington) of Ardingly, Sussex, turner were burnt. Richard Woodman and 9 other people were burned together in Lewes on 22 June 1557, on the"
"oath. Lock (also spelled as Lark in the case report) gave evidence as a witness. Edward Legg as a witness said the following. Counsel for the defence argued that the purpose of the 1797 Act was to target mutiny and sedition, to break allegiance to the King. Associations to raise wages should no longer be illegal. The lodges of Freemasons were no different. Therefore, the Tolpuddle labourers had done nothing unlawful. Williams B gave the following directions to the jury, that the 1797 Act was essentially applicable to the labourers attempt to combine. The jury returned a verdict of guilty,"
"a result of their picketing activities. The longest sentences were given to Ricky Tomlinson, a plasterer and TGWU strike leader, and Des Warren, a steel fixer and leading lay official of UCATT, who became known as the ""Shrewsbury Two"". At Shrewsbury Crown Court, they refused to testify against fellow strikers. Charges of affray were dropped, but they were found guilty of ""conspiracy to intimidate"" under the Conspiracy Act 1875, which had not been used for 98 years. Warren was sentenced to three years in prison, and Tomlinson to two. The whole UK trade union movement saw common cause with the"
"largely by-passed Dorset, which has remained largely rural. The farming economy, however, provided the spark for the Trade Union movement when, in the 1820s a group of farm labourers formed one of the first unions. In 1832 unions were outlawed and the six men, now known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs, were transported, becoming national heroes to the working classes. In the 19th century the railways bought increased mobility and communications to the British people. Lines through Dorset include the South Western Main Line, from London to Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester and Weymouth; the Heart of Wessex Line from Bristol to Sherborne,"
"Colchester Martyrs The Colchester Martyrs were 16th-century English Protestant martyrs. They were executed for heresy in Colchester, Essex, during the reigns of Henry VIII and Mary I. Their story is recorded in ""Foxe's Book of Martyrs"". ""[O]ne Henry"" and his servant were burned at the stake. John Lawrence, a priest and former Blackfriar at Sudbury, Suffolk was burned at the stake. Nicholas Chamberlain (or Chamberlaine), a weaver from Coggeshall, Essex was burned at the stake. Christopher Lister, a husbandman from Dagenham, Essex, John Mace, an apothecary from Colchester, Essex, John Spencer, a weaver from Colchester, Essex, Simon Joyne, a sawyer,"
"in Baltimore in 1819, by Thomas Wildey, and the following year affiliated with the Manchester Unity. In Britain in 1834, the Tolpuddle Martyrs were unexpectedly convicted and transported for ""membership of an illegal friendly society"". The Oddfellows ""board of directors"" hastily modified the ""constitution"" to evade a similar fate. Members of the Oddfellows in the United States were not pleased to see the ancient rituals changed without their agreement, particularly to satisfy a British Government against which they had fought a war of independence. As a result, in 1834 the Oddfellows in America declared their independence from the Manchester Unity"
"Ascott Martyrs The Ascott Martyrs were 16 women from the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England who were imprisoned in 1873 for their role in founding a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers. Following an appeal to Queen Victoria, the women were all pardoned. The National Union of Agricultural Workers was founded in Warwickshire in 1872, led by the Primitive Methodist preacher Joseph Arch. Support spread to other parts of the country, and in 1873 the men of Ascott-under-Wychwood formed a branch of the new union. Mr Hambidge of Crown Farm, Ascott sacked his men who had joined"
"On May 1, 1901, 350 union miners walked off their jobs at the Smuggler-Union mine in Telluride. Their walkout was a protest of a new method of payment, called ""contracting,"" or ""fathoms,"" which could sometimes result in a miner doing thirty days worth of digging, and getting underpaid for the work. The strike was settled, but in some quarters animosity against union leaders continued. Bulkeley Wells, a Telluride mining company president and manager who, according to writer MaryJoy Martin, was ""born to privilege... [and was] convinced laborers were beneath him,"" was intent upon hanging Vincent St. John, the head of"
"Comrades (1986 film) Comrades is a 1986 British historical drama film directed by Bill Douglas and starring an ensemble cast including James Fox, Robert Stephens and Vanessa Redgrave. Through the pictures of a travelling lanternist, it depicts the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who were arrested and transported to Australia in 1834 for trying to improve their conditions by forming an early form of trade union. The film was first shown at the London Film Festival in 1986, and entered into the 37th Berlin International Film Festival in February 1987. In August 1987 it was released in British cinemas. The"
"has been replaced with four benches surrounding the tree listing the names of the martyrs and those who supported them. Ascott Martyrs The Ascott Martyrs were 16 women from the village of Ascott-under-Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England who were imprisoned in 1873 for their role in founding a branch of the National Union of Agricultural Workers. Following an appeal to Queen Victoria, the women were all pardoned. The National Union of Agricultural Workers was founded in Warwickshire in 1872, led by the Primitive Methodist preacher Joseph Arch. Support spread to other parts of the country, and in 1873 the men of"