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Whether or not you believe in Trade Unions or the TUC, you can't fail to be moved by the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. Some may take the side of James Frampton, and find a few of the songs at the Festival (17 July 2011) not to their taste, too politicised or potentially divisive.
William Burgess paintings: "Oh God, that bread should be so dear and flesh and blood so cheap"
I'm interested in the social history of Dorset at the time, and in the experiences of the transportees in Australia.
The booklet, "The Horrors of Transportation" (available at the Museum) is of particular interest, a publication to have alongside Robert Hughes' "The Fatal Shore" in order to gain greater insight into the cruel punishments convicted men had to endure in New South Wales and in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land).
George Loveless, one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, has a short (4 page) description of New South Wales in this reprinted publication. He describes the beauty of New South Wales and its healthy climate. His description (pp 18-19) of Aboriginal people, their marriage and eating customs and other aspects of their way of life is less sympathetic. That is perhaps normal for the period, but it does serve to remind us that solidarity only went so far. In expressing our compassion for the Tolpuddle Martyrs, let us not forget the sufferings of the Aboriginal people.
George Bernard Shaw on the Tolpuddle Martyrs, and Australia.
It would be good to see a group like Yothu Yindi at the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival; or a singer like Christine Anu, singing "My Island Home". We all miss our island homes.
Interesting post, George Loveless was my ancestor on my maternal grandfather's side of the family.They must have suffered dreadfully, but the vicar in Essex caused them further aggravation when they returned to set up their new farms, and is why they subsequently went to and settled in Canada.
ReplyDeleteSee my blogspot http://www.tolpuddlemartyr.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteA cousin of George and James Loveless (Elizabeth Loveless), married a cousin of James Hammett (John Hammett). They were my ancestors on my maternal grandfathers side of the family.
ReplyDeleteThe Framptons (who framed the Tolpuddle Martyrs), also forced the whole family of some of my other ancestors (from another branch of my family tree) to move from the village of Moreton, to Puddletown, because the Framptons, in their role as JPs, were the overseers of the "Overseers of the Poor". They seem to have been very keen on moving poor people around without their consent!
I intended to go to Tolpuddle, this year, to try to meet up with other folk with Tolpuddle Martyrs connected ancestry, so that we could compare notes. I didn't make it, although I was about 20 miles away, in Dorset. Next year, I will take a tent to ensure that I can make it for the whole do. Before then, I will be going to Tolpuddle, anyway, to do some more research there.