Chartist Anniversary 2008 - Events in South Wales

Latest updates

• Wed 19 Nov | A public lecture by Joe England: Merthyr Chartism: From Dic Penderyn to Henry Richard | St David's Church Hall, Merthyr Tydfil, 7.30 pm | Organised by the Dic Penderyn Society (check) | For details contact Mr Viv Pugh, Tel  01685 377883
  

PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

* Check the HERAIN website here for any updates to the following programme of events * 

Chartist Month

15th October – 7th November 2008

In the autumn 1839 there was much plotting an planning which culminated in the march on Newport on the 4th November 1839 when thousands of men from across south Wales marched to The Westgate. Over twenty died in this protest to seek the vote for all – and three of the leaders were convicted of treason and exiled to Tasmania.

In 2008 almost a month of activities is planned to commemorate some of the pioneers of democracy – across South East Wales

Join in and remember these pioneers of democracy.

Wednesday 15th Oct - 1st Chartist Lecture
Talk by Prof. Angela V John, at Merthyr Tydfil Town Library starting at 7pm. “Deference in Dowlais? Lady Charlotte Guest and the Chartists.”
FREE entry – phone for more details 01685 377883

Saturday 1st Nov: Chartist Convention 
09.30am start at Newport Museum and Library 
10.30am guided 'chartist walk' to the Westgate Hotel
11.30am – 4.30pm continues at St Mary's Church, Stow Hill.
Explore the Chartist stories – Programme includes: 'Chartist Trials' documents and artefacts on display; a guided walk; talks by leading chartist historian Prof Owen Ashton and by people who have discovered chartist ancestors; films about the Chartists – old and new.

Entrance is FREE, but as last year's event was a 'sell out' please book tel 01633 414859 (Rosalin). Lunch is available (bread and soup).

Sunday 2nd Nov: Chartist Coach Tour
Knowledgeable guides will take us around sites in south east Wales connected with the Chartist Movement – such as Blaenavon, Bedwellty House and Blackwood.
Departs St Woolos Cathedral 9.30am. Returns 5.30pm.
Tickets £7 per person. Contact HERIAN to book 01685 723968.

Monday 3rd Nov: Songs of Praise
At Salem Chapel, Blaina - Local Council of Churches Presents Songs of Praise. Commencing at 7pm.

Tuesday 4th Nov: Chartist Remembrance
A group of children from Newport will retrace the steps of the Chartists down Stow Hill to the Westgate Hotel 1.30pm.
At 6pm - annual commemoration at the Chartist memorial stone in the churchyard of St Woolos Cathedral, Newport.

Tuesday 4th Nov: Peter Karrie in Concert
At Salem Chapel, Blaina, the star of Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables performs, supported by Ebbw Vale Male Choir. 
Commencing at 7pm, tickets £4.50 
from Nantyglo and Blaina Town Council 01495 292817.

Thursday 6th Nov: Trial & Transportation
The pupils of Ystruth School, Blaina present “Trial and Transportation” about the Chartist leaders at Salem Chapel, Blaina. 
Starts at 3pm. FREE.

Friday 7th Nov: Annual Chartist Meal
The traditional Chartist Meal will be accompanied by a performance from Val Williams, Story Teller and Actress, entitled “The Chartist Wife”.

The audience is encouraged to wear period dress circa 1840 and to join the fun at Nantyglo Rugby Club.Commences 7.30pm. Admission £5.00. Tickets available from Nantyglo and Blaina Town Council Tel 01495 292817.

Wednesday 12th Nov : Discovering your Chartist Ancestors
Colin Gibson – from Gwent County Records will give an insight into recent discoveries about family connections with Chartist Ancestors at Blaina Library at 2pm. FREE

Contact HERIAN with any queries

01685 723968 

Chartist Anniversary 2008 - Newport

THE NEWPORT CHARTIST CONVENTION | Sat 1st Nov 2008

A day event to celebrate the 169th Anniversary of the Newport Chartist Rising of 4 November 1839:

• Free admission | BOOK your place by contacting Pat: tel 01633 677783 : e-mail pat.drewett[at]ntlworld.com
• Venue | Morning assembly: 9.30 AM at Newport Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery | Main venue: 11.30 AM- 16.30 PM, St Mary's Institute, Stow Hill, Newport
• PROGRAMME details here 

First Annual Chartist Lecture | Deference in Dowlais??

Public Lecture | THE MERTHYR CHARTIST FORUM 

Deference in Dowlais? 

Lady Charlotte Guest and the Chartists

A Public Lecture by Professor Angela V. John

Merthyr Tydfil Central Library, 15 Oct 2008

Press release here

THE NEWPORT CHARTIST CONVENTION | Saturday 1st November 2008

A day event to celebrate the 169th Anniversary of the Newport Chartist Rising of 4 November 1839:

• Free admission for all
• Morning assembly: 9.30 AM at Newport Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery
• Main venue: 11.30 AM- 16.30 PM, St Mary's Institute, Stow Hill, Newport
• BOOK your place by contacting Pat: tel 01633 677783 : e-mail pat.drewett[at]ntlworld.com
  

PROGRAMME

Morning assembly


09h30 | MORNING ASSEMBLY | Newport Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery

• Welcome by the Mayor of Newport.
• View the museum's Chartist artefacts and the library's ‘Chartist Trial’ documents | Led by Rachael Anderton & Alan Prescott, Newport Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery.

10h30 | CHARTIST WALK

• From John Frost Square to the Westgate Hotel and St. Mary’s Institute, Stow Hill | Led by Les James & Jackie Abbey.

The day's programme continues at the main venue at St. Mary’s Institute, Stow Hill, Newport.

11h30 | KEYNOTE LECTURE

• Prof. Owen Ashton (University of Staffordshire) | The Newport Rising Revisited.

12h30 | CHARTIST FLAGS

• Demonstration by Pat Drewett.

12h45 | LUNCH

• Vegetable soup & bread provided: Donations requested.

13h30 | CHARTIST ANCESTORS

• Film premiere | RIOT OF A TIME | Featuring Sylvia Taylor in conversation with local school children about her remarkable discovery that her ancestor Wright Beatty was a prominent Newport Chartist. | David Mayer & Les James explain the background to the film and plans for future ‘Chartist Ancestor’ film projects.
  

• Chartist Ancestors | RESEARCHING THE FROST FAMILY | Sue Austen, descendant of Edward Frost, local chartist organiser and uncle of John Frost, shares her recent research.
  

• Some late 19th century reminiscences of old Chartists | Led by Colin Gibson & Pete Strong.

14h45 | TEA

15h15 | COMMUNICATING CHARTISM

• THE SOUTH WALES CHARTIST NETWORK | Developing the Chartist Project across South Wales | Kim Colebrook(HERIAN) & John Wilson (The South Wales Chartist Network).
  

• FILMING THE CHARTISTS | Film-maker Colin Thomas will show and discusses extracts from his three film projects for S4C, HTV and BBC exploring the 1839 Newport Chartist Rising.

16.20 – 16.30 | FINALE.

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DEMOCRACY DAY PETITION | 10 Downing Street

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to create a new Autumn Bank Holiday to be called "Democracy Day" as we believe that the pioneering sacrifices of those who sowed the seeds of British democracy should be celebrated.

• Sign the DEMOCRACY DAY PETITION
  

• On the Prime Minister's official 10 Downing Street E-Petition website here
  

• http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Democracy-Day/

We advocate an annual Democracy Day public holiday on the Monday nearest to the 4th of November, in commemoration of the Newport Chartist Rising of 4th November 1839 when more than 20 men were killed whilst demanding the right to vote.

Our proposed date recalls three pioneering movements in the development of British democracy:

• The 'Putney Debates' of 28th October to 9th November 1647, when the case for male suffrage was publicly formulated for the first time in British history.

• The demands of the People's Charter of 1838 which have become the foundation of parliamentary democracy in Britain.

• The cause of the Women's Suffrage Movement is remembered with the foundation of the Women's Social and Political Union in October 1903, and the events of Black Friday in November 1910 when suffragettes demonstrating outside Parliament were attacked and arrested by the authorities.

As outlined in the Early Day Motion Number 8 that was laid before Parliament on 6th November 2007, we call for this additional public holiday to remember the courage and vision of past generations and the challenge of building democracy today.

• Sign the DEMOCRACY DAY PETITION

CHARTIST ANCESTORS | Event summary

CHARTIST ANCESTORS

pioneers of democracy

A day event to commemorate the Anniversary of the Newport Chartist Rising of 4 November 1839

Saturday November 3^rd 2007, St. Mary’s Institute, Newport

Summary by Les James, 12 November 2007

The Chartist Ancestors - Pioneers of Democracy event was organised in response to the great interest generated earlier this year by the ‘Meet the Descendants’ event, held at Newport Museum and Art Gallery on April 30^th. Chartist Ancestors provided opportunities for:

• people with Chartist ancestors to share their family stories with the public,

• the story of Chartism and the people of the Chartist era to be understood and appreciated by a wider audience

• and for recognition of the struggle and sacrifice made by past generations for the democratic rights enjoyed today.

Read the full summary here

chartistancestors chartistnewport

VIDEO | A Chartist Tour, 4 Nov 2007

A Chartist Tour | 4 November 2007
On Sunday 4 November 2007 I participated in a guided coach tour of chartist sites across south Wales, in commemoration of the 4 November 1839 Newport Chartist Rising.

The Sunday tour of Chartist sites followed the Chartist Ancestors event of Saturday, and many of the participants attended both days of Chartist Anniversary celebration. The presence of a number of Chartist descendants gave the Sunday tour a special poignancy therefore, as we visited sites such as the Nantyglo Roundtowers - built as a fortification by rutheless iron-master Crawshay Bailey - in the heart of the Hills of Monmouthshire iron district; and, most dramatically, we filled the Court Room of the Shire Hall. Monmouthsire, where the mass treason trial of John Frost and his fellow defendants was held.

Our full days' coach tour tour re-traced sections of the route taken on the Chartists March to Newport; we passed through the landscapes of power of the landowner-capitalists and the Chartists of the industrial frontier; we filled the Court Room of Monmouthsire Shire Hall where the Chartist Trial proceedings took place; and returned to Newport for a commemoration event at St Woolos Cathedral.

The day's journey had transformed the fractured geography and spaces of the everyday into a coherent story and landscape of Chartism, a network of Chartist and anti-Chartist activity, charged with human narrative and historical detail to produce unique insights into some of the places and individual actors of Chartism.

Read more | Sunday 4 November 2007 Chartist Tour here.

The Trial of John Frost | Terry Frost Jones, descendant of Newport Mayor and Chartist Leader John Frost, outside the Shire Hall, Monmouth, where the Court Room held the trial of John Frost and his fellow Chartist defendants for mass treason.

The Chartist Trial | The popular judgement of history - 4 November 2007 - Chartist descendants stand in the Judge's benches at the Court Room, Shire Hall, Monmouth, to provide a testimony of their ancestor's role in the Newport Chartist Insurrection of 4 November 1839, and celebrate the ultimate prevailing of the Chartist's cause of Democracy.

Read more | Sunday 4 November 2007 Chartist Tour here.

jw_nov_07 chartisttour chartistnewport