Sent to Van Diemen’s Land - Staffordshire Chartists

By Gladys Dinnacombe

The Chartists were a working class movement for political reform which existed in Britain during the period 1838 to 1857. They were named after the People's Charter, published in 1838 and had strong support in many working class areas, including Staffordshire. The publication of the charter led to uprising, riots and an eventual crackdown by the Government. Many Chartists were arrested and transported to the colonies. Staffordshire born Gladys has researched some of the Staffordshire Chartists and their transportation to Van Dieman's land; modern day Tasmania.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Mar 14, 2017
• ISBN: 9781326977061

Book preview

Sent to Van Diemen’s Land

Staffordshire Chartists

By Gladys Dinnacombe

Copyright © 2017 Gladys Dinnacombe

All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner Gladys Dinnacombe.

ISBN: 978-1-326-97706-1

Also by Gladys Dinnacombe

Poetry and Prose

Sacred Journey – Sacred Earth

So You Want to be a Druid? - First steps on the path

The World Around Me – A Modern Druid Philosophy

So You Still Want to be a Druid – Further steps on the Path

A Long and Winding Road – The Life and Travels of a Spiritual Wanderer

Twiglets, Twigs and Branches – Growing a family tree

A Staffordshire Workhouse – Living in the workhouse of Newcastle under Lyme

Acknowledgements

The pictures are in the public domain.

The cover picture is ‘Natives on the Ouse River, Van Diemen's Land’ by John Glover (1838) This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional, public domain work of art. The work of art itself is in the public domain for the following reason: The author died in 1849, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or less.

Introduction

In 1838 or around that time, the Chartists put forward a charter. This stated that there should be a vote for every man aged 21 and over, of sound mind and not in prison; there should be a secret ballot to permit the electors to cast their vote as they wished; no property qualifications for MPs, to enable any man to be returned regardless of personal wealth; payment of MPs, to allow any MP to serve his community without personal loss and also to prevent corruption of MPs by vested interests; equal electoral constituencies, giving equal representation to equal number of electors; annual parliaments to prevent wealthy candidates having a