Chartism in Lancaster

The movement known as Chartism was named after the drawing up of a charter – a list of six demands for the reform of Parliament. The Chartist movement was a mass movement led by middle and working class radicals and socialists. Here Eric Jones describes how Chartism harnessed the general discontent over low wages and high food prices, poor living and working conditions and a corrupt and class-ridden parliamentary system of government. The industrial towns of Lancashire provided the grass roots of the Chartist movement and Lancaster was no exception.

The Associated Chartists of Lancaster and the visit of Feargus O’Connor

Posted by Eric Jones

Chartism was a movement that was hugely popular, especially so across the north of England. Although the local press paid detailed attention to the popular visits of Chartist lecturers, Lancaster is rarely acknowledged in the secondary literature as a location for Chartist activism. Indeed, most accounts of Lancaster’s relationship to Chartism relates to prominent radicals imprisoned and tried in the castle. For instance, the well-known Salford Chartist Reginald Richardson wrote The Rights of Women in 1840 while imprisoned at the castle.  However, local people both supported the movement and made up some of its most valuable members.

This can be seen in a report which appeared in an edition of the Lancaster Guardian on 10 April 1842.  The newspaper reported an event involving the Lancaster Chartists and The People’s Charter for electoral reform.

‘Lund, the well-known Chartist missionary, delivered a public lecture on this subject on Saturday evening in front of the Town Hall.’

Thomas Lund was a local Chartist and a lecturer on the Northern Circuit and often visited other towns in North West lecturing to audiences numbering in their thousands.  In his speech he voiced criticism of the employers’ and ruling class’ treatment of the workers and the poor.  The Guardian then reported:

‘The speaker concluded by lauding the People’s Charter as the grand panacea for all the evils of our social, moral and political conditions.’

General Strike of 1842

May 1842 saw the presentation of the second People’s Charter to parliament – and its emphatic rejection.  The summer marked a period of severe depression in the industrial areas of the north and conflict between employers and employees, with wage reductions and consequent unrest, becoming common.  Lancaster was not excluded from these conflicts.  The Lancaster Guardian reported an event which occurred

‘In Lancaster on Tuesday 16^th August, 1842, when large crowds gathered at the (railway) station, they seemed sympathetic to the Blackburn Strikers who were thought to be en route to the prison in Lancaster Castle.’

The day after, workers at one of the Moor Lane Mills walked out.  They brought out the operatives at Jacksons Mill on St. Leonardsgate, then at White Cross Mill where the owner later commented on the part played by women operatives: “the females – they were more violent in their gestures than the men, and more threatening in their language.”  Several of the strike leaders were also linked to the Associated Chartists of Lancaster (1)

Feargus O’Connor

Following the rejection of the Charter and against the background of industrial unrest the Chartist orator Feargus O’Connor came to address a meeting in Lancaster organised by the Associated Chartists of Lancaster.  O’Connor (b. 18^th July 1794 – d.30^th August, 1855) was a charismatic leader of the Chartist movement in the north of England.  He was the owner of the national chartist newspaper, The Northern Star, founded and published in Leeds.  It was a voice for chartists everywhere and carried regular local reports from many of the districts.  (The Northern Star can be viewed at the Working Class Movement Library in Salford).

The Lancaster Guardian of 9^th July 1842 carried an extensive report of the visit of O’Connor.  Fothersgill, whose first name we do not know, was a local machine operator.

‘On Saturday evening, a meeting convened by placard announcing that Feargus O’Connor Esq. would deliver an address in support of the People’s Charter, was held in a large room in Brewery-yard, Moor Lane, and was well attended, many persons being attracted by curiosity to obtain a glimpse of the person, and an insight into the views, on one who has ventured his all on the turbulent waters of political strife.  The meeting was called for half-past seven, but Mr. Connor did not reach Lancaster until near eight.  After an hour’s stay at the Kings Arms, he proceeded to the place of meeting, accompanied by his supporters, and a band of music playing the well-known air, ‘see the conquering hero comes!’  About nine o’clock the proceedings commenced by the appointment of an operative of the name of Fothersgill as Chairman.’

O’Connor would have arrived at the old Preston-Lancaster railway station situated at the bottom of what is now South Road.  The Kings Arms referred to was on the north-west corner of Church Street and China Lane.

After the customary preliminaries, the Chairman opened the meeting by outlining their grievances and concluding that

‘…all they sought was a repeal of that iniquitous system under which the labouring population of this country had been reduced to a state of unexampled poverty and destitution; and such change could only be accomplished by the adoption of the People’s Charter  (Applause).’

The Guardian then reported that a resolution in support of the People’s Charter, proposed by Mr. T. Lund and seconded by Mr. W. Beesley was put to the meeting.  Beesley was not from Lancaster, but his wife Anne, who was a well-known Chartist organiser, was raised in the city. This was followed by an address presented to Feargus O’Connor Esq.  by Mr. Harrison  on behalf of the  Associated Chartists of Lancaster ‘…expressive of the opinion they entertained of his untiring exertions  in the people’s behalf.’

Chartists, although enjoying much popular support in Lancaster, were still frowned upon by the local press. A comprehensive account of O’Connor’s speech can be found in the Lancaster Guardian  along with an apology by the Editor to the newspaper’s readers ‘…for printing such wretched stuff.’  The Editor also quoted an opinion expressed of Feargus O’Connor in the House of Commons as a ‘MALIGNANT, foolish, and COWARDLY DEMAGOGUE.’ (sic)

There is still much more to uncover about the histories of Lancaster’s Chartists, but there is enough evidence to suggest that the influence of Chartism on the city extends far beyond those interned at the castle.