HYDE CHESHIRE

Harry Rutherford's
Festival of Britain Mural




Wednesday 11 August 2010

The Hyde Chartist Society

Chartism was so called because its basis was a charter of rights for all including the right to vote

A Declaration by the Chartists of Hyde

*No division or distribution of a man's property much less his life.

*We want our rights as Englishmen.

*We want a fair and equal representation in Parliament and a free voice in making laws.

*We declare the present Property Parliament unfair.

*We want no Poor Law Amendment Act.

*We want every man, rich or poor, to not only have a vote, but to be able to stand as a candidate for any Borough or County.


chartist club card
A Chartists club card.

The Northern Star reported on 27th April, 1839, that the Hyde Chartist Society contained 300 men and 200 women. The newspaper quoted one of the male members as saying that the women were more militant than the men, or as he put it: "the women were the better men".

4 comments:

Tom said...

Excellent .. It is only since the statue was put up in Hyde that I felt I should findout more about the movement... it makes a great read, and shows the struggle working men and women had back then.

Hydonian said...

I had the pleasure (?!?) of studying Chartism at school - mind you. I wasn't really interested then. I wish I could go back to school to learn about it now.I'd be their star pupil :)

Tom said...

I agree there Nancy.... my trouble was actully turning in at school.. at 13 I used to open up one of the veg stalls on Ashton Market.. I'd be there for 7 O-clock.. open it up and set the stall out... If I was lucky people who were passing would by something on there way to work... after a while the chap said what I sold at that time I could keep... :O) honesty certainly went a long way with that chap... I'd work until he came back from market and we'd unload the van... I could be home for 11... I'd always come home with a bag of fruit and veg.
I'd never have bother going back to school unless it was woodwork or art....

Ex Hydeonian said...

There are / were a few references to the Chartists in Hyde. Chartist Garage used to just across the street from Chartist House. Very interesting subject to read about. It is hard to imagine living in times like those without what we term basic human rights these days.