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Chartist Disturbances in Northeastern England, 18391

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 December 2008

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In all of the writing on Chartism, virtually no attention has been paid to the movement in northeastern England. Tucked off as they are in a remote corner of the country, Newcastle, Sunderland, and the industrial and mining communities around have been neglected by scholars who usually mean Lancashire and the West Riding of Yorkshire when they speak of “the North”. Yet Chartism in Northumberland and Durham attained a stridency and vehemence which was rarely matched and never excelled elsewhere.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale Geschiedenis 1963

References

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page 390 note 1 Courant, Newcastle, June 8, 1858.Google Scholar

page 390 note 2 Liberator, Northern, June 9, 1838.Google Scholar

page 390 note 3 Ibid., June 30, 1838.

page 390 note 4 Formed in Newcastle on September 10. See Liberator, Northern, September 15, 29, 1838.Google Scholar Formed in Sunderland on November 21. See Liberator, Northern, November 24, 1838Google Scholar; Beacon, Sunderland, November 28, 1838.Google Scholar

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page 391 note 2 Dunn, Matthias, An Historical, Geological, and Descriptive View of the Coal Trade of the North of England, Newcastle upon Tyne 1844, pp. 5455.Google Scholar

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page 392 note 1 Welbourne, E., The Miners,' Unions of Northumberland and Durham, Cambridge 1923, p. 46.Google Scholar

page 392 note 2 Stephens, John, Abstract of a Return of Prisoners coming under the Cognizance of the Police of Newcastle upon Tyne during the ten months from the 2nd of October 1837 to the 2nd of August 1838, in: Journal of the Statistical Society, I (1839), pp. 324–26.Google Scholar Comment on Newcastle's unusually high crime rate in this paper read before the British Association meeting in Newcastle in 1838 suggests this factor.

page 392 note 3 Liberator, Northern, July 20, 1839.Google Scholar

page 393 note 1 Ibid., March 2, 1839.

page 393 note 2 Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, June 14, 1873.Google Scholar

page 393 note 3 In 1836 a large meeting of the pitmen of the Tyne and the Wear addressed a series of resolutions to the coal owners asking them to redress these grievances and hinting at legislative remedy or strike action if nothing was done. Chronicle, Newcastle, September 24, 1836.Google Scholar

page 393 note 4 Welbourne, , p. 47.Google Scholar

page 394 note 1 Ibid., pp. 54–59; Webb, Sidney, The Story of the Durham Miners, 1662–1921, London 1921, pp. 2124Google Scholar; Burt, Thomas, Methodism and the Northern Miners, in: Primitive Methodist Quarterly Review, new ser., IV (07 1882), pp. 390–93.Google Scholar

page 394 note 2 Courant, Newcastle, May 24, 1839.Google Scholar

page 394 note 3 Herald, Sunderland, May 24, 1839.Google Scholar

page 394 note 4 Series of correspondence between residents of Bedlington, Lord Howick, and the Home Office, June, 1839, Public Record Office, Home Office Papers, 40/42 (Home Office Papers hereafter cited as “H.O.”). Bedlington was one of the several detached portions of county Durham which lay entirely within Northumberland and were not united with the northern county until 1844. Residents complained repeatedly of the inadequacy of police protection and the difficulty of getting Durham magistrates to hold petty sessions to punish offenders.

page 395 note 1 Northern Liberator, June 22, 1839.Google Scholar

page 395 note 2 Ibid., June 29, 1839.

page 395 note 3 From a letter written the same night by Williams, to Newcastle, , Northern Liberator, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

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page 396 note 2 Durham magistrates to Russell, July 15, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 396 note 3 Newcastle Journal, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

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page 397 note 1 Herald, Sunderland, July 26, 1839Google Scholar; SirWilliamson, Hedworth to Russell, , July 22, 1839Google Scholar, Clerks to Sunderland magistrates to Russell, , July 29, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 397 note 2 Liberator, Northern, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

page 397 note 3 The Chartists later eagerly dramatized this fact, alleging that he had been “torn from the arms of his wife in bed.” Harney was unmarried at the time. (Schoyen, A. R., The Chartist Challenge, London 1958, p. 74Google Scholar; Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, March 8, 1873.Google Scholar)

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page 398 note 1 Northern Liberator, July 13, 1839Google Scholar; Northern Star, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

page 398 note 2 Schoyen, , p. 47.Google Scholar

page 398 note 3 Northern Liberator, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

page 398 note 4 James Williams' description of the Sunderland meeting was read at one of these meetings, while letters also came from Taylor, Harney, and the third Convention delegate from Newcastle, Robert Lowery. In the absence of reliable information extravagant rumors circulated including claims of a Chartist uprising in Carlisle and the refusal of the military to fight against the people in Glasgow. (Northern Liberator, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar)

page 399 note 1 Newcastle Journal, July 13, 1839Google Scholar; Gateshead Observer, July 30, 1839.Google Scholar

page 399 note 2 Newcastle Courant, July 19, 1839.Google Scholar

page 399 note 3 Northern Liberator, July 13, 1839.Google Scholar

page 399 note 4 Ibid., July 20, 1839.

page 399 note 5 Enclosure with Duke of Northumberland to Russell, , July 20, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46. Hovell, Mark in The Chartist Movement, Manchester 1925, believed this address probably to be the work of Bronterre O'Brien (p. 169).Google Scholar This is the same handbill which figured in the charges against Williams and Binns in Sunderland.

page 399 note 6 Latimer, John, Local Records, Newcastle 1857, HI, p. 113.Google Scholar

page 400 note 1 Newcastle Journal, July 27, 1839Google Scholar; Bigge, Charles William to Howick, Lord, August 8, 1839Google Scholar, Papers of the Third Earl Grey, Prior's Kitchen, Durham Cathedral (hereafter cited as “Grey Papers”).

page 400 note 2 Newcastle Courant, July 19, 1839.Google Scholar

page 400 note 3 Ibid.

page 400 note 4 Fife, to Russell, , July 19, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 401 note 1 Newcastle Courant, July 26, 1839.Google Scholar

page 401 note 2 Newcastle Journal, July 27, 1839Google Scholar; Mercury, Tyne, July 23, 1839.Google Scholar

page 401 note 3 Borough of Newcastle upon Tyne, Watch Committee Minute Book, July 22, 1839, I, pp.115–116. Later.on reconsideration, this recommendation was reduced to 50 men, but this augmentation was maintained until late autumn (Watch Committee Minute Book, July 31, 1839, 1, p. 117; Town Council Reports [1839], p. 6; Newcastle Journal, December 14, 1839).Google Scholar

page 402 note 1 Newcastle Courant, July 26, 1839Google Scholar; Fife, to Russell, , July 24, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 403 note 1 Town Council Reports (1859), pp. 1518Google Scholar; Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, March 8, 1873Google Scholar; Harney account, Ibid., July 19, 1890; Letter from a participant in the procession, Ibid., August 9, 1890. The Northern Liberator, August 3, 1839Google Scholar, denied that any objects were thrown, while Gammage, R. G. in his History of the Chartist Movement, 2nd ed., Newcastle 1894Google Scholar, claimed “but few were made use of” in spite of their accessibility (p. 149).Google Scholar

page 403 note 2 Gammage, , p. 149.Google Scholar

page 403 note 3 Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, March 8, 1873.Google Scholar

page 403 note 4 Ibid., July 19, 1890.

page 403 note 5 The Chartists were even further embittered by the award of a knighthood to Fife the following year “as a mark of approbation of the manner in which he sustained the office of chief magistrate under very critical circumstances.”

page 404 note 1 Northern Liberator, August 3, 1839.Google Scholar

page 404 note 2 Hovell, , pp. 167–70.Google Scholar

page 404 note 3 Gateshead Observer, August 10, 1839.Google Scholar Perhaps the Newcastle movement was influenced in its decision by the presence of Robert Marsden, one of the most ardent advocates of the strike, at the previous night's meeting.

page 404 note 4 Enclosure in Fife, to Russell, , August 10, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 404 note 5 Fife, to Russell, , August 4, 10, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 405 note 1 Newcastle Journal, August 10, 1839.Google Scholar

page 405 note 2 H. O. 40/51, f. 134.

page 405 note 3 Northern Liberator, August 10, 1839Google Scholar; Advertiser, Durham, August 16, 1839Google Scholar; Gateshead Observer, August 17, 1839Google Scholar; Newcastle Courant, August 16, 1839.Google Scholar

page 405 note 4 Northern Star, August 3, 1839.Google Scholar

page 405 note 5 Newcastle Courant, August 16, 1839.Google Scholar

page 405 note 6 North Durham magistrates to Russell, , August 3, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 406 note 1 Mercury, Tyne, August 6, 1839Google Scholar; Advertiser, Durham, August 9, 1839.Google Scholar

page 406 note 2 Enclosure with Duke of Northumberland to Russell, , August 13, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46; Buddle, John to Marquess of Londonderry, August 11, 1839Google Scholar, North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers, John Buddie Papers, Letter Books, II, item 13 (Buddie Letter Books, II, hereafter cited as “Buddie”).

page 406 note 3 Bigge, to Howick, , August 8, 1839Google Scholar, Grey Papers.

page 406 note 4 Newcastle, Durham City, South Shields, and Morpeth all mentioned this strongly in their letters to the Home Office.

page 406 note 5 Gateshead magistrates to Russell, , July 31, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 406 note 6 Northumberland magistrates to Russell, , August 1, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 406 note 7 Phillipps, to Bigge, , H. O. 41/14, f. 345.Google Scholar

page 407 note 1 Fife, to Russell, , August 4, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46; Phillipps, to Fife, , H. O. 41/15, ft. 57Google Scholar; Stockton magistrates to Russell, , August 22, 1859Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 407 note 2 Bowes, Thomas to Russell, , July 23, August 9, 1839Google Scholar, Darlington magistrates to Russell, , August 3, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 407 note 3 Gateshead magistrates to Russell, , July 31, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 407 note 4 Handbill issued by the magistrates of the east and west divisions of Castle Ward, Northumberland, H. O. 40/46.

page 407 note 5 Fife, to Russell, , August 3, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 408 note 1 Fife, to Russell, , August 6, 1859Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46; Phillipps, to Fife, , H. O. 41/14, f. 478.Google Scholar

page 408 note 2 Advertiser, Durham, July 19, 1839.Google Scholar

page 408 note 3 Napier, to Phillipps, , H. O. 40/53, ff. 561–64.Google Scholar

page 408 note 4 Ibid.

page 408 note 5 Napier, to Phillipps, , H. O. 40/53, ff. 573–76Google Scholar; Exchange of correspondence between Durham magistrates and Home Office in late July and early August, H. O. 40/42.

page 409 note 1 Clerks, to South Shields magistrates to Russell, August 13, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42; Phillips, to Clerks, , H. O. 41/14, ff. 437, 473.Google Scholar

page 409 note 2 Phillipps, to Mayor of Berwick, H. O. 41/14, f. 397.Google Scholar

page 409 note 3 Duke of Northumberland to Lt. Col. Bell, , August 2, 1839Google Scholar, Castle, Alnwick, Duke of Northumberland's Letter Books, November 12, 1831-August 1, 1844, ff. 264–65.Google Scholar For permission to consult these papers the author is indebted to His Grace the Duke of Northumberland.

page 409 note 4 Fife, to Russell, , August 12, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46; Newcastle Courant, August 16, 1839.Google Scholar

page 409 note 5 Stockton magistrates to Russell, , August 14, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 409 note 6 Buddie to Londonderry, Buddle, item 18.

page 410 note 1 Buddie to Mills, Buddie, item 19.

page 410 note 2 Campbell, to Phillipps, , August 13, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 410 note 3 Buddie to Londonderry, Buddle, item 14. He listed Benwell, Fawdon, Heworth, Hotspur, Pelaw-Main, Springwell, Tanfield Lea, Usworth, Cowpen, Cramlington, West Cramlington, Holywell, Low Moor, Sheriff Hill, Stormont, Garesfield, Netherton, and West Towneley. He omits Seghili which also struck.

page 410 note 4 Ibid.

page 410 note 5 SirRidley, M. W. to Duke of Northumberland, August 15, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 411 note 1 Ibid.; Buddie to Londonderry, Buddle, item 14; Campbell to Lt. Col. O'Donnell, Charles, H. O. 40/53, ff. 659–62.Google Scholar

page 411 note 2 Burt, Thomas, Autobiography, London 1924, pp. 2425.Google Scholar

page 411 note 3 Newcastle Courant, August 16, 23, 1839Google Scholar; Port of Pilot, Tyne, August 24, 1839.Google Scholar

page 411 note 4 Newcastle Journal, August 17, 24, 1839Google Scholar; Newcastle Courant, August 23, 1839.Google Scholar

page 411 note 5 Newcastle Journal, August 17, 1839Google Scholar; North Durham magistrates to Russell, , August 13, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 412 note 1 Campbell, to Phillipps, , August 13, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46.

page 412 note 2 Advertiser, Durham, August 23, 1839.Google Scholar

page 412 note 3 Fife, to Russell, , August 24, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46; Sunderland magistrates to Russell, , August 16, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/42.

page 412 note 4 Buddle to William Russell, Buddie, item 32.

page 412 note 5 Newcastle Weekly Chronicle, July 26, 1890.Google Scholar

page 413 note 1 Herald, Sunderland, June 28, 1839.Google Scholar

page 413 note 2 Campbell, to O'Donnell, , H. O. 40/53, f. 660.Google Scholar

page 413 note 3 Napier, to Phillipps, , H. O. 40/53, ff. 853–54.Google Scholar

page 413 note 4 Newcastle Journal, August 31, 1839.Google Scholar Arrests and convictions took place at Seghili, Cramlington, Gosforth, Walbottle, and Thornley. A number of men published abject apologies for their actions later in the month in hope of reinstatement (ibid.).

page 414 note 1 Buddle to Londonderry, Buddle, item 18; Buddle to Edward W. Donnell, Ibid., item 20; Newcastle Journal, August 17, 24, 1839.Google Scholar

page 414 note 2 Devyr, Thomas Ainge in his Odd Book of the Nineteenth Century, Greenpoint (New York) 1882Google Scholar, claims that all was in readiness for cooperation with other parts of the country during the winter 1839–40 (pp. 195–209). A report from an operative in Balliol College Library, Oxford, Urquhart Bequest MSS., I. E. I., ff. 78–80, supports this. The Duke of Northumberland was sufficiently alarmed at the revival of Chartist activity at the time to have a sloop and marines stationed in the Tyne, as he had done earlier in 1832 (Duke of Northumberland to Russell, , December 14, 1839Google Scholar, H. O. 40/46).

page 414 note 3 Series of notes from Stephens, John to Hodgson, J. H., August 23, 1842Google Scholar, Newcastle upon Tyne City Archives, Hodgson Deposit, Letter 86.