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V. The Failure of London Chartism1

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

D. J. Rowe
D. J. Rowe
Affiliation:
University of Newcastle upon Tyne
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Extract

One of the standard points mentioned in discussions of the failure of Chartism is that it did not gain any strong support in London. The capital city, with a considerable part of the total population of the country, was very largely apathetic to Chartism, although we have little knowledge beyond this generalization. This contrasts strangely with the attitude of other capital cities during revolutionary movements (since Chartism, in the existing political atmosphere, had to have incipient revolution written into its programme if it were to succeed); Paris obviously played the formative part in 1789, as did St Petersburg in 1917, while most other European radical movements found considerable support among the discontented elements in capital cities. That Chartism did not gain similar success in London was of considerable importance for the movement since, although opposition to the six points was strong in the legislature, a mass following in the capital would have furthered the chances of the Chartists.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , September 1968 , pp. 472 - 487
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

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References

2 1·95 million out of a total of 18·8 million for Great Britain in 1841.

3 See my article, ‘The London Working Men's Association and the “People's Charter”‘, in Past and Present, no. 36 (April 1967).

4 Howell, George, MS. History of the Working Men's Association from 1836 to 1850, p. 44: ‘Howell Collection’, Bishopsgate Institute, London.Google Scholar

5 Prospectus of the E.L.D.A., No. 19 Swan Street, Minories (January 1837), ‘ Lovett Collection’, Birmingham Reference Library, I, fo. 35.

6 See Rowe, op. cit.

7 I have used this term to describe the Midlands, Lancashire, Yorkshire, etc.

8 Howell, op. cit. p. 118.

9 See Hovell, M., The Chartist Movement (London, 1918), p. 98. ‘Fully developed Chartism derives its programme from London, its organization from Birmingham, its personnel and vehemence from Lancashire and Yorkshire.’Google Scholar

10 The London Democrat, 20 April 1839.

11 Lovett, W., Life and Struggles… An his pursuit of Bread, Knowledge and Freedom (London, 1920 edn.), I, 185.Google Scholar

12 Newspaper cutting in the ‘Lovett Collection’, 1, fo. 298.

13 Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 34,245 A, fo. 46: letter dated 18 February 1839, from P. Harper.

14 Ibid. 27,830, fo. 381. Prospectus of The Charter newspaper.

15 ‘Lovett Collection’, 1, fo. 305.

16 Northern Star, 16 February 1839.

17 Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 34,245 A, fos. 118–19. John Hunter to William Lovett, 12 March 1839.

18 Ibid. fos. 275–6. J. Morgan to Lovett, 19 April 1939.

19 Hovell, op. cit. p. 144.

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21 For a more complete discussion of the lack of success of the London Democratic Association, see my article, ‘Chartism and the Spitalfields Silk Weavers’, Econ. Hist. Rev., Sec. Ser. xx, No. 3, December 1967.

22 P.R.O. Home Office Papers 40/44 and 61/24.

23 Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 34,245 A, fo. 300; letter from Kingsland Road Charter Association, 24 April 1839.

24 P.R.O., H.O. 40/44; police report of meeting 12 April 1839.

25 The Times, 13 May 1839.

26 Brit. Mus. ‘Place Papers’, Add. MSS. 27,821, fo. 178.

27 Ibid.Miscellaneous Papers of the General Convention, Add. MSS. 34,24s B, fo. 83; letter (n.d.) from St Luke's Charter Association.

28 Ibid. fo. 55; letter (n.d.) from Wandsworth W.M.A.

29 The Operative, 28 April 1839.

30 Morning Chronicle, 13 August 1839.

31 The Charter, 28 July 1839.

32 P.R.O., H.O. 40/44; series of reports 15–19 November 1839.

33 Southern Star, 19 January 1840.

34 P.R.O., H.O. 61/25: Sir John Gale to Lord Normanby, 17 January 1840.

35 Morning Chronicle, 20 January 1840.

36 Brit. Mus. ‘Place Collection’, Set 56, IV, fos. 257–8.

37 Brit. Mus. ‘Place Collection’, Set 56, XII, Place to Cobden, 4 March 1840.

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42 The Pioneer, 31 May 1834.

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44 See Rowe, op. cit. ‘Spitalfields Silk Weavers’.

45 Hovell, op. cit. pp. 8–27.

46 Quoted in Northern Star, 21 August 1841.

47 Ibid.

48 Brit. Mus. ‘Place Collection’, Set 56, vi, fo. 258.

49 Quoted in P.R.O., H.O. 40/44; police report, 10 May 1839.

60 Lovett, op. cit. p. 94.

51 Prospectus of the London W.M.A.; copy in Brit. Mus. Add. MSS. 27,819, fo. 36.

52 Lovett, op. cit. p. 192; Address of the London Working Men's Association to the Irish People.

53 Northern Star, 6 March 1841.

54 Rowe, op. cit. ‘Spitalfields Silk Weavers’.