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Chartism Magazine A Celebration of Chartism - the first mass movement for social justice The population growth was mirrored by the increased gap between the rich and the poor.

When the Chartists began to organise in the early years of Queen Victoria's reign, the coal and steel resources of South Wales had made it the centre of the industrialised world. Landed wealth flowed into the region to exploit the natural resources and a huge urban population was formed. As the region developed the wealth created by the miners and steel makers mostly flowed out of the region to London and the South East. Disgraceful employment practices such a the Truck Shop system increased this disparity. Cramped housing with poor amenities, long hours and unsafe working conditions and the absence of democratic accountability fostered dissent amongst the working poor and organisations were formed to debate and challenge the inequality. One of the most successful was the Chartist movement that attracted some of the era's great thinkers and reformers to its cause and consolidated the widespread opposition into a fairly coherent grouping. The result was a six point Charter for reform of the political system that would allow representation from all parts of society. This was rejected by Parliament In 1839 and many Chartists were arrested for sedition. In the same year a popular rising in South Wales led to a march on the Westgate Hotel in Newport where it was believed that Chartist prisoners were held. The result was the deaths of at least 22 Chartists when Soldiers fired into the crowd. The Newport rising and the persecution that followed it signalled the end of the movement as an overt political force but the energy of the members was diverted to other forms of action such as the Co-operative movement and trade unions. The spirit of Chartism however did not die and for many decades in South Wales and in other parts of the United Kingdom the struggles of the Victorian workers and memories of the fallen have stimulated debate and celebration. This has led to many avenues of research into the lives of the Chartists. Many people have traced their own ancestors back to members of the movement. For a number of years in Newport, Primary schools have marched the same route down Stow Hill to the Westgate Hotel and performed plays and songs and recited poems. In other parts of Gwent similar activities take place and an annual songs and poems night takes place in Newport.

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11/09/2026

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šŸ”„ Step into history with ā€˜The Peopleā€™s Fire: A Chartist Taleā€™šŸ”„

Experience the story of the Chartist Trial of 1839 brought vividly to life ā€” walk with them in the Corn Exchange, Newport as the drama unfolds.

šŸ“… Saturday 14th November 2026
ā° 6pm & 8pm
šŸŽŸ Tickets Ā£15 - link in graphic!

Donā€™t miss this chance to live the story, feel the passion, and step into Newportā€™s past.

In collaboration with Newport Rising

Cornexchange Newportrising

02/08/2026
Samuel Etheridge was many things: printer, writer, radical campaigner and Chartist were just some of them. He was a frie...
20/05/2026

Samuel Etheridge was many things: printer, writer, radical campaigner and Chartist were just some of them. He was a friend and mentor to John Frost, and he played a significant part in Newport life for more than forty years following his arrival in the town in 1810, tumultuous years which saw the tiny borough grow into a major seaport as a result of the booming iron and coal industries of the Monmouthshire valleys. This book tells the story of Etheridgeā€™s life against the background of the rapid development of his adopted home.Author David Osmond was born in Newport and educated at Newport High School. He obtained an MA in Local History at Cardiff University in 1994, and has had a long-term interest in the Chartist movement. His first book, The Chartist Rambler, was published by Six Points in 2021.150 pages, 18 colour illustrations, 3 maps.Price Ā£12.00 (including UK p+p) from sixpointscardiff.comISBN: 978-1-9196448-4-4

Tickets now available from Newport Rising website for the next convention
12/05/2026

Tickets now available from Newport Rising website for the next convention

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