TOLPUDDLE MARTYRS
At dawn on 24 February, 1834, six farm labourers from the small Dorsetshire village of Tolpuddle were arrested on the charge of having participated in the administration of an illegal oath - although their real crime in the eyes of the establishment was having formed a trade union, which by this date they were legally entitled to do. They were subsequently sentenced to seven years transportation to the penal colonies of New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs, as they would soon be called, were George Loveless, James Loveless, John Standfield, Thomas Standfield, James Brine, and James Hammett.
Their sentences to seven years transportation would spark a resulting public fury that would eventually see all the Martyrs receive a full pardon. The Tolpuddle Martyrs would overtime be the focus for the fight for agricultural unionism and martyrs for the general cause.
The above text has been taken from the following book:
Marlow Joyce. The Tolpuddle Martyrs. Great Britain:
Butler & Tanner Ltd., 1972
The following books have also been written on this subject:
Citrine, Walter (editor). The Martyrs of Tolpuddle. London: TUC, 1934
Cole, G.D.H. Attempts at General Union.
London: MacMillan, 1953
Cole, G.D.H. Short History of the British Working Class Movement.
London: Allen & Unwin, 1948