Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

The background behind the transportation of six farm labourers to the penal colony in Australia and Tasmania was based on the fragmentation of social cohesion between the Dorset landowner and the labourer in the 1830’s. A major landowner was James Frampton, Lord of the Manor of Morton House, Justice of the Peace, High Sheriff of Dorset and magistrate. An extract from a diary written by Mary Frampton, James Frampton’s sister provides a very good insight. In November and December 1830, Mary speaks of riots and uprisings by large groups of men demanding higher wages and bent on destroying the labour-saving threshing machines that were threatening their jobs. By early December, the windows and doors of Moreton House were boarded up and Dorset Militia soldiers stood guard. From Mary Frampton diary:

…On 30 November 1830, James Frampton joined 150 farmers (all appointed special constables) to confront a rising by villagers at Winfrith, Wool and Lulworth. Mary continues: ‘The mob, urged on from behind hedges etc by women and children, advanced rather respectfully, and with their hats in their hands, to demand increase of wages, but would not listen to the request that they would disperse. The Riot Act was read. They still urged forwards, and came up close to Mr Frampton’s horse. Frampton collared one man, but he escaped by slipping out of his smock-frock. As news arrived that another ‘mob’ was advancing from Lulworth, three men were arrested and committed to Dorchester Gaol. When James Frampton and his son, Henry, arrived back at Moreton, they described the mob as ‘being in general very fine-looking young men and particularly well dressed, as if they had put on their best clothes for the occasion… ²⁴
 
On Wednesday 19 March 1834 the six farm labourers were told by the judge presiding at Dorchester Assizes court that they had withdrawn themselves from the recognition of the law and kept their conduct private and secret from the rest of the world. I therefore state that you and each of you be transported to such places beyond the seas as His Majesty’s Council in their discretion shall see fit for the term of seven years.

The first of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs to return was George Loveless who returned to London on the 13 June 1837, he was later encouraged by George Hartwell the secretary of the Central London to Dorchester Committee to write and publish a pamphlet describing the story of how and why the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers was born, his arrest with five others, their confinement in prison, the scandalous perversion of the law at their sham trial followed by the horrors of transportation and life in a penal colony on the other side of the world. During their period of incarceration the Martyrs families were not supported by the church or the local farmers and left to starve, but they had been supported by this committee and by July 1837, from funds collected from other unions, there was £600 still in hand with royalties from the pamphlet to arrive.
The Title Page of this pamphlet was:

The Victims of Whiggery

A statement of the Persecution Experienced by the Dorchester Labourer; with a Report of the Trial and also a Description of Van Diemen’s Land and Reflections Upon a System of Transportation and dedicated (without permission) to Lord Melbourne, Gray, Russell, Brougham and Judge Williams.

When Loveless had completed the pamphlet it was published and sold for four pennies a copy on the 4 September 1837. By January 1838 it had sold over 12,000 copies in three separate editions. Advertisements promoting the pamphlet appeared in regional newspapers stated that all profits would resulting from the sale of this pamphlet will be devoted to the general fund for the relief of the families of the Dorchester Labourers.

The following text describes why the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers was born, his arrest with five others, their confinement in prison and the scandalous perversion of the law at their sham trial followed by the horrors of transportation and life in a penal colony on the other side of the world ²³.

Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

promising to never act in opposition to efforts supporting wages and assist in all lawful occasions to obtain fair remuneration for their labour.

In Victorian England, Landowners, the guardians of law and order could unite but union between labourers was not to be tolerated, especially, when their grievances were expressed in rioting crowds. James Frampton was very differential to people above his station, but below he never doubted his duty in controlling the masses. The ability to punish people who chose to create friendly societies is an example; he knew it was no longer an offence to be a union member, so he wrote a letter to the Government Home Secretary, Lord Melbourne for advice about controlling his minions.

In this letter, dated 30 January 1834, he states that secret societies between the Agricultural Labourers are being created and they are bound by secret oaths. These societies may unite and cause dangerous consequences to society if not controlled.

On the 31 January 1834 Frampton had a reply from Lord Melbourne’s Permanent Secretary J. M. Philips

This stated that:

Lord Melbourne thinks the Magistrates have acted wisely in employing trusty persons to endeavour to obtain information regarding the unlawful combinations which they believe to be forming along the labourers.
Lord Melbourne desires me to refer to the Mutiny Act of 1797 (for preventing taking or administering of unlawful oaths) which in cases of this description has been frequently resorted to with advantage. His Lordship thinks it is quite unnecessary to refer to Statutable provisions relative to the administration of Secret Oaths

Frampton feared that trade unionism threatened the power base and wealth of the landed upper classes. In 1792 whilst on the Grand Tour, a post university trip around Europe, with his half-brother Mr Charles Woolaston, he witnessed the French Revolution. He had also dined, in London, and paid respects to Charles X the former king of France who had attempted to bring about the destruction of citizens’ rights and caused the revolution of July 1830 that instigated a change to a constitutional monarchy. 

On 2 August 1830, Charles X and his son the Dauphin abdicated their rights to the throne and departed for Great Britain.

The French Revolution (1789-1799) an insurrection of starving people was caused by the exceptionally hot summer of 1783, followed by long and harsh winters, resulting in crop failures. The crop failure may have been caused by erupting Icelandic volcanoes, later known as Laki.  During the initial eruption in 1783 ash and gases entered the upper layers of the atmosphere, absorbed moisture and sunlight, changing the climate for years to come.

The Arrest of the Martyrs

On the 24 February 1834, Petty Constable Charles Brine left Dorchester Police Barracks at 4:00am to arrest the six martyrs before they had left for work. For his efforts he would be paid an extra four shillings (20p), a fifth of his annual salary. All six of the martyrs were shown the warrant for their arrest and willingly followed the Constable the seven miles to Dorchester. When they arrived they were escorted to Woolaston House, home of Mr Charles Woolaston, Chairman of the Quarter Sessions of the County of Dorset. After about ten minutes they were summoned by the constable to enter another room where Frampton and Woolaston were sat, the constable introduced the martyrs to them. Frampton asked the martyrs if they were aware that by asking those present at a meeting of the Friendly Society for Agricultural Labourers to take a secret oath, in an upper room at the home of the Standfield family on the 8 December, 1833, they were breaking the law. Frampton then turned towards the figure lurking in the shadows and asked him to step forward. It was Edward Legg, a Tolpuddle labourer who had asked to be admitted to the 8 December 1833 meeting of the Friendly Society. He was asked to identify the men gathered and asked if they were present at the union meeting, He said they were all present and Frampton rose from his seat and closed the meeting.

Constable Brine asked the men to follow him and when they asked what was going to happen next. Brine said with some regret “I’m afraid you’re going to prison” ²³.

Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

“they have been agricultural labourers of mine for many years”…”They are all honest and industrious men”

The Rev. Dr Thomas Warren stated:
“he had known the martyrs for the last twenty years and they were honest, industrious, hard working men”

The testaments were handed to Judge Williams who cast them aside stating:

“He could not attend to them as they had not been handed in sooner”

Judge Williams was openly hostile to the defendants and informed the jury that Trades Unions and everything about them were evil.
Mr Butt stated that the defendants had been seeking only to provide a fund for workers to draw on in time of need.

The manacled prisoners were at the point brought up from the cells to stand before the Grand Jury.

They listened and spoke when asked, Lock and Legg took the stand and spoke about the initiation ceremony and the secret oath they took; John Cox, the Turnkey, mentioned that he had found a letter and a key on George Loveless; John Toomer, an employee of Frampton, received the key and went to the Loveless house and located a locked box, within the box were two books, one listed the names of the society members and the rules and regulations. The other book recorded members subscription paid and the amount. One of the rules stated that if masters attempted to reduce members’ wages they must leave their work and walk away in support of another member being discharged for being signed to the union.

The judge summed up the proceedings and stated the following:

“The object of all legal punishment is not altogether with the view of operating on the offenders themselves, it is also for the sake of offering an example and warning, and accordingly, the offence of which you have been convicted, after evidence that was perfectly satisfactory, the crime, to a conviction of which that evidence had led, is of that description that the security of the country and the maintenance of the laws on upholding of which the welfare of this country depends, make is necessary for me to pass on to you the sentence required by those laws.”

The jury retired and five minutes later returned with their verdict “guilty”. The prisoners were returned to their cells and waited 36 hours for their sentence.
On Wednesday 19 March the martyrs were paraded back to the court to hear their sentence. Judge Williams told them

… they had withdrawn themselves from the recognition of the law and kept their conduct private and secret from the rest of the world. I therefore state that you and each of you be transported to such places beyond the seas as His Majesty’s Council in their discretion shall see fit for the term of seven years.

When they returned to their cells George Loveless fell ill suffering from a chest infection caused by the insanitary prison cell and the acrid smoke from the fire in the dungeon; he was moved to the prison hospital ²³.

Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

Transportation to Van Diemen’s Land

After his recovery George Loveless left the prison on the 5 April 1834, to board a stage coach to Portsmouth, the only seat available was on the coach roof, next to the luggage, exposed to the elements, with his leg irons secured to the coach. The journey to Portsmouth took about 10 hours, arriving at 9.00 p.m., he was then escorted to the convict hulk the York. He laboured on the hulk until the he was instructed that he would be moved to the convict ship the William Metcalf where he would be transported to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) Australia on the 25 May 1834.

The William Metcalf was carrying 241 convicts, each convict was allocated a small pillow and blanket, but the berth for six convicts was only 1.65 metres square – Loveless was only able to lay down for 28% of his confinement time, although he was allowed to go on deck for fresh air 4 hours a day. The journey took 111 days to sail the 15,226 miles from Portsmouth to Hobart Town the largest and most remote settlement in Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania). The route taken was based on the Portuguese Trade route to the Spice Islands (Maluku Islands, Indonesia). On the 10 June, at 1,484 miles, they passed Madeira; 4 days later they anchored at Santa Cruz Tenerife and restocked the ship with fresh water and victuals; they then travelled 1,013 miles Cape Vere Islands; 11 days later the ship passed the equator and half way through the 2,940 mile journey to Rio de Janeiro and at Rio they restocked the ship with fresh water and victuals. Following the Portuguese trade route they went south and picked up the Westerlies, the Roaring Forties, where the waves were up to 24 metres high and continued on their 3,763 mile journey to the Cape of Good Hope. On the 25 August the ship dropped anchor in Table Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, where they restocked the ship.

On leaving Cape Town a strong southeast wind set up, knocking four days of their remaining 6,223 mile voyage to Van Diemen’s Land, they arrived on the 3 September 1834. The ship cruised along the coast providing the convicts a good view of the wooded terrain. The following morning the ship had entered Storm Bay and a favourable wind carried them 30 miles up the River Derwent to Hobart Town where it was taken to a mooring and dropped anchor at 10 a.m. The convicts stayed in their cells whilst government officials examined each convict, taking full particulars of their name, age, occupations and sentences; this description was entered into a large ledger ²³.

Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

Fortunately for Loveless, he only worked on the chain gang for one week and on 22 September he was sent to a government domain farm that provided fresh vegetables, milk and other produce to the residents of Hobart. It was very productive, the largest area under cultivation in Van Diemen’s Land and comprised on 120 acres, with 60 acres under crop, 153 head of cattle and 301 sheep. Loveless’s job was a stockman and shepherd, he lodged in one of the prisoner huts, but these were overcrowded. They had five beds with eight occupants, so consequently being the newcomer he did not have a bed until some of the older residents got into trouble and were ejected from the farm. This hut had poor roofing, when it rained the occupant got wet, made the bedding damp and aggravated rheumatic pains which were first brought on by cold irons round the legs since the 19th March.

Loveless continued working at the farm but was unhappy with the conditions and he wrote to the colony Governor. The letter enquired if it would be possible to be assigned to a master, but he received no reply. Later in November 1835, the Governor contacted the farm overseer, a man called Fitzpatrick, with enquires into Loveless’s character. Over the next two months the Governor enquired again, obviously to satisfy the criteria issued by Lord Russell in London. On the 29 December 1835 Loveless was summoned to the police station to answer a note received from the Chief Magistrate, Josiah Spode, wanting to know if he wanted his wife and children sent to the colony. Loveless stated: …how can I support my family when I am a prisoner. The Magistrate was annoyed by his response and threatened him with a flogging.

On the 24 January the colony Governor Arthur visited Loveless at the government farm and asked him to walk and talk about whether he would like to have his wife and children join him at the government’s expense. Loveless replied firmly that he would be a monster to send for his wife and have no way to support her. Arthur responded with “I have no doubt you will have your liberty as soon as your wife arrives”.
 
On the 27 January 1836 Loveless writes to his wife asking her to join him in Van Diemen’s Land and sends it, unsealed, to the Governor’s Office for approval. Nine days later he was informed by Governor Arthur to attend the police office, on arrival he was greeted by Spode who handed him an envelope. Inside was the following note:

“I am directed by his Excellency, the Governor, in accordance with His Majesty government, to give George Loveless (prisoner 848 from the William Metcalf) a ticket, exempting him from government labour to employ himself to his own advantage until further orders.”
²³
 

Dorset Agricultural Workers 1830’s

On the 19 September Loveless wrote to Robert Murray to make further enquiries. He asked Murray if he would contact Governor Arthur and check the validity of his possible passage to England. A week later Major de Gillern received a letter from the Governor’s office asking that if Loveless was still working for him he should be informed that the Governor wanted to see him at Government House. This message was not passed on to Loveless. Loveless was eventually notified on the 8 Oct 1836 by Josiah Spode the Magistrate that he could have a passage home on the passenger and cargo ship Elphinistone, the same ship carrying Governor Arthur back to England. Loveless was unable to except this offer because he was still awaiting a reply from his wife concerning his request for her to join him in Van Diemen’s Land. This reply did not appear until 22 December 1836.

The Return Home
At the end of January 1837 Loveless received a letter from Josiah Spode the magistrate that informed him he was allowed free passage to England on the ship Eveline, with Captain Jamison, and berth in the crews quarters with steerage passengers allowances. He went to Hobart Town on the 29 January, 1837, to speak to the Captain to secure his passage and on the following day he boarded the ship at nine pm, the crew weighed anchor and the shipped docked at London on the 13 June 1837.

George Loveless’s colleagues imprisoned in Botany Bay were also granted a pardon in 1835 by Lord Russel, but they were unaware that they too would be able to return to England. George provided them the information required and they also were freed. They boarded a ship named John Barry in Sydney on 11 September 1837, but  their return journey, via New Zealand to collect timber, was not paid for, they had to work their passage home. They arrived at Plymouth on the 17 March 1838, nine months after George Loveless ²³