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Islington Tribune - EXCLUSIVE by TOM FOOT
Published: 23 January 2009

Billy Bragg - organising a music extravanganza to mark 175 years since the Tolpuddle Martyrs

Festival to mark 175 years since Tolpuddle Martyrs

A MUSICAL extravaganza marking a milestone anniversary of one of the first demonstrations in this country will be held in Edward Square, King’s Cross, in April.
It is almost 175 years since more than 100,000 people gathered in Copenhagen Fields to demand freedom for the Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1834.
The six farm workers were “framed” for swearing an oath under archaic laws created to stop seditious meetings and deported to the penal colony Australia for seven years.
Billy Bragg (pictured) is expected to sing at the event and festival organiser, Dick Muskett, said he was looking for a local hip hop group to write and perform a rap about the Martyrs.
He said: “It was really the first organised demonstration of its kinds in this country. Imagine, getting 100,000 people together 175 years ago.
“This was a time before emails and when most people were illiterate. It was not as if you could hand out leaflets outside the Tube station.
“I think they met in Copenhagen Fields because it was a wasteland in those days. It wasn’t private land and so no one could stop them meeting there.”
The Tolpuddle Martyrs fought for fair wages from rich landowners. They swore an oath never to divulge any information about their union to the authorities.
Although unions were legal at the time, the six were framed under anti-conspiracy laws created to stop seditious meetings and assemblies. The public reaction was immense and a mural celebrating the march was put up in Copenhagen Street.
Trades unions and people from all over the country are expected to attend the march from Caledonian Park to the festival in Edward Square on April 25.

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