This lecture will give an overview of rural protest in the earlier 19th century in the form of the Swing Riots in the early 1840s, and the transportation soon afterwards of the 'Tolpuddle Martyrs' - which was widely believed to have put an end to trade unionism in the countryside. It will then focus on the formation in 1872 of the National Agricultural Labourers Union, under the leadership of the Warwickshire agricultural worker Joseph Arch, considering how far Arch's mission to free the 'white slaves of England' was driven by his own experience of growing up and working in the countryside. It will also consider the wider context in which, in Arch's own words, the 'trodden worms, which had so long writhed under the iron heel of the oppressor, were turning at last'. How did it secure such significant early concessions from employers; and how did they respond in turn to this unexpected and (to them) alarming revival of rural trade unionism?
Course aim
To give an overview of rural protest in the 19th century, with a particular focus on rural trade unionism from the 1870s.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Identify some of the obstacles to organising agricultural labourers into trade unions in the 19th century.
- Asses the influence of Joseph Arch's own experiences of growing up and working in the countryside on the formation of the NALU.
- Explain the wider context in which the formation of the NALU became possible in 1872.
- Develop your skills of historical analysis.
What else do I need to know?
There is nothing that you need to bring.
View full course information sheet
Victorian Countryside: Rural trade unionism in the later 19th century
