At a meeting in Blackwood, Gwent attended by 1000's with 100's of girls wearing white dresses carrying green flags. The great orator Henry Vincent said this ''In this place, a few 1000 armed men in the hills could successfully defend....Wales would make an excellent Republic''.
.
Newport Rising
.
4 Tachwedd 1839.
.
This year the anniversary falls on a Sunday, I suggest those who are enthusiastic enough take opportunity of occaision to have a ''Revolutionary'' Autum Break. Why not on the Saturday have a Chartist Trail Field Trip into the ''Dark Domain'' of the Tarw Scotch, the eastern region of the hoped for Chartist ''Silurian Republic''. Then on the Sunday hold a commemorative event in Newport, wreathlaying at Chartist Memorial (pic opposite) followed by Lunch and then an afternnoon conference on themes of 1831 - 1839. Unfortunatly.
.
I am not in position to organise anything, but if any one is, let me know and I will assist as best I can in other ways. One other idea I have at moment is to ask author Cris Barber to be guide on the proposed Saturday outing, Cris recently had an excellent article on the Author Alexander Cordell in Western Mail, well worth the read, if you did not read then maybe you can find it on line. 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Alexander Cordell, I wonder if our less than wonderful Anglo - Welsh ''Crachach Establishment'' will give him any posthumous award that he surely deserves, and was much denied when he was alive. You might well take good interest in the books of Alexander Cordell and view on the web, the excellent Cordell Country Webside. See link below:
.
.
Last but not least, check out via link below Dawson Smith's Cordell Collection album and buy it:
.
Dawson Smith.com gigs bio & press lyrics band photos music contacts & links All content © 2005 Dawson Smith Site design and maintenance by Rockin MoHawk.www.dawsonsmith.com/ - 12k - Cached - Similar pages. .
I will post here any further information on any 1839 commemorative events and activities.
.
Post Script:
.
Following are the last known written words of George Shell, a 19 year old cabinet maker. Writting to his mam on the 3 or 4 Tachwedd 1839, on his way with many other 'Comrades - in Arms' to participate in a fight for freedom, justice and democracy. He wrote: ''I shall this night be engaged in a struggle for freedom and should it please god to spare my life I shall see you soon, but if not, grieve not for me....I shall fall in a noble cause''. When the firing around the Newgate Hotel had stoped, and the smoke had cleared; George Shell, 19 year old cabinet maker was found dead, killed by three musket balls fired by the Soldiers upon the workers. Who now remembers poor George Shell and the others who died that day on 4 Tachwedd 1831, It is wonderful that Newport Council has placed the below memorial at centre of their town close to the Newgate Hotel (If only Merthyr would do similar in respect for those who were killed in the 3 Mehefin 1839 Massacre outside the Castle Inn, see earlier post on this subject). I took the foto above of this memorial on a buetiful Sunny Saturday in Newport, the centre of the town was full of people shopping, Teenagers listening to a rock band, small children played around the statue in memory of the Newport Martyrs, all not a real care in the world compared to their ancestors who placed their very lives on the line. I am not going to moan about working people getting on with enjoying their lives, as after all that is why those of '39 fought and died. I am sure, at some point many a child would have asked about the statue, and been prodly told about the Newport Rising of 1831 by their Mams or Dads. let us make sure also, that if ever history allows us to know such, we tell the story of proud George Shell, 19 year old cabinet maker and fighter for freedom.
.
Cofia
George Shell.
Truelly a working class hero.
.
Newport Rising
