Commemorating Chartism events in South Wales

Here is a list of this year's events commemorating Chartism at Newport, Nantyglo & Blaina, Merthyr and Monmouth.

Wednesday, 17 October 7pm
Chartists Leaders Planned a Revolution in 1839 - True or False?
Annual Merthyr Tydfil Chartist Lecture delivered by Les James (SWCHIR Associate, University of Wales, Newport)
Sponsored by Merthyr Chartist Forum and the Dic Penderyn Society
Free to all at Dowlais Library
This lecture explores the content and context of the letter written to the ship’s doctor by Zephaniah Williams during his voyage to Van Diemen’s Land. He admitted preparations had been made for a rising of the people. Was the letter concocted to please the authorities? How far should we see it as reflecting divisions that emerged between the Chartist leaders during 3rd-4th November 1839?
Contact: Huw Williams: 07968256864 or h.williams@swales.wea.org.uk

Thursday 1 November 7pm
Chartist Concert with Ebbw Vale Male Choir
at the Wesleyans Chapel, Nantyglo
For tickets contact: Steven Bartlett at 01495292817

Friday 2 November 11am to 4pm
New Exhibition
Special Launch Day at Salem Chapel Chartist Museum, Blaina - for the public and for schools
Entrance free
Future opening hours: Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 11am to 3pm

Friday, 2 November 7.30pm
The Premiere Performance of "John Frost at the Precipice"
at the Pen and Wig, Stow Hill, Newport
Mr Goff Morgan, (‘Newport’s Poet’) ably assisted by Mr Paul Busby together with Mr Dave Burns and his musical ensemble present the words of Henry Vincent and John Frost
Enjoy ‘A Night Out Promotion’ sponsored by the Arts Council of Wales and Newport City Council
Tickets £7.00
Doors open at 7pm
Book your seats with Richard Frame richardframe@hotmail.co.uk

Saturday , 3 November from 11.00 am - 3.30 pm
5th Newport Chartist Convention
at the Newport University City Campus
NO ENTRY CHARGE but strictly by ticket - booking essential
Contact: les.james@newport.ac.uk tel:02920613359

Keynote Lecture: Prof. Malcolm Chase (Leeds University)
Welsh Chartism: Looking beyond November 1839

Other contributors:
Kim Colebrook (CanDo Consultancy):
Searching for Chartists in Digitised Family History Records - the story of the Shell family (Newport, Bristol, Bath)

Colin Gibson (Gwent Archives):
‘George’s Shell’s Letter’ - a reassessment of this piece of ‘trial evidence’, made possible by the recent digitisation of the Chartist Trials documents.

Jessica Morden MP:
How a local Suffragette got in to the House of Lords - When her father died, Margaret Thomas inherited his title and became Lady Rhondda (1922), but was barred from sitting in the Lords

Les James: (SWCHIR Associate)
Chartist Letters from Van Diemen’s Land - progress report on a small scale project using digitised sources

Forum : New Directions for Researching Chartism:
- GaryTuson (GA),
- Dr. Nick Carter (SCHWIR),
- Karin Molson (Shire Hall)

The Convention ends with a tribute to the film maker Colin Thomas
- re-enactment scenes of the 1839 Rising will be shown from Cyrchfan Cyfiawnder, starring the late Gwyn Alf Williams. Colin Thomas became a Hon. Fellow of the University (Sept 2012)

Celebrating the Chartists - Five Years of Conventions
- a continuous digital show of clips and pics compiled by David Mayer
(UniGlam) is being screened during lunch time.

Sunday, 4 November 6.00pm
The Annual Chartist Commemoration
in St. Woolos churchyard at the Newport Cathedral
The Mayor of the City of Newport and the Dean of the Cathedral are attending
Organiser for this year: David Hando.
Open to all

Tuesday 6 November
Children’s Chartist Walk and Re-enactment
Leaves Clifton Park 1.30pm and parades down Stow Hill with a performance by local schools
at the Westgate Hotel, Newport

Tuesday 6 November - gather from 1pm, set off 1.30pm
A Chartist trail on foot
- visiting local sites that are associated with both the supporters and the opponents
of Chartism.
Meet at Pensioners Hall, Nantyglo
Free event led by Eifion Lloyd Davies
Contact Steven Bartlett 01495 292 817

Tuesday 6 November 6.30pm
"Songs of Praise”
at Salem Chapel, Blaina
Free event

Wednesday 28th November 7.00pm
Transportation of the Monmouthshire Chartists
Lecture at Shire Hall, Monmouth
Les James
Using Australian and UK digitised records, this lecture follows the voyage of Frost, Williams and
Jones to Van Diemen’s Land on board the Mandarin, their convict life at Port Arthur and the rising career of their ‘friend’ Dr. McKechnie, the ship’s doctor.