The Chartist Movement in Britain (1838–1857)

1. People’s Charter drafted in London

   May 1, 1838Labels: William Lovett, London Working, People s

   • Britannica
   • UK Parliament

2. People’s Charter published as Chartist program

   May 8, 1838Labels: People's Charter, London

   • Britannica
   • Lovett Autobiog
   • UK Parliament

3. Kersal Moor “monster meeting” mobilizes support

   Sep 24, 1838Labels: Kersal Moor, Manchester, Mass meeting

   • Kersal Moor
   • Kersal Moor LNR

4. Glasgow mass meeting launches the Charter publicly

   May 21, 1838Labels: Glasgow meeting, Public petitioning

   • Lovett Autobiog
   • Britannica

5. National Chartist Convention opens in London

   Feb 4, 1839Labels: National Convention, London, Industrious Classes

   • Chartism
   • Britannica

6. National Convention meets to coordinate petition campaign

   Feb 4, 1839Labels: National Convention, London

   • Chartist Ancestors
   • Chartist Collins

7. First great Chartist petition presented to Commons

   Jun 1, 1839Labels: House of, National petition, Chartists

   • UK Parliament
   • UK Parliament

8. First Chartist petition presented to Parliament

   Jun 14, 1839Labels: National Petition, House of

   • UK Parliament
   • UK Parliament

9. Bull Ring riots erupt in Birmingham

   Jul 4, 1839Labels: Bull Ring, Birmingham, Metropolitan Police

   • Hansard

10. House of Commons votes down the 1839 petition

    Jul 12, 1839Labels: House of, Parliamentary vote

    • UK Parliament
    • UK Parliament

11. House of Commons rejects first Chartist petition

    Jul 12, 1839Labels: House of, Parliamentary vote, Chartist petition

    • UK Parliament
    • Cuffay

12. Newport Rising crushed after Chartist march

    Nov 4, 1839Labels: Newport Rising, Westgate Hotel

    • Britannica
    • UK Archives
    • Newport Rising

13. Newport Rising: armed Chartist march defeated

    Nov 4, 1839Labels: Newport Rising, Westgate Hotel, Wales

    • Britannica
    • Newport Rising

14. National Charter Association formed to rebuild movement

    Jul 20, 1840Labels: National Charter, NCA

    • NCA
    • UK Parliament

15. Frost convicted; sentences commuted to transportation

    Jan 16, 1840Labels: John Frost, Transportation, Treason

    • Britannica
    • William Jones

16. Second Chartist petition presented and rejected again

    May 2, 1842Labels: Second Petition, House of

    • UK Parliament
    • Hansard via

17. National Charter Association founded in Manchester

    Jul 20, 1840Labels: National Charter, Manchester, NCA

    • NCA
    • Britannica

18. Plug Plot strikes link economic protest to the Charter

    Jul 1, 1842Labels: Plug Plot, industrial strikes

    • 1842 Strike
    • Victorian Web

19. Second Chartist petition presented and rejected

    May 2, 1842Labels: Second petition, House of, Chartists

    • UK Parliament
    • Petitions Cttee

20. O’Connor launches the Chartist Land Plan

    Apr 1, 1845Labels: Chartist Land, Feargus O'Connor

    • Land Company
    • Chartist Ancestors

21. Plug Plot disturbances spread during 1842 strike wave

    Aug 8, 1842Labels: Plug Plot, Strikes, 1842

    • 1842 strike
    • Victorian Web

22. Kennington Common meeting delivers the third petition

    Apr 10, 1848Labels: Kennington Common, Third Petition

    • UK Archives
    • Chartist Ancestors

23. Chartist Land Plan approved as cooperative settlement scheme

    Apr 1, 1845Labels: Land Plan, Feargus O, Cooperative settlement

    • Land Company
    • O Connor

24. 1848 petition discredited after signature count

    Apr 13, 1848Labels: 1848 Petition, Commons committee

    • UK Parliament
    • Chartist Ancestors
    • UK Archives

25. Chartist Co-operative Land Company provisionally registered

    Oct 24, 1846Labels: Chartist Co-operative, National Land, Feargus O

    • Land Company

26. Parliament dissolves the National Land Company

    Jan 1, 1851Labels: National Land, Parliament

    • Land Company

27. Kennington Common meeting precedes third petition

    Apr 10, 1848Labels: Kennington Common, London meeting, Mass assembly

    • UK Parliament
    • Victorian Culture

28. O’Connor declared insane, weakening Chartist leadership

    Jan 1, 1852Labels: Feargus O'Connor, Asylum commitment

    • Britannica
    • Chartist Ancestors

29. Third Chartist petition presented; signature totals disputed

    Apr 10, 1848Labels: Third petition, Feargus O, House of

    • UK Parliament
    • Victorian Culture

30. Chartism fades after mid-1850s without mass support

    Jan 1, 1857Labels: Chartism decline, Mid-1850s Britain

    • UK Archives
    • UK Parliament

31. O’Connor’s Commons conduct sparks insanity concerns

    Jun 9, 1852Labels: Feargus O, House of, Leadership crisis

    • Hansard

32. Chartism persists but loses mass national momentum

    Dec 31, 1857Labels: Chartism, Later reform, Decline

    • Britannica
    • UK Parliament