Illustrated London News & Chartism
We hope you enjoyed watching our Education Service video with Sarah Castagnetti Visual Collections Specialist at The National Archives looking at ‘The Illustrated London News’ from the ZPER collection held at The National Archives. This collection consists of periodicals related to transport history and journals and magazines from the British Transport Historical Records Office Library. The focus of this video is how ‘The Illustrated London News’ reported on a Chartist demonstration on 10 April 1848.
Now try and answer the following questions:
- What was ‘The Illustrated London News’?
- When was the paper launched?
- Why has this copy of ‘The Illustrated London News’ been bound into a volume?
- Where did the Chartists hold a demonstration in London on 10 April 1848?
- What were the political aims of the Chartists?
- According to the article, how did the government respond to Chartism?
- What was the subject of the second article examined in this video?
- Why is ‘The Illustrated London News’ an important source for historians and researchers?
Document 1
The Illustrated London News
Extract from the Illustrated London News, 10 April, 1848. Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/12
‘The Illustrated London News’ was one of the first illustrated newspapers and began in 1842, published once a week. The paper offered a new way to consume news. Newspapers at the time did not contain photographs as photography was quite new. However, artists created engravings for printing. This was expensive and took time so most daily newspapers had few images. Despite its title, the paper featured world news and stories on science, technology, art, politics, and culture. It also had an emphasis on the royal family and carried advertising.
- How often was ‘The Illustrated London News’ published?
- How much did it cost in 1848? Use The National Archives currency converter to find the cost today.
- Why do you think the paper had a number and volume listed at the top?
- What does the illustration with the paper’s title reveal about London’s buildings and the River Thames in the 1840s?
- Who do you think read ‘The Illustrated London News’?
Document 2
Daguerreotype of a Chartist meeting on Kennington Common
A daguerreotype showing a Chartist meeting on Kennington Common purchased by Prince Albert. The meeting took place 10 April 1848. The daguerreotype was made by William Edward Kilburn (1818-91). Credit: Wikimedia Commons
A daguerreotype was an early photograph produced on a silver or a silver-covered copper plate. A printed engraving of this daguerreotype appeared in ‘The ‘Illustrated London News’
- What does the source reveal about support for the Chartist movement?
- Why do you think this ‘photograph’ was taken?
- Why do you think Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, bought this image?
- What are the advantages of this image compared to a printed engraving?
Document 3
Engraving of a Chartist meeting on Kennington Common
Engraving of a Chartist meeting on Kennington Common from ‘The Illustrated London News’ 15 April 1848, Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/12
- How does the caption (below the engraving) link to Document 2?
- What differences can you spot between each scene in Documents 2 & 3.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of the engraving compared to the ‘photograph’?
- Why do you think the engraving was made?
- How would you describe the nature of the crowd and demonstration in both images?
- What do both images suggest about (a) supporters of Chartism (b) the organisation of the chartists?
- Why do you think the ‘Illustrated London News’ reported on the Chartists?
Document 4
Poster for Chartist meeting in Merthyr Tydvil, Wales
This poster advertised an earlier Chartist public meeting in March 1848, in Merthyr Tydvil in Wales.
- What does it reveal about (a) support for the movement? (b) organisation of the Chartists?
- Why is there a call for ‘The unenfranchised’ [those without right to vote] to ‘Rally round their flag’?
- How does this meeting about the ‘Petition’ for ‘the People’s Charter’ connect to the first previous two images?
- Find out about the February Revolution in France in 1848. Explain why the poster says: ‘The Republic for France, the Charter for England’?
Transcript
THE UNENFRANCHISED!
RALLY AROUND YOUR FLAG
——————————-
‘The REPUBLIC for France, and the CHARTER for England’
————————————
NOTICE.
A PUBLIC
MEETING
WILL BE HELD AT
MARKET SQUARE
MERTHYR TYDVIL
On MONDAY EVENING Next,
March 20th,1848,
To take into consideration the propriety
of further adopting the Petition for the
immediate enactment of the “PEOPLE’s
CHARTER”. Likewise, to elect a Delegate
for the ensuing Convention
Chair to be taken at 5’ o Clock.
D. Jones Printer, Merthyr
Document 5
‘The Illustrated London News’ reports on a Chartist demonstration
Extracts from an article in ‘The Illustrated London’ reporting on Chartist activity in April 1848, Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/12
This article gives an account of the Chartist demonstration, and Convention [conference] that took place in April 1848. The Chartists also planned to deliver a signed petition for their six-point charter to parliament. The government saw their demonstration as a huge threat to the public order. The Duke of Wellington, head of the British Army, stationed troops across London and the royal family were moved to Osborne House on the Isle of Wight. In the event, the rally passed peacefully. The authorities closed the city’s bridges to prevent the procession with the petition to present it to the House of Commons. Instead, Fergus O’Connor and other members of the Chartist Association delivered it.
‘Erin go Bragh’ is from Irish Gaelic, meaning ‘Ireland forever’ and often used as a call for independence.
- How is the Chartist movement characterised in this article from ‘The Illustrated London News’? [comment its language and tone]
- What methods did the Chartists use to gain support for their campaign?
- Explain how the recent February Revolution in France might have encouraged the Chartists to protest then and the government’s reaction?
- Find out about the ‘Irish confederalists’. Why do you think they were present at the Chartist demonstration?
- According to the images (Documents 2 & 3), was the government response justified?
- What additional information does Document 5 give about the Chartist movement compared to the images shown here?
Transcript
THE CHARTIST DEMONSTRATION
The long-expected “monster meeting” of the Chartists on Kennington Common, and their procession with a petition to the Legislature [government] in favour of the “the people’s Charter,” took place on Monday last. Notwithstanding the fineness of the morning, during which a hot and brilliant sun shone forth, the demonstration was in every respect a failure, when measured by the standard of the vauntings [boasting] and grandiloquent [extravagant] sayings of the delegates at the Convention [conference] during the preceding week. As the speeches of those gentlemen had led the public to anticipate some serious disturbance of the peace in the metropolis [city of London], the Government and the civil authorities had made extensive and well-arranged preparations to suppress effectually any violation of order or tranquillity, should such be attempted. However, the interference of the authorities was not called for; the brave Chartists, notwithstanding all their blustering about physical force, having given most satisfactory proof of their belief in the propriety [need] of the sentiment [idea], that “discretion is the better part of valour”. The nature of the day’s proceedings, of which we furnish [provide] some graphic [clear] illustrations, was, it will be seen, very ordinary and common-place.
The delegates assembled at nine o’clock in the morning at their usual place of meeting, the Literary and Scientific Institution, John-Street, Fitzroy Square. A large number of persons had gathered round the entrance to the Institution and considerable excitement was manifested in the neighbourhood. Many of the members and their partisan wore rosettes of red, green, and white-the colours of the Convention. Mr. F. O’Conor not having arrived at nine o’clock, Mr Reynolds was called to the chair.
Mr Doyle, the Secretary, said that a communication had been received from Scotland-Yard, stating that the Commissioners of police were instructed to inform Mr. McGrath, that the petition would be allowed to be taken to the House of Commons, but that no procession would be allowed to take place, or be permitted to proceed through the streets of the metropolis; he observed that he considered that to be a strange way of managing matters in the nineteenth century.
…
ADJOURNMENT TO KENNINGTON COMMON
During this discussion two newly constructed cars [carriages] had driven up to the doors of the institution. The one intended for the conveyance of the monster petition was on four wheels and drawn by as many splendid farm-horses. The body of the car was square and surmounted by a tastefully constructed canopy. The attendants bore streamlets in the varied colours of red, green, and white, having appropriate inscriptions. The van or car in waiting for the delegates was upwards of 20 feet in length, with seats arranged transversely [sideways], in so commodious a manner as to afford comfortable accommodation to the delegates, as well as several representatives of the press. The body of the car was inscribed on the right side with the motto, “The Charter. No surrender. Liberty is worth living for and worth dying for”; on the left, “The voice of the people is the voice of God;” while on the back of the car was inscribed “Who would be a slave that could be free?” “Onward, we conquer; backward, we fall.” Eight banners were fixed (four on each side) to the car, inscribed, “The Charter”, “No vote, no muskets,” “Vote by Ballot”, “Annual Parliaments,” “Universal Suffrage,” “No property qualification,” “The payment of members,” and “Electoral Districts,” To the vehicle were harnessed six farm-horses of superior breed, and in the highest possible condition. The marshals (designated by a silk sash of the colours red, white and green) having announced, at ten minutes past ten o’clock, all in readiness, Mr. F. O’ Connor was the first to ascend the car…
…
…Proceeding along the Kennington Road the Common was reached at half past eleven o’clock. Here had already assembled the Irish confederalists and the various bodies of trades of London, who had intimated their intention of joining in the demonstration. These had taken their position in numerical order on the common, having arrived from their different rendezvous some time previously. Each trade had its own emblematic banner, and the Irish confederalists displayed a very splendid green standard [flag] emblazoned with the harp of Erin, and the motto “Erin go bragh.” The numbers assembled at this time have been variously estimated at from 20,000 to 50,000. A careful estimate, formed by military persons of experience in such computations [calculations], represents the number present, both as spectators and members of the procession, at from 23,000 to 25,000.
On arriving about the centre of the Common, the carriage in which Mr. F. O’Connor and the delegates were seated halted, while that in which the monster petition was deposited took its station on the south side, opposite the Horns Tavern…
Document 6
The ‘Illustrated London News’ on the significance of Chartism.
Extracts from an article in ‘The Illustrated London’ reporting on Chartist activity in April 1848, Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/12
This article gives the writer’s opinion on Chartism and the government’s response to the movement.
- How many signed the Chartist petition, according to Fergus O’ Connor, Chartist leader?
- How is the petition for the Charter criticised in this extract?
- Why does the writer say that the government must take the petition seriously, despite its made-up signatures?
- How has the government viewed the Chartist movement according to the writer?
- Explain why the writer argues that the government’s threat to use a lot of force against the chartists was a mistake.
- What is the value of this article as evidence for the Chartist movement?
- Compare this extract to Document 5. Explain the differences in style and approach.
Transcript
It is time we should investigate what social fire it is which produces the ugly smoke of Chartism, and sends up such dangerous sparks as Mr. O’ Connor and Mr. Ernest Jones as evidences that it is burning. Mr. O’Connor and his friends may commit the stupid folly of asserting that their petition for the “six points” was signed by upwards of five millions and half people; and cooler more impartial [unbiased] men, who are not Chartists, may remember that there are not in Great Britain six millions of adult males in the whole population; yet, although the Chartist leaders may have manufactured [forged] signatures by wholesale-though they may have infamously exaggerated the numbers that they have placed upon the petition- though all the blackguard [dishonest] street urchins [young troublemakers] of London, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, and Glasgow may have appended [added] their names to it twenty times over, we must not forget that, even if a hundredth or even a five hundredth part of the signatures are bona fide [genuine], it is a petition which the Legislature [government] of England ought to receive with seriousness…
…
they [government] may not coincide in opinion with the Chartists on any one of their six points; but, if they are wise, they should remember that they are bound, as the representatives of the people- deriving their only real power from the people- to consider the questions raised with careful attention, and to abstain [choose not to make] from any insolent or overbearing contempt of the opinions or wishes of any portion of them. The Parliamentary reports in the daily papers of Tuesday state that the Chartist petition was, “amidst great laughter, ordered to be brought up.” They further state, that when Mr. Lushington, the member for Westminster, gave notice that on Friday (last night), the night appointed for the discussion upon the petition, he should ask the Prime Minister whether he could hold out any distinct hope that he would, during the present session, introduce or support any measure for the extension of the suffrage [vote], the house received the mere mention of the subject with cheers and laughter.
Some other circumstances which have arisen from this demonstration are of the nature to cause much future agitation throughout the country, and perhaps to prove fatal to the existence of the present Ministry [government]. The country may look upon the latter result with the most stoical indifference [emotionally detached], but it cannot look with indifference [ignore] upon a protracted [drawn out] and bitter agitation of political parties. If the danger to be apprehended [feared] from a Chartist insurrection [revolt] be, as we think it, and as the Ministry and all their supporters assert it to be, very small, it is surely the worst policy, and a most unjust aggression upon popular rights [freedoms] , to take advantage of the small danger to introduce and bring forward measures which only a great danger can justify. If the Crown of this country be, as the enrolment of one hundred and fifty thousand or two hundred special constables of Monday last so loudly testifies, safe from all….
Connections to Curriculum
Key stage 4
AQA GCSE History: Britain: Power and the people: c1170 to the present day
Key stage 5
AQA GCE History: The Age of Reform: Britain 1832-1185
Edexcel GCE History: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928
OCR GCE History: From Pitt to Peel: Britain 1783–1853
Related Resources
Lesson about Chartism and what it was
Here you can find a themed collection about protest and democracy in 1816 to 1818
Also another themed collection about protest and democracy in 1818 to 1820