| Merthyr Rising 1831 |
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Throughout the month of May 1831 the coal miners and others who worked for William Crawshay took to the streets of Merthyr Tydfil , calling for reform, protesting against the lowering of their wages and general unemployment. Gradually the protest spread to nearby industrial towns and villages and by the end of the month of May the whole area was in rebellion, and for the first time in Britain the Red Flag of revolution was flown. After storming Merthyr town, the rebels sacked the local debtors' court and the goods that had been collected. Unpaid debts were taken and given back to their original owners. Account books containing debtors' details were also destroyed. In the beginning of June 1831 the protesters marched to local mines and persuaded the men on shift there to stop working and join their protest. In the meantime the government in London had ordered in the army and members of the Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders were dispatched to Merthyr Tydfil to restore order. Since the crowd was now too large to be dispersed, the soldiers were ordered to protect the Castle Inn, where local employers and magistrates were holding a meeting. When the workers heard about the meeting, they marched there to demand a reduction in the price of Bread and an increase in their wages. The demands were rejected and the people were advised to return to their homes. When the crowds refused to disperse, the soldiers were ordered to open fire on them. When several members of the crowd had been killed, the protesters took control of the town. They set up road blocks, and when the Swansea Cavalry arrived from Aberdare they were ambushed and disarmed. Messengers were also sent out to neighbouring towns and villages calling on them to join the rising. By 7 June 1831 the authorities had regained control of the town through force. Twenty-six people were arrested and put on Trial for taking part in the revolt. Several were sentenced to terms of imprisonment, others transported to Australia , and two were sentenced to death – Lewsyn yr Heliwr (also known as Lewis Lewis) for robbery and Dic Penderyn (also known as Richard Lewis) for stabbing a soldier in the leg with a seized bayonet. Lewsyn yr Heliwr was later reprieved, but the British government was determined that at least one rebel should die as an example of what happened to rebels. The people of Merthyr Tydfil were convinced that Dic Penderyn , a 23 year-old miner, was not responsible for the stabbing, and 11,000 signed a petition demanding his release. The government refused, and Penderyn was hanged at Cardiff market on August 13, 1831. BIBLIOGRAPHY
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