Site of 1839 Chartist meeting, Dukestown, Tredegar
A crowd of c.1,000 Chartists gathered on the field in front the Star Inn on 1 May 1839. During the meeting they appointed shopkeeper John Frost (pictured) as the Chartists' Monmouthshire representative. The houses of Twyn Star are now on the field’s site.
The Chartists were supporters of the People’s Charter of 1838. This national campaign called for: votes for all men; salaries for MPs; secret ballots; all Parliamentary constituencies to be of equal size; abolition of the rule that all MPs must own a certain amount of property; and annual election of MPs. All of these, except annual elections, were achieved in less than a century but in 1839 the political establishment – still unnerved by the French Revolution – regarded Chartists with suspicion.
There was apprehension in Tredegar when the Dukestown meeting was called. All licensees were ordered to close at midday and sell no beer or spirits until 6am the next day. A procession of about 650 people from Blackwood arrived at Tredegar’s market place, followed by c.150 people from Nantyglo. The crowd, including baker William Edwards in a horse-drawn carriage, continued to Twyn Star, where magistrates watched as William and other leaders gave speeches in English and Welsh.
In August 1839 several Chartists were tried for having at gathered at various times, with force and arms, intending to excite discontent and disaffection. William was sentenced to nine months’ jail. Later that month John Frost was the main speaker at another Chartist meeting in Dukestown, attended by over 2,500 people.
Another local Chartist was John Rees, known as Jack the Fifer because he played the fife (a basic flute). In 1835 he had fought in the Texan War of Independence. In November 1839 he led the march of thousands of Chartists from Twyn Star to Newport, where soldiers shot dead at least 22 of the crowd. Jack evaded capture and returned to the USA, where he later joined the Californian gold rush.
John Frost was exiled to Australia after the Newport protest. So too was Zephania Williams, who had lived at Police Row, Dukestown, before moving to Blaina.
In 1849 Twyn Star was the birthplace of blacksmith and poet Myfyr Wyn.
With thanks to Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council
Postcode: NP22 4EH View Location Map