Papers relating to the National Political Union: (2 of 2)

London Radicalism 1830-1843: A Selection of the Papers of Francis Place. Originally published by London Record Society, London, 1970.

'Papers relating to the National Political Union: (2 of 2)', in London Radicalism 1830-1843: A Selection of the Papers of Francis Place, (London, 1970) pp. 64-72. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol5/pp64-72 [accessed 20 April 2024]

Papers relating to the National Political Union

31. [Add. Ms. 27791, ff. 94-5]

At a meeting held at Benbows house in the evening of the 9th November (This was a meeting of the committee of the Union of the Working Classes), the Commercial Coffee House, Fleet Street. A Mr Petrie one of the active Rotunda leaders, proposed a plan to drill the people in some way of his own so as to make them equal if not superior to the best disciplined troops. This motion was discountenanced by the Chairman Wm Lovett and was dropped.

Benbow moved. 'That the Whig Union of which Sir F. Burdett was at the head, was a jesuistical attempt of the committee of the National Union to cajole the working classes to employ their moral and physical force in support of the whig reform bill, and that no union deserved or ought to receive the support of the working people which did [not?] declare its purpose to be the obtainment of Annual Parliaments and Universal Suffrage.'

The Morning Chronicle which contains an account of this meeting reports.

That the chairman joined with Mr Watkins Mr Cleave and others in deprecating the introduction of the resolution on the ground that the union at the Crown and Anchor had not yet assumed any character and that it could not be known what its principles were to be until its rules and regulations were drawn up and agreed to at a public meeting of the members. It could not be said that the gentlemen had determined what the character of the union should be as they had left it to a general meeting of the members to be held tomorrow evening, (Thursday) to appoint a committee which should within a month from that day propose to another public meeting rules and regulations for the government of the Union. It was also to be borne in mind that there were to be 36 working men upon the committee, and the members of the Union of the working classes ought to go to the meeting tomorrow night and support the appointment of such men as would make the principles of the National Union their principles and its objects their objects (hear hear).

Major Beauclerk and other gentlemen had already declared that they would not accept the Whig Bill as a final measure (hear) and it was on that account that Mr Barber Beaumont and others were attempting to get up unions pledged to ask nothing beyond the bill for the purpose of cutting up the National Union.

Benbow withdrew his motion with the intention of submitting it to the next meeting of delegates.

32. [Add. Ms. 27790, ff. 242-3]

. . . [There] was issued another proclamation against 'Political Unions composed of separate bodies with various divisions and subdivisions under leaders with a gradation of ranks and authority,' etc. it then alludes specifically to the plan of the Birmingham Union in assuming to constitute themselves a municipal corporation,—and declares all such illegal.

Advantage was taken of this proclamation by the Tory papers to alarm the members of the various unions, some of which but not in considerable numbers abstained from attending the meetings, others were intimidated and prevented becoming members, and two or three unions consisting of very few persons dessolved [sic] their association and dispersed, among these was a very paltry one which had assumed the title of the Westminster Union, and was to consist of none but respectable persons. The National Political Union had previously published an abstract of the laws relating to political associations, (fn. 1) it was printed as a hand bill sent to every union known to the National Union, and freely dispersed in every direction. In the evening of the 22nd, four members of the Council of the Union having met together caused the following advertisement to be inserted in most of the London daily papers.

National Political Union Royal Proclamation

To the editor etc.

Sir in consequence of the mis-statements of some of the evening newspapers upon the subject of the Proclamation relating to Political Unions, and the strong excitement it has occasioned. We as members of the Council think it necessary to state that the Proclamation does not apply to the National Political Union nor to the great majority of the Unions now in existence. The Proclamation is in fact, little more than a copy of the 'Laws relating to Political Associations'—put forth some days ago by this Union and now in the hands of the members.



signed Crown & Anchor Tavern Nov.22 1831	H.B. Churchill R.H. Franks Matt.Powell E.H. Redman

33. [Add. Ms. 27791, f. 184. Council as at general meeting on 1 December 1831. Printed.]


National Political Union

Allen, Thos, 1 Penton-pl. Pentonville Beauclerk, Major, 12, Chester-street Buckle, John, Paper-buildings, Temple Bowyer, Thomas, 32, Myddleton-street Barratt, George, Winchester-street Bennett, John, 23, Museum-street Carrick, Jas. 44, King-st. Long Acre Collinson, John, New Cut, Lambeth Cumming, William, London Wall Churchill, H.B., Temple Coode, George, Union-row, Newington Cramphorne, R., 50 Brewer-st. Somers Town Cheeseman, Richard, 49, Gt Dover-st. Drake, Joseph, 100, Edgeware-road Draycott, F., 27, Duke-st., Bloomsbury Elphinstone, Howard, Eaton-place, Grosvenor-place Franks, Robert, Red-cross-street Fox, Rev. W.J., Upper Clapton Galloway, Alex., West-st., Smithfield Gowan, Capt., Upper Baker-street Harrison, Samuel, 23, Gt. Ormond-st. Harrison, S.B., Temple Hall, Thos., 7, Royal-street, Lambeth Holmes, Thos., 1, Cross-st., Carnaby Market Howell, Henry, 4, Argyle-street Hall, Charles, 3, Archer-st., St. James's Hickson, W.E., 20, West Smithfield Hankin, H.B., 2, Catherine-st., Vauxhall Knapp, George, College-hill, Vintry Lawrence, Wm. 20, Pitfield-st., Hoxton Lillingstone, Daniel, 94, Cheapside Longmate, James, 7, Theobald's-road Lane, W., 5, Bateman's-buildings, Soho Lockett, Ed., 29, Isabella-st. Lambeth Lovett, Wm. 19, Greville-st., Hatton Garden Manwaring, Wm. Lambeth Marsh Gate Machin, George, 76, Leadenhall-street	Murphy, Thos. 1, Commercial-place, Hampstead-road Menteath, C.G.S. 34, Keppel-street Mordan, Sampson, 22, Castle-street, Finsbury Mongredien, A., George-st. Euston-sq. MacDiarmid, Wm. 17, New-street-sq. Millard, Wm. 19, Greville-street Place, Francis, 16, Charing Cross Perry, Erskine, Clairville, Old Brompton Powell, J.H., 26, Chapel-st. Pentonville Palmer, Rt. 9, Fountain-court, Strand Pain, Jas., 29, Union-row, New Kent-rd. Rogers, G., 58, High-st., Blomsbury Rigge, Jn. Bartholomew-pl. St Luke's Revell, Major, Burton-crescent Rainford, Ed., 12, Red Lion-passage Rutt, John T., Newington-green Redman, D.W., 14, Little Charlotte-st. Reynolds, W. 44, Cheapside Smith, Charles Fox, Stone's End Saull, W.D., 15, Aldersgate-street Shirley, John, 22, Castle-st., Finsbury Stevenson, George, 39, Old Change Stiles, Joseph, 20, Marsham-street, Westminster Taylor, John, 4, Christopher-street, Finsbury-square Thompson, Col. J.P. [sic], 14, Hampsteadroad. Thomas, Cartwright, 49, Broad-street Turner, John, 24, Brook-st., Holborn Vesey, Wm. 2, Seymour-pl., Walworth Wagg, Mathias, 8, Charles-street, New Kent-road Wallis, George, Elizabeth-st., Hackneyroad Ward, George Green, 30, Union-st., Mary-le-bone Wakefield, Daniel, Gray's Inn Watson, James, 33, Windmill-street

34. [Add. Ms. 27791, f. 222. Printed balloting list for the council of the National Political Union, February 1832, with figures added in manuscript.]

1st of the working class



A	B	Votes	Names	Business	Address	Proposed by
*12		425	Atkinson, H. T.	Working painter	2, North Crescent, Bedford Square	George Rogers
* 9		512	Allen, Thomas	Map engraver	1, Penton Place, Pentonville	C. F. Smith
†	41	249	Augero, F. A.	Teacher	26, Hercules' Buildings, Lambeth	William Carpenter
†*	47	160	Brackenborough, Edward	Cabinet maker	16, Brownlow Street, Holborn	E. Norminton
*18		478	Bennett, John	Artists' pencil maker	Museum Street	D. W. Redman
*27		372	Berkeley, George S.	Teacher	44, Fetter Lane	George Wilkinson
* 4		531	Bowyer, Thomas	Bookseller	32, Middleton Street, Clerkenwell	H. B. Churchill
†*	48	147	Baber, George	Clerk	32, Essex Street, King's Cross	B. Heenan
*10		511	Cheeseman, Richard	Brazier and Tinman	49, Great Dover Street, Southwark	E. Perry
* 3		538	Carrick, James	Bricklayer	44, King Street, Long Acre	Rowland Detrosier
* 6		535	Cumming, William	Carpet maker	Carpenters' Hall, London Wall	W. D. Saull
*	39	260	Draycot, Frederick	Carver and gilder	27, Duke Street, Bloomsbury	D. W. Redman
*35		335	Douglass, William	Coach maker	21, Frederick Place, Hampstead Road	S. M. Douglass
†	45	196	Grady, John	Attorney's Clerk & Student at Law	6, Pratt Street, Lambeth	John Hunt
*29		367	Hewitt, Daniel	Musician	Camden Cottage, Camden Town	H. T. Atkinson
*11	511	Hankin, H. B.	Figure Colourer	Carpenter's Buildings, Westminster	Erskine Perry
†*	46	171	Heenan, Benjamin	Clerk	39, Prince's Road, Kennington	George Baber
15		487	Irvine, J. G.	Optician	32, Kirby Street, Hatton Garden	W. D. Saull
*36		326	King, J. B.		5, James's Place, Hackney Road	William Wallis
*25		400	Knight, George	Teacher	Globe Lane, Bethnal Green	William Wallis
* 5		528	Longmate, James	Pocket-book maker	7, Theobald's Road	Thomas Murphy
†	38	266	Lovett, William	Carpenter	18, Greville Street, Hatton Garden	George Rogers
†20		435	Leonard, H. P.	Reporter for the press	32, Stanhope Road, Strand	Thomas Murphy
14		487	Moore, William	Bookseller	Little Russell Street, Bloomsbury	J. H. Powell
30		367	Millard, William	Trunk maker	19, Greville Street, Hatton Garden	Thomas Bowyer
*19		474	M'Diarmid, William	Printer	17, New Street Square	W. D. Saull
*23		422	Milner, Thomas	Painter and glazier	37, Marsham Street, Westminster	J. D. Styles
* 7		513	Mongredien, A.	Merchant's clerk	44, George Street, Hampstead Road	D. Wakefield
†*	40	259	Marsh, Joseph	Baker	3, Holland Place, Kensington	W. Midwinter
†*	43	202	Norminton, Edward	Dyer	5, Drury Lane	E. Brackenborough
*31		367	Norman, John	Book-keeper	5, Claremont Terrace, Durham Street Hackney Road	William Wallis
*21		435	Owen, Robert	Silk weaver	James's Place, Hackney Road	William Wallis
*17		482	Palmer, Robert	Printer	9, Tottenham Court Road	E. Perry
*	37	307	Pain, James	Brush maker	29, Union Place, New Kent Road	E. Perry
* 2		536	Powell, J. H.	Clerk	26, Chapple Street, Pentonville	H. B. Churchill
* 8		513	Redman, D. W.	Lithographic printer	14, Little Charlotte Street, Middlesex Hospital	C. F. Smith
†*	42	227	Ralay, James	Silversmith	15, Plummer Street, City Road	J. Detheridge
1		581	Styles, J. D.	Carpenter	37, Marsham Street, Westminister	R. Detrosier
*33		351	Sellis, John	Tailor	Church Street, Hackney	William Wallis
*13		495	Shirley, John	Pencil maker	22, Castle Street, Finsbury	D. Wakefield
*26		385	Tuson, William	Modeller	13, Dean Street, Soho	C. Reynolds
*24		417	Thomas, William	Tinplate worker	273, High Street, Borough	R. Cheeseman
*12		504	Wallis, William	Silk weaver	Hackney Road	Francis Place
*16		484	Wright, Henry	Working Goldsmith	Green Street, Leicester Square	E. Perry
28		372	Ward, G. G.	Machinist	30, Union Street, Mary-le-bone	E. Rainford
†*32		363	Wright, Charles	Agent and collector of rents	102, High Street, Holborn	Thomas Murphy
†	44	198	Watkins, David	Jeweller	109, Drummond Street, Euston Square	Dias Santos
*34		351	Wellard, Samuel	Tinplate worker	273, High Street, Borough	R. Cheeseman

2nd not of the working class



†*32		340	Arnot, Sandford	Professor	2, South Crescent, Bedford Square	George Rogers
*30		429	Buller, Charles	Barrister	Athenaeum	J. A. Roebuck
*22		492	Beauclerk, Aubrey	Major in the army	12, Chester Street, Belgrave Square	D. Wakefield, jun.
*31		410	Burnard, J. P.	Surveyor	Holloway	Henry Revell
* 9		568	Churchill, H. B.	Barrister	Temple	Henry Revell
†	45	169	Cleave, John	Coffee house keeper	27, King Street, Snow Hill	F. A. Augero
†28		466	Carpenter, William	Editor of Political Magazine	16, Great Union Street, Borough	John Cleave
*35		307	Cooke, William	Hatter	45, St. Mary Axe	E. C. Thomas
*19		517	Drake, Joseph	Window glass merchant	100, Edgware Road	Thomas Murphy
†	43	220	Dias Santos, Emanuel	No profession	2, Oxford Arms Passage, Warwick Lane	William Carpenter
*33		336	Elphinstone, Howard	No profession	Eaton Place, Pimlico	C. S. Menteath
*24		491	Evans, Thomas	Surgeon	Beak Street, Regent Street	Erskine Perry
1	624	Fox, Rev. W. J.	Minister	Upper Clapton	E. Rainford
8		571	Franks, Robert	Hatter	Red Cross Street, Barbican	Rowland Detrosier
†	46	159	Fall, George	Accountant	Doris Street, Lambeth	John Grady
*16		532	Gowan, Captain William	Officer	Upper Baker Street	R. Detrosier
*14		539	Galloway, Alexander	Engineer	West Street, Smithfield	E. C. Thomas
*	40	269	Harrison, S. B.	Pleader	Temple	D. Wakefield, jun.
†	47	154	Hunt, John	Soap boiler	Broad Street, Lambeth	E. Dias Santos
*23		492	Howell, Henry	Master tailor	4, Argyle Street, Oxford Street	D. Wakefield, jun.
†*	41	180	Hoile, John	Plumber	44, King Street, Long Acre	James Carrick
*18		518	Harrison, Samuel	Accountant	23, Great Ormond Street	R. Detrosier
*17		529	Hickson, W. E.	Shoe warehouseman	20, West Smithfield	Erskine Perry
5		592	Lillie, Sir John Scott, K.C.B.		North End, Fulham	Erskine Perry
6		579	Murphy, Thomas	Coal merchant	Commercial Place, Hampstead Road	Henry Revell
*	42	235	Michie, W. A.	Baker	30, Milbank Street, Westminster	R. Kemp
*25	477	Menteath, C. S.	Barrister	154, Albany Street, Regent's Park	George Rogers
*	38	298	Mordan, Sampson	Pencil manufacturer	Finsbury	D. Wakefield
†*	41	250	Newberry, William	No profession	Chenies Street, Gower Street	H. T. Atkinson
*26	476	Noel, Robert R.	B.A.	Notting Hill	E. Perry
*	39	275	Nash, Eleazer	Jeweller	9, Tavistock Place	Joseph Marsh
*11		561	Place, Francis	No profession	16, Charing Cross	R. Detrosier
*7		572	Perry, Erskine	Student at law	Old Brompton	R. Detrosier
†34		329	Potter, Thomas	Chandler	73, Crawford Street	Thomas Murphy
*13		550	Rainford, Edward	Bookseller	Red Lion Passage, Red Lion Street	R. Detrosier
*20		515	Roebuck, J. A.	Barrister	Gray's Inn	Francis Place
3		595	Rogers, George	Tobacconist	High Street, St. Giles	Thomas Murphy
2		609	Revell, Henry	Gentleman	Burton Crescent	Thomas Murphy
*29		430	Rutt, J. T.	No profession	Newington Green	Rowland Detrosier
†36		303	Savage, John	Draper	Crawford Street	Thomas Potter
*12		554	Smith, C. F.	Draper	Stones' End, Borough	H. Revell
4		594	Saull, W. D.	Wine merchant	Aldersgate Street	Henry Revell
*	37	302	Templeman, John	Bookseller	18, Percy Street, Tottenham Court Road	J. Whitford
*21		508	Thomas, E. Cartwright	Surgeon	49, Old Broad Street	H. B. Churchill
*15		536	Taylor, John	Merchant	4, Christopher Street, Finsbury	R. Detrosier
*10		567	Wakefield, Daniel	Student at law	Gray's Inn	Henry Revel [sic.]
†27		476	Wakley, Thomas	Surgeon	Greenford, Middlesex	George Rogers

N.B. Members must strike out the names of those they do not intend to vote for. No more than 36 names must be left on each of the above lists: it may contain any smaller number.

[In the Place Collection, set 17, vol. 2, there are two balloting lists, annotated in Place's writing, 'List made by one and agreed to by several in the hope of excluding the dishonest men who would destroy the Union—viz Augero, Grady, Lovett, Cleave, Dias Santos, Fall, Hunt.' and 'Rotunda list made by Dias Santos, Grady and Fall'. In the above list those whose names were struck off the list by the Rotunda men are marked *, and those whose names were struck off by Place and his friends were marked †. Those unmarked were, presumably, acceptable to both groups. Columns A and B, respectively, show the positions, according to votes received, of those elected and those not elected.]

35. [Add. Ms. 27791, f. 147]

Balloting for the Council in the way it was done was under the circumstances of the case the best mode of election that could be devised. It was however a very defective mode, every member was required to select seventy two other members, to whom he would be willing if not as he ought to have been desirous to chuse to manage for him, this was absurd, not one man in the whole union could pick out seventy two such men, no man in the union could have the knowledge of seventy two men each of whom was at all qualified for the office he was to fill. The consequences were that many voted simply on the direction of others, those others themselves chusing by far the greater part of the persons to be voted for at random. Many voted only for a small number, and some confined themselves to the very few with whom they were acquainted. A very large number did not vote at all, because there were not more than from one to perhaps two with whom they were sufficiently acquainted to be able to decide as to their fitness. To be complete each member should have had but one vote for one candidate only. As it was, it was a good lesson to a large number of persons, in as much as it shewed them with what ease, certainty and precision and in how short a time the secret suffrages of a very large number of persons could be taken.