Merthyr Rising 1831

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The Merthyr Rising of 1831 was the violent climax to years of unrest among the working class of Merthyr Tydfil and the surrounding area.

Throughout the month of May 1831 the 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 towns and villages and by the end of the month the whole area was in rebellion, and for the first time in Britain the red flag of revolution was flown.

After storming the 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 the protesters marched to local mines and persuaded the men there to stop working and join their protest. In the meantime the government had ordered members of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 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 employers and magistrates were holding a meeting. When the workers heard about the meeting, they marched there to demanded 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 opened fire. When several members of the crowd had been killed, the protesters took control of the town. The 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.

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 on August 13, 1831.

[edit] Bibliography

• William, Gwyn A. (1971), 'The emergence of a working-class movement'. In A. J. Roderick (Ed.), Wales through the ages. Vol II: Modern Wales, pp. 140-146. Llandybïe: Christopher Davies (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-7154-0292-7.
• Williams, Gwyn A. (1988), The Merthyr Rising. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1014-1.