William Cuffay

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William Cuffay (1788 - 1870) was a Chartist leader in early Victorian London.

1 Background
2 Chartist Organiser
3 Arrest & Transportation
4 External links

[edit] Background

Cuffay was the son of a British naval cook and former African slave, who settled in Kent. He worked as a tailor, but lost his job during a strike. Convinced that workers needed to be better organised and be properly represented in Parliament, in 1839 he and others formed the Metropolitan Tailor's Charter Association, to link tailors to the wider Chartist movement. By 1842 his organisational abilities led to his appointment to the National Charter Association, and then to its presidency.

[edit] Chartist Organiser

Cuffay was one of the organisers of the monster Chartist rally on Kennington Common 10th April 1848, but was dismayed by the timidity of other leaders who had rejected the idea that the rally should be a show of force. Cuffay's radical faction soon became involved in plans for a display of "physical force".

[edit] Arrest & Transportation

Betrayed by a government spy, Cuffay was arrested and accused of planning an armed uprising. Despite being defended by eminent barrister John Walter Huddleston, he was convicted of preparing acts of arson, intended as a signal for the rising. Sentenced to 21 years penal transportation, Cuffay spent the rest of his life in Tasmania.

Though he was pardoned three years after his conviction, Cuffay elected to stay in Tasmania, working as a tailor and involving himself in local politics.

His courtroom speech was recently an exhibit at the Museum of London.