William Cuffay (1788-1870) lived a remarkable life, from tailor to Chartist organizer, he was eventually arrested and transported to Tasmania for his activism.
Although his Chartist efforts took place in the early Victorian era, I think Cuffay is nonetheless an interesting Regency man to highlight because of the shift towards industrialization that was occurring in England in the early 19th century. He was also in his mid forties during his first notable strike in 1834, suggesting that much of his frustrations related to tailor working conditions arose during the Regency hey-day.
Cuffay was born in Old Brompton. Short of stature, Cuffay would marry three times, move to London and become a reluctant leader of the Chartist movement. This included being a principle organizer, delegate, and eventually, martyr to the cause of working class male suffrage movement that took place in Britain between 1838-1857.
The main strategy of the Chartists were to use petitions and organized meetings to put political pressure on the House of Commons. Their main reform wish list included: a vote for every man 21+ not imprisoned; a secret ballot to protect the elector; abolition of property qualification for Members of Parliament; equal representation not based on population; and annual Parliamentary elections as a way to reduce bribery. These reforms were a phenomenal proposal for change; before 1832, just 10% of British males were eligible to vote (Avery, 2014). The Reform Act of 1832 saw only minor increases to who was eligible to vote, which after years of struggle (including the Peterloo Massacre) was a slap in the face to Chartists (Avery, 2014).
Extremely articulate, Cuffay was declared the leader of the Chartist movement (Blackness in Britain, 2016) after his initial reluctance, and eventually became known as the leader of a radical faction who believed they needed to display “physical force” to get their message across. Betrayed by a spy, he was arrested on the premise he was waging war against the government and Queen Victoria, and sentenced to 21 years penal transportation. He was pardoned three years later, but elected to stay in Tasmania, where he still worked as a tailor and was involved in local politics until his death.
The Reform Bill (1867) would finally see all male heads of household over 21 the ability to vote. Overall, the Chartists have been understood to be a critical element in the creation of the UK’s modern democracy.
Sources:
Avery, D. (2014). Chartism. https://www.bl.uk/romantics-and-victorians/articles/chartism
Blackness in Britain. (2016). United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis
Fryer, P. (1984). Staying Power: The History of Black People in Britain. United Kingdom: Pluto Press.
Hoyles, M. (2013). William Cuffay: The Life & Times of a Chartist Leader. United Kingdom: Hansib Publications.
