The Immediate Sparks of the Merthyr Rising
Most, if not all, events have a series of complex causes behind them with some long terms ones that have been bubbling beneath the surface for months even years and short term ones in that cause an almost immediate effect. The careful balance of these two help to create the basis for many riots, protests and rebellions. The Merthyr Rising is no exception to that.
The more long term causes of the riots can be found here. There will be some overlap between these causes.
The Reform Bill Crisis of 1830-32
The Reform Bill crisis surrounds the events of the Merthyr Rising, quite literally with the rising occurring in May and June of 1831. As has already been discussed in the long term causes, the political system in Britain at this time was outdated and broken with the urbanisation that came with the Industrial Revolution increasing these problems. I will not be delving into the complexities of the Reform Bill Crisis as this could be a whole series of posts on its own.
Anyway, many middle class individuals resented the political system. They were often richer than the upper class elite and contributed greatly to the economy of Britain, yet they did not have the vote. As the work force became more urbanised they also became more politicised and wanted the system to be changed in their favour. These joint demands led to a form of alliance between the middling orders and the workers which put great pressure on the ruling elite. Many of those in the middling orders were capable of leading rebellion on a scale which was far too familiar to the British observing events across the channel. in 1830 France had another revolution with the fall of Charles X. This led to fears that the same could happen on British soil.
In March 1831 the new Whig government under Lord John Russel introduced the First Reform Bill. Its content was unsatisfactory to the working classes but it was a step in the right direction. While it managed to pass through its second reading at the House of Commons it failed at the committee stage. The failure lead to the government calling an election in April 1831. Parliament was dissolved for the campaigning period and the Whigs were returned to government. A Second Reform Bill was created in the summer of 1831 which also failed. It wasn’t until a third Bill was introduced the next year that the Great Reform Act was passed. But we have moved passed the time frame of the Merthyr Rising.
The failure of the First Reform Bill caused widespread discontent amongst radicals many of whom were operating in and around the Merthyr area. Their ranks extended across social boundaries with workers and iron masters alike supporting the need for reform. They were already disappointed when the realised workers would not get a look in and Merthyr was not going to have a MP. The ironmasters were supportive of these ideas, wanting a MP to stand for Merthyr, hoping that they could be the one to fill that space .But the failure of the Bill furthered their discontent. Merthyr was not alone in this. The Reform Crisis gripped the nation, many towns facing protests and riots throughout the period.
Above is John Josiah Guest, the Ironmaster at Dowlais Ironworks. He married into the English aristocracy. His wife, Lady Charlotte Guest, had a great impact on Welsh culture, taking upon herself to learn Welsh and translate the Mabinogion, a series of Welsh folklore stories, into English.
Below is William Crawshay II the Ironmaster at Cyfarthfa Ironworks. He was known as the ‘Iron King’ and was responsible for building Cyfarthfa Castle, a manor house replicating the revived Gothic Style. It overlooked his ironworks so that he was close enough in case he was needed and so that he would not miss a beat relating to his ironworks. You can read more about Crawshay and Cyfarthfa Castle (here).
23 May 1831
The depression of the iron industry caused economic hardship in Merthyr and many other iron dependent towns. Crawshay, the iron master at the Cyfathfa Ironworks tried his best to ensure production could continue and his workers received fair pay. He stockpiled the iron in order to sell when demand and prices increased. He was part of the more paternalistic employers who wanted to ensure that their workers were well provided for with good jobs to see them through the hard times.
However, this could not go on forever as the workers found out on 23 May. Crawshay sacked 84 of his puddlers in order to try and revive his ironworks. Theses were highly skilled, highly sought out workers. They were essential in the iron making process in order to ensure the iron was strong. Their practise was considered a kind of industry secret with even the iron masters unfamiliar with exactly how they workes. Due to this their jobs were not just well paid for their skilled labour but also their were considered to be relatively safe. A feeling of panic grew among the workers. Suddenly nobody's job seemed safe. It was thought that if Crawshay could afford to let off 84 of his puddlers then he could certainly afford to let off even more of his less skilled workers. Wages of those who remained were also cut.
30 May 1831
A mass meeting was organised to discuss reform at Twyn-y-waun near the Dowlais works. But reform was not their only concern. Rather some of the long term causes behind the Merthyr Rising were discussed.
The depression in the iron industry had led to workers received less pay or even being let off. Many other employers in the area were not as thoughtful of their workforce as Crawshay, letting off workers as soon as the tide began to turn. This was coupled with a rising cost of living. Prices of necessities and rent had gone up while their wages had gone down. This was the case for those paid with traditional money and those paid through the Truck System. Prices in the company shops had increased even though they were being paid less tokens for their work. This left many in a dire situation on both sides.
In the difficult times, shopkeepers often had little choice but to increase their prices in order to provide for themselves and their own families. When workers couldn’t pay items could be taken on tab to be paid for when they recieved their wages. However, debts were quickly built up with tabs the shopkeepers could no longer afford to keep open. Shopkeepers also faced the repercussion of the depression in the iron industry with their customers unable to pay. They pressed for debts to be paid for them, the Court of Requests stepping in to collect them. The Court of Requests was also discussed at the mass meeting. The Court of Request was set up in 1809 to ensure the payment of small debts. Bailiffs were given the power to seize goods worth the equivalent price of debts. This causes widespread resentment, so much so that even the Marquess of Bute spoke out against them.
Their final grievance, as previously stated, was Crawshay letting go of some of his workforce and reducing the pay of those who remained. This was something Crawshay had desperately tried to avoid leading to this being unfamiliar territory to those who worked at the Cyfathfa Ironworks. If jobs were no longer safe there, then they were not safe anywhere.
31 May 1831
The rising begins.
