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| Manchester did not amuse Queen Victoria at all | Manchester did not amuse Queen Victoria at all |
| (7 months later) | |
| Manchester's Town hall, opened in 1877 and designed by Alfred Waterhouse in the then fashionable neo-Gothic style, is one of the jewels in the city's architectural crown, visited by thousands every year. | Manchester's Town hall, opened in 1877 and designed by Alfred Waterhouse in the then fashionable neo-Gothic style, is one of the jewels in the city's architectural crown, visited by thousands every year. |
| There is one notable exception to the list of visitors, however: Queen Victoria. | There is one notable exception to the list of visitors, however: Queen Victoria. |
| When asked to perform the opening ceremony, she refused. | When asked to perform the opening ceremony, she refused. |
| Whilst no reason was publicly stated, it was widely believed that this was because of the radical past of the Lord Mayor at the time, Coun Abel Heywood who was born in Prestwich in 1810 and began work in a warehouse aged just nine. When he was older he attended evening classes to improve his education and eventually went into business, running a reading room and selling books. | Whilst no reason was publicly stated, it was widely believed that this was because of the radical past of the Lord Mayor at the time, Coun Abel Heywood who was born in Prestwich in 1810 and began work in a warehouse aged just nine. When he was older he attended evening classes to improve his education and eventually went into business, running a reading room and selling books. |
| In 1832, the year of the Great Reform Act, he was sent to the New Bailey prison in Salford for four months for selling an unstamped newspaper, The Poor Man's Guardian, a weekly journal published by Thomas Hetherington from 1830 to 1835 with the resounding strapline 'Published in Defiance of the Law to try the power of Might against Right.' The government had imposed a stamp-duty on newspapers in 1819 in an attempt to price out of existence the vigorous radical press of the period, especially Cobbett's Weekly Register which exposed conditions in the countryside every bit as dire as in the new mill towns. | In 1832, the year of the Great Reform Act, he was sent to the New Bailey prison in Salford for four months for selling an unstamped newspaper, The Poor Man's Guardian, a weekly journal published by Thomas Hetherington from 1830 to 1835 with the resounding strapline 'Published in Defiance of the Law to try the power of Might against Right.' The government had imposed a stamp-duty on newspapers in 1819 in an attempt to price out of existence the vigorous radical press of the period, especially Cobbett's Weekly Register which exposed conditions in the countryside every bit as dire as in the new mill towns. |
| Heywood was an active Chartist, publishing the movement's literature from his bookselling business at 60 Oldham Street. He was fined again in 1834 and 1836. He was also elected as a Commissioner of the Police but that did not stop him being prosecuted yet again in 1840 for selling allegedly "blasphemous material". The book in question was C. J. Halam's Letters to the Clergy, mild indeed by the standards of today. | Heywood was an active Chartist, publishing the movement's literature from his bookselling business at 60 Oldham Street. He was fined again in 1834 and 1836. He was also elected as a Commissioner of the Police but that did not stop him being prosecuted yet again in 1840 for selling allegedly "blasphemous material". The book in question was C. J. Halam's Letters to the Clergy, mild indeed by the standards of today. |
| Heywood also stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1859 and 1865 as a Liberal in Manchester. In 1862 he became Lord Mayor for the first time, working hard to alleviate the distress caused by the Cotton Famine. He was Lord Mayor again from 1876 to 1877. | Heywood also stood unsuccessfully for Parliament in 1859 and 1865 as a Liberal in Manchester. In 1862 he became Lord Mayor for the first time, working hard to alleviate the distress caused by the Cotton Famine. He was Lord Mayor again from 1876 to 1877. |
| Queen Victoria's refusal excited a great deal of comment. W.E.Axon, for instance, published a pamphlet entitled The Mayor of Manchester and his Slanderers, refuting the rumours circulating in the city that Heywood had been prosecuted for selling obscene publications, rather than the unstamped press: | Queen Victoria's refusal excited a great deal of comment. W.E.Axon, for instance, published a pamphlet entitled The Mayor of Manchester and his Slanderers, refuting the rumours circulating in the city that Heywood had been prosecuted for selling obscene publications, rather than the unstamped press: |
| He need fear no scrutiny of the past, for his conduct has been that of a steady and consistent friend of progress and popular rights. He was not afraid of espousing the right when it was unpopular. He has suffered fine and imprisonment in defence of that liberty of speech which all now enjoy. If the Crown deliberately abstains from honouring the man who has made his way in the world by sheer force of character; the man who has not flinched to make heavy sacrifices for the causes he deems to be right; the man who has earned the respect of his fellow-citizens by his long labours on their behalf, then the discredit attaches itself not to the victim but to the Minister who allows himself to become the tool of party spite or personal malice. | He need fear no scrutiny of the past, for his conduct has been that of a steady and consistent friend of progress and popular rights. He was not afraid of espousing the right when it was unpopular. He has suffered fine and imprisonment in defence of that liberty of speech which all now enjoy. If the Crown deliberately abstains from honouring the man who has made his way in the world by sheer force of character; the man who has not flinched to make heavy sacrifices for the causes he deems to be right; the man who has earned the respect of his fellow-citizens by his long labours on their behalf, then the discredit attaches itself not to the victim but to the Minister who allows himself to become the tool of party spite or personal malice. |
Rejected by the Queen, the Corporation brightly asked Heywood to perform the opening ceremony instead. At a meeting in the new Town Hall, Robert Austin of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers proposed a procession of the trade societies to add to the proceedings. W.H.Wood of the Typographical Society, who was Secretary of the Manchester Trades Union Council, was appointed Secretary of the organising committee. | Rejected by the Queen, the Corporation brightly asked Heywood to perform the opening ceremony instead. At a meeting in the new Town Hall, Robert Austin of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers proposed a procession of the trade societies to add to the proceedings. W.H.Wood of the Typographical Society, who was Secretary of the Manchester Trades Union Council, was appointed Secretary of the organising committee. |
| In this era most people worked all day on Saturdays, so the committee placed advertisments in the press asking employers to give their workers time off to take part in the procession. | In this era most people worked all day on Saturdays, so the committee placed advertisments in the press asking employers to give their workers time off to take part in the procession. |
| On the day itself, 15 September, there were three assembly points – Piccadilly, Stevenson Square and Oldham Road. In all some 69 trade societies took part, with the procession stretching for over a mile and taking three hours to pass the Town Hall steps where Abel and his wife stood in modest glory. The Manchester Guardian reported: | On the day itself, 15 September, there were three assembly points – Piccadilly, Stevenson Square and Oldham Road. In all some 69 trade societies took part, with the procession stretching for over a mile and taking three hours to pass the Town Hall steps where Abel and his wife stood in modest glory. The Manchester Guardian reported: |
| The display of banners in Market Street and other parts of the route was tasteful if not profuse. Not a window from which a view of the procession could be had was without its occupants, and no available spot on the tops of the buildings commanding a sight of the display was not utilised. Albert Square was, of course, the centre of the demonstration, and a most animated picture was there presented. The members of the Corporation and the Corporation officials were privileged to bring their families to the Town Hall, the Mayor having set apart the windows for their use. The magnificent offices and warehouses on all sides of the square were picturesquely decorated and the windows thereof were alive with cheerful faces looking at the panorama below. | The display of banners in Market Street and other parts of the route was tasteful if not profuse. Not a window from which a view of the procession could be had was without its occupants, and no available spot on the tops of the buildings commanding a sight of the display was not utilised. Albert Square was, of course, the centre of the demonstration, and a most animated picture was there presented. The members of the Corporation and the Corporation officials were privileged to bring their families to the Town Hall, the Mayor having set apart the windows for their use. The magnificent offices and warehouses on all sides of the square were picturesquely decorated and the windows thereof were alive with cheerful faces looking at the panorama below. |
| More than 50,000 people were estimated to have taken part, with the largest contingent being from the Amalgamated Society Of Engineers, who numbered 3,000. The General Union of Carpenters carried a banner which proclaimed: | More than 50,000 people were estimated to have taken part, with the largest contingent being from the Amalgamated Society Of Engineers, who numbered 3,000. The General Union of Carpenters carried a banner which proclaimed: |
| Those who assert that politics will ruin trades unions have yet something to learn | Those who assert that politics will ruin trades unions have yet something to learn |
whilst the Tailors and Tailoresses carried a banner showing Adam and Eve wearing aprons made from fig leaves – the world's first clothes! The Manchester Tin Makers were led by a silk banner representing the arms of the trade followed by a mounted knight in armour. The chimney sweeps seem to have been mainly Irish, for they carried a banner with a picture of Daniel O'Connell which said 'Ireland remembers O'Connell'. The Union of Operative Bakers carried a 16lb loaf. There were also many local and military bands on the procession. | whilst the Tailors and Tailoresses carried a banner showing Adam and Eve wearing aprons made from fig leaves – the world's first clothes! The Manchester Tin Makers were led by a silk banner representing the arms of the trade followed by a mounted knight in armour. The chimney sweeps seem to have been mainly Irish, for they carried a banner with a picture of Daniel O'Connell which said 'Ireland remembers O'Connell'. The Union of Operative Bakers carried a 16lb loaf. There were also many local and military bands on the procession. |
| The clock bell of the Town Hall, Great Abel, is named after Heywood and weighs 8 tons. It is inscribed with the initials AH and the famous line from Alfred Lord Tennyson's In Memoriam AHH: | The clock bell of the Town Hall, Great Abel, is named after Heywood and weighs 8 tons. It is inscribed with the initials AH and the famous line from Alfred Lord Tennyson's In Memoriam AHH: |
| Ring out the false, ring in the true. | Ring out the false, ring in the true. |
| Michael Herbert is a Trustee of the Working Class Movement Library and leads walks exploring Manchester's radical history for Red Flag walks. He will lead a walk exploring Manchester's trade union history on Saturday 15 September, the anniversary of Abel Heywood's big day, meeting at the Manchester Mechanics Institute, Major Street, at 11am. The walks cost £6/5. Places can be reserved in advance by emailing; redflagwalks@gmail.com. | Michael Herbert is a Trustee of the Working Class Movement Library and leads walks exploring Manchester's radical history for Red Flag walks. He will lead a walk exploring Manchester's trade union history on Saturday 15 September, the anniversary of Abel Heywood's big day, meeting at the Manchester Mechanics Institute, Major Street, at 11am. The walks cost £6/5. Places can be reserved in advance by emailing; redflagwalks@gmail.com. |
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