On the 14th of August 1848 a band of Chartists, armed with guns , pistols, swords and pikes marched through Hyde at midnight, determined to effect a stoppage of the mills for a month by drawing the plugs from the boilers, thus bringing the machinery of the owners to a standstill.
Chartism was a working-class movement for political reform in the United Kingdom between 1838 to 1857. It took its name from the People’s Charter of 1838 which proposed reforms that would give working men a say in lawmaking: they would be able to vote, their vote would be protected by a secret ballot, and they would be able to stand for election to the House of Commons as a result of the removal of property qualifications and the introduction of payment for Members of Parliament.
“Pulling the plug, Ringing the change’ is a sculpture that recognizes the important part the people of Hyde played in the reform of parliament, and their struggle to improve the working conditions of men, women and children.
The sculpture sits outside Hyde Town Hall. It consists of images in bronze of two children running triumphantly, one holding aloft a ‘plug’ the other ringing a bell. A torn banner inscribed with the slogan ‘Pulling the Plug, Ringing the Change’ is draped between the figure.
A cast aluminum base accommodates the interpretive designs including the six point ‘Declaration of the Chartists of Hyde’. The panels that fit into the rebated sections are of six contemporary children of Hyde photographed by Guy Woodland and etched in zinc. The ages of each child, from six to fourteen represent the significant changes in law that protected the working conditions of children of that age.
Direct descendants of the Hyde chartists unveiled the sculpture in December 2002.
There are six panels on the back of the monument that do into great detail about the Chartists. There are two of them:
The 3rd of the rear panels (pictured here on the left) sets out the Six Point Charter:
1 A vote for every man 21 years of age, of sound mind and not undergoing punishment for a crime.
2 The Secret Ballot – to protect the elector in the exercise of his vote.
3 No Property Qualifications for Members of Parliament – thus enabling the constituencies to return the man of choice, be he rich or poor.
4 Payment of Members – thus enabling an honest tradesman, working man or other person, to serve a constituency when taken from his business to attend to the interest of the country.
5 Equal Constituencies – securing the same amount of representation for the same number of electors, instead of allowing smaller constituencies to swamp the votes for larger ones.
6 Annual Parliament – thus presenting the most effectual check to bribery and intimidation, since though a constituency might be bought once every seven years (even with the ballot), no purse could buy a constituency (under the system of universal suffrage). In each ensuing twelve-month period, and since, members, when elected yearly, would not be able to defy and betray their constituencies as now,
The petition was presented to Parliament in 1839, 1842 and 1848, and each time it was rejected. Eventually it did become law with the exception of the Annual Parliament.
The 6th of the rear panels (pictured here on the right) gives details of the Chartist Movement.
‘Chartism’ was so called because it was based around a ‘a charter of rights for all’, including the right to vote. Chartists believed that many of the evils of the day could be remedied if Parliament was further reformed and made truly representative of the people.
At a meeting, organised by Joseph Rayner Stephens, a crowd of 4,000 marched into Hyde via ‘Flowery Field’ armed with banners and firearms. Hyde was one of the first towns to build a public institute to the Chartist cause. The Working Men’s Institute was opened in 1838.
“Declaration of Hyde Chartists”
1 No division or distribution of a man’s property much less his life.
2 We want our rights as Englishmen.
3 We want a fair and equal representation in Parliament and a free vote in making laws.
4 We declare the present Property Parliament unfair.
5 We want no Poor Laws Amendments Act.
6 We want every man, rich or poor, to not only have a vote, but to be ably to stand as a candidate for any Borough or County.
