For Freedom Live or Die

Dr. Judy Cox is a retired teacher living in Haworth. She was awarded a PhD in women and the Chartist movement by Leeds University. She is the author of The Women’s Revolution: Russia 1905-1917 (Haymarket, 2019) and Rebellious Daughters of History (Redwords, 2020), and William Blake: Scourge of Tyrants (Redwords, 2023).

Women made a huge contribution to the Chartist movement. They petitioned, joined the National Charter Association and set up their own societies. They defied conventional views of appropriate female behaviour to give lectures, go on strike and lead riots. Chartism depended on women to create its mass base in working class families and communities.

Chartist women became national celebrities, both reviled and satirised and applauded as examples to other women. They established a bold, audacious and, at times, mischievous presence in both the chartist and mainstream press. The women of West Yorkshire embraced the 1842 strike movement as a way of redressing their grievances and winning the Charter. Their struggles for an end to poverty, for equality and dignity still resonate. Come and here their stories.

Jennifer Reid -Ballad Singer and Researcher. She is a performer of nineteenth century Lancashire dialect and Victorian broadside ballads. Jennifer plays the character of Barb in Shane Meadows’ period drama 'The Gallows Pole.' She has recently supported Pulp, Eliza Carthy and John Cooper Clarke.

After volunteering at Chetham's Library and the Working Class Movement Library, Jennifer completed an Advanced Diploma in Local History at Oxford University. Jennifer researches nineteenth century music to educate students from primary school to university level, perform the songs and stories live, develop talks, seminars and traditional craft workshops for history and community groups and contribute academically to the field with funded research and artistic projects.

Jennifer will be presenting and singing nineteenth century broadside ballads and songs that relate to the Chartist Movement and the wider living conditions of the working class. "Folk music has lost its way, and people have lost track of their geographical heritage. The working classes made music as a provocation and this is a tradition Jennifer continues."

Dan Whittall lives and teaches in Halifax. He is President of Calderdale NEU and Chair of Calderdale TUC, and has written about the Great Strike of 1842 for Tribune, the Morning Star and other publications. Dan will provide an overview of protest in Calderdale District in the nineteenth century including The Great Strike of 1842 and local Chartist history illustrated by stories of those Calderdale residents who engaged in protest..