Social reformer. Thomas Standfield was an English agricultural worker and trade union organizer. He was also a Methodist. Thomas was born on November 11, 1789 to John and Thomasina (Gould) Loveless in Tolpuddle, Dorset, England. He married Dinniah (Diana, Dianna) Loveless on September 29, 1812. Together they had seven children: John Herbert, Thomas, Elizabeth, Susanna, Charity, Ann and William Robert.
Thomas Standfield together with five other men (George Loveless, James Loveless, John Standfield – Thomas's son, James Brine and James Hammett) formed an alliance of farm workers in 1933 to attempt to improve working conditions and wages. They called themselves the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. This is now recognized as the world's first trade union.
The men were arrested on February 24, 1834 and marched to Dorchester on charges of being present at an initiation ceremony where illegal oaths were administered during a meeting of the Friendly Society. They were tried on March 17, 1834 where they were found guilty and sentenced to seven years of convict labour in Australia. They set said on April 11, 1834 and after four months arrived in Sydney.
Petitions and demonstrations were organized, including a mass gathering at Copenhagen Fields, where thousands of protesters marched peacefully across London to Whitehall. Under this pressure, the home secretary, Lord John Russell, granted the men conditional pardons in June 1835, followed by full pardons in March 1836. News of the pardons reached Sydney at the end of August 1836. It took some time for the men to be made aware of their freedom, and so it was some time before they all arrived back in England. Thomas Standfield left Sydney in September 1837 with his son John, James Loveless and James Brine. It took them until March 1838 to arrive back in England, two full years after receiving their pardons. They were given an hero's reception.
Upon their return, the Dorchester Committee raised enough money to obtain leaseholds on two farms in Essex, at Tilegate Green and Greensted where the families moved in August 1838. In 1839, Thomas and Dinniah's daughter Elizabeth married James Brine, another Martyr. After a few years in Essex, the Martyrs began emigrating to Ontario, Canada (all but John Hammett). The Standfield's emigrated in 1846, settling in London Township. In their new lives in Canada the men were determined to make a fresh start, and the story of their transportation remained a secret which they kept even from their younger children.
Thomas spent his later years living with his daughter, Elizabeth. He died in Siloam, Ontario on February 19, 1864. Dinniah died the following year. Their graves are next to George and Betsy Loveless in Siloam cemetery.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs are considered to be icons of the trade union movement; a festival is organized annually in their honour by the Trades Union Congress at the Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, England.
Thomas Standfield together with five other men (George Loveless, James Loveless, John Standfield – Thomas's son, James Brine and James Hammett) formed an alliance of farm workers in 1933 to attempt to improve working conditions and wages. They called themselves the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. This is now recognized as the world's first trade union.
The men were arrested on February 24, 1834 and marched to Dorchester on charges of being present at an initiation ceremony where illegal oaths were administered during a meeting of the Friendly Society. They were tried on March 17, 1834 where they were found guilty and sentenced to seven years of convict labour in Australia. They set said on April 11, 1834 and after four months arrived in Sydney.
Petitions and demonstrations were organized, including a mass gathering at Copenhagen Fields, where thousands of protesters marched peacefully across London to Whitehall. Under this pressure, the home secretary, Lord John Russell, granted the men conditional pardons in June 1835, followed by full pardons in March 1836. News of the pardons reached Sydney at the end of August 1836. It took some time for the men to be made aware of their freedom, and so it was some time before they all arrived back in England. Thomas Standfield left Sydney in September 1837 with his son John, James Loveless and James Brine. It took them until March 1838 to arrive back in England, two full years after receiving their pardons. They were given an hero's reception.
Upon their return, the Dorchester Committee raised enough money to obtain leaseholds on two farms in Essex, at Tilegate Green and Greensted where the families moved in August 1838. In 1839, Thomas and Dinniah's daughter Elizabeth married James Brine, another Martyr. After a few years in Essex, the Martyrs began emigrating to Ontario, Canada (all but John Hammett). The Standfield's emigrated in 1846, settling in London Township. In their new lives in Canada the men were determined to make a fresh start, and the story of their transportation remained a secret which they kept even from their younger children.
Thomas spent his later years living with his daughter, Elizabeth. He died in Siloam, Ontario on February 19, 1864. Dinniah died the following year. Their graves are next to George and Betsy Loveless in Siloam cemetery.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs are considered to be icons of the trade union movement; a festival is organized annually in their honour by the Trades Union Congress at the Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, England.
Social reformer. Thomas Standfield was an English agricultural worker and trade union organizer. He was also a Methodist. Thomas was born on November 11, 1789 to John and Thomasina (Gould) Loveless in Tolpuddle, Dorset, England. He married Dinniah (Diana, Dianna) Loveless on September 29, 1812. Together they had seven children: John Herbert, Thomas, Elizabeth, Susanna, Charity, Ann and William Robert.
Thomas Standfield together with five other men (George Loveless, James Loveless, John Standfield – Thomas's son, James Brine and James Hammett) formed an alliance of farm workers in 1933 to attempt to improve working conditions and wages. They called themselves the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. This is now recognized as the world's first trade union.
The men were arrested on February 24, 1834 and marched to Dorchester on charges of being present at an initiation ceremony where illegal oaths were administered during a meeting of the Friendly Society. They were tried on March 17, 1834 where they were found guilty and sentenced to seven years of convict labour in Australia. They set said on April 11, 1834 and after four months arrived in Sydney.
Petitions and demonstrations were organized, including a mass gathering at Copenhagen Fields, where thousands of protesters marched peacefully across London to Whitehall. Under this pressure, the home secretary, Lord John Russell, granted the men conditional pardons in June 1835, followed by full pardons in March 1836. News of the pardons reached Sydney at the end of August 1836. It took some time for the men to be made aware of their freedom, and so it was some time before they all arrived back in England. Thomas Standfield left Sydney in September 1837 with his son John, James Loveless and James Brine. It took them until March 1838 to arrive back in England, two full years after receiving their pardons. They were given an hero's reception.
Upon their return, the Dorchester Committee raised enough money to obtain leaseholds on two farms in Essex, at Tilegate Green and Greensted where the families moved in August 1838. In 1839, Thomas and Dinniah's daughter Elizabeth married James Brine, another Martyr. After a few years in Essex, the Martyrs began emigrating to Ontario, Canada (all but John Hammett). The Standfield's emigrated in 1846, settling in London Township. In their new lives in Canada the men were determined to make a fresh start, and the story of their transportation remained a secret which they kept even from their younger children.
Thomas spent his later years living with his daughter, Elizabeth. He died in Siloam, Ontario on February 19, 1864. Dinniah died the following year. Their graves are next to George and Betsy Loveless in Siloam cemetery.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs are considered to be icons of the trade union movement; a festival is organized annually in their honour by the Trades Union Congress at the Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, England.
Thomas Standfield together with five other men (George Loveless, James Loveless, John Standfield – Thomas's son, James Brine and James Hammett) formed an alliance of farm workers in 1933 to attempt to improve working conditions and wages. They called themselves the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers. This is now recognized as the world's first trade union.
The men were arrested on February 24, 1834 and marched to Dorchester on charges of being present at an initiation ceremony where illegal oaths were administered during a meeting of the Friendly Society. They were tried on March 17, 1834 where they were found guilty and sentenced to seven years of convict labour in Australia. They set said on April 11, 1834 and after four months arrived in Sydney.
Petitions and demonstrations were organized, including a mass gathering at Copenhagen Fields, where thousands of protesters marched peacefully across London to Whitehall. Under this pressure, the home secretary, Lord John Russell, granted the men conditional pardons in June 1835, followed by full pardons in March 1836. News of the pardons reached Sydney at the end of August 1836. It took some time for the men to be made aware of their freedom, and so it was some time before they all arrived back in England. Thomas Standfield left Sydney in September 1837 with his son John, James Loveless and James Brine. It took them until March 1838 to arrive back in England, two full years after receiving their pardons. They were given an hero's reception.
Upon their return, the Dorchester Committee raised enough money to obtain leaseholds on two farms in Essex, at Tilegate Green and Greensted where the families moved in August 1838. In 1839, Thomas and Dinniah's daughter Elizabeth married James Brine, another Martyr. After a few years in Essex, the Martyrs began emigrating to Ontario, Canada (all but John Hammett). The Standfield's emigrated in 1846, settling in London Township. In their new lives in Canada the men were determined to make a fresh start, and the story of their transportation remained a secret which they kept even from their younger children.
Thomas spent his later years living with his daughter, Elizabeth. He died in Siloam, Ontario on February 19, 1864. Dinniah died the following year. Their graves are next to George and Betsy Loveless in Siloam cemetery.
The Tolpuddle Martyrs are considered to be icons of the trade union movement; a festival is organized annually in their honour by the Trades Union Congress at the Martyrs Museum in Tolpuddle, England.
Bio by: Sheilia W.
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