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The Chartists
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Contacts :-
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Pages were last updated 3rd January 2012 Laurence, Wynford & Geri have re-worked the original material into a new arrangement and have recorded the songs in their new format. The album "The Chartists Rise Again" is on sale at gigs only at the present time. A new website is being developed for The Chartists and they are now joined by Andrew Eddy on bass guitar for live performances. Further information to follow....
Welcome to the Chartists Folk Rock Band's web site! (And the web pages of The Platform Folk Club - as was!) The “Chartists” were 19th century Britain's first mass movement
for parliamentary democracy. United behind their six-point charter, they made three concerted
efforts in 1839, 1842 and 1848 to get the
Charter enacted. After their first National Convention in 1839 and the Government's
refusal to meet their demands there were murmurings
of a national uprising. However, the only rebellious act
occurred in Monmouthshire when in early November 1839 five
thousand colliers in three columns marched on Newport. In the disturbance
that followed fourteen marchers lay dead and
the three leaders Frost, Williams and Jones were transported.
One hundred and forty years later
Wynford Jones had the
idea to tell their story in words and song. Together with fellow musicians of Islwyn Folk Club he worked on the project through
the summer and early autumn of 1979. The finished work,
which met with immediate acclaim, was premiered at the
club on November 2nd. Since the premiere, "The Chartists" has been well received
whether performed at folk clubs, festivals or in schools. The
production has been broadcast in its entirety, on both C.B.C. (the Cardiff Independent station, later known as Red Dragon FM) and by B.B.C. Radio Wales/ Radio
Cymru. In 1981 the production was seen at the Cardiff, Chepstow
and Pontardawe Festivals.
The Chartists' last live gig was August 1990. I thought it would make an interesting project to see what I could put together about the band's ten year history whilst learning to build a website. Come and visit from time to time to see what new photos or information have come to light. I'll try and add stuff regularly, and maybe a few links to other sites with a band connection. Thanks for your interest Laurence Eddy Check out http://www.myspace.com/Chartists1 for further information on the old band.
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