A remarkable man: Robert Owen Museum, Newtown, Powys

A remarkable man

Robert Owen Museum, Newtown, Powys 

Robert Owen (1771- 1858) was born and died in the small market town of Newton, Powys. Local people have done Owen, described as the first socialist, proud by maintaining a well resourced museum since 1929. From all parts of the globe there are visitors, whose written comments indicate they’ve been glad to make the special effort to discover more about this amazing character.

“ I had heard of Robert Owen, but I didn’t realise his link with Thomas Paine and the other socialists of his time. He was obviously a brilliant man, who improved mankind's lot.”  Alan Watkins, Lincolnshire. 25.09.18 

Stamford, Lincolnshire was where Owen travelled when aged ten to become a draper’s apprentice before moving to Manchester, the heart of the industrial revolution. At 21 he was managing a large mill of 500 workers. The poverty and terrible working conditions, especially for very young children, he witnessed across the cotton trade caused Robert to consider developing radical alternatives to a capitalist system that failed most people. 

Owen and his partners purchased New Lanark Mills and its workers’ village in 1799. New schools, including the first ever infants’ one, were built, adult evening classes introduced and a healthy environment was promoted by opening shops selling good affordable food. 

Owen wanted to demonstrate a way to end the degradation of the working class. But as he pushed for improvements by promoting a Factories Bill to raise the minimum employment age to 10, introduce half-time education up to the age of 12 and create a system of factory inspection, he was left frustrated when it was severely watered down by MPs, many of whom were owners of dark satanic mills’ themselves. 

In 1824, Owen sold some of his Scottish holdings. Seeking to expand his social experiments when he moved to New Harmony, Indiana. He returned to Britain in 1828 but his four sons and daughter remained there and subsequently played important political roles with Congressman Robert Dale Owen openly calling on Abraham Lincoln to abolish slavery. 

Owen sought to take his co-operative vision to a wider audience by publishing pamphlets, writing to newspapers and speaking publicly.  The museum, organised chronologically, shows how he was key to the development in 1834 of The Grand National Consolidated Trades Union. A famous print of the massive workers’ protest in London against the transportation of the Tolpuddle Martyrs shows him leading it on horseback. 

Owen died in 1858. By then the Rochdale Pioneers, inspired by his ideas, had opened the first successful co-op store. 

In 1879 a Robert Owen monument was unveiled in Kensal Green. There are also statutes of him in Newtown and outside the Co-operative Bank’s Headquarters in Manchester. 

The Robert Owen Museum, just yards from his birthplace, helps explain the life of this remarkable man by skilfully combining many drawings, illustrations, photographs, books, a video, paintings, sculptures, everyday family objects and explanatory display boards. 

The Museum is free to visit and is an independent charity run entirely by volunteers, who should be congratulated for their efforts.   

Open 11am to 3pm, Monday to Friday. 

http://robert-owen-museum.org.uk

Ban on pheasant shooting on public land in Wales came into effect in March 2019

Ban on pheasant shooting on public land in Wales came into effect in March 

Pheasant shooting on the Welsh Government Woodland Estate (WGWE) ended on 1 March 2019. The decision not to renew leases for three pheasant shoots on four woodland areas was taken in September 2018 by Natural Resource Wales (NRW), the public body responsible for managing Welsh public land. It came after a letter from the Labour-led Welsh Government to NRW backed the results of a public consultation that revealed that the vast majority of Welsh people favoured a ban.

Animal Aid (AA) is one of the UK’s longest established and largest animal rights groups. AA investigations in 2015, which pushed NRW to consult the public on whether to allow shooting on its land, and in 2017 were undertaken to find out if gamebird shoots on NRW land adhered to the 2006 Animal Welfare Act Code of Practice. The investigations revealed numerous breaches of the code. In 2017, 35-40 dead pheasant poults were found in a release enclosure at Cwn Gwnen. Four other birds had died after becoming stuck between two sections of wire. 

AA concluded: “NRW can’t ensure that shoots operating on its land adhere to the Code of Practice.” With other AA investigations at private game farms having revealed that pheasants were, contrary to the law, being held in barren cages, the animal rights group contended that NRW was also unable to ensure that birds brought in by shoots from game farms adhered to the code.

The NRW review received 4,700 responses from the public and 76% of those wanted a ban on shooting birds on its land.

When the NRW board, which includes members of pro-shooter organisations, met in July 2018 it had before it a letter from the Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn, the Welsh Labour Assembly member for Delyn. 

Blythyn stated “we need to take account of public views in considering what happens on the Welsh government estate…given the wider policy issues and concerns, the Welsh Government does not support commercial pheasant shooting, or the breeding of gamebirds or the birds being held in hiding pens on the estate prior to release on the WGWE.” 

Nevertheless, the NRW board, who are appointed by Welsh Government Ministers, decided not to introduce a ban. Pressure from bodies such as the Countryside Alliance and the British Association for Shooting and Conservation to maintain the status quo included unproven claims that shooting birds is worth £75 million to the Welsh economy and supports the equivalent of 2,400 full-time jobs. 

A NRW paper itself had made reference to a report by the operators of Bettws Hall Sporting Estates in Montgomeryshire that they employed 7 full time staff and 23 part-time staff and contributed £500,000 to the local economy. However, when the report authors were asked about how many staff were solely dedicated to shoots on NRW land it was clear no information was available.

On 20 September 2018 the NRW board finally agreed to stop shooting on its land. 

“Good for the Welsh Government for having stepped in to ensure that animal cruelty has no place on public land….NRW now has the opportunity to use that land for positive, educational, conservation and leisure activities that are inclusive and that are kind to animals and to the environment. We hope that NRW will become a role model to other public bodies that also want to bring about an end to the shooting of birds,” said Fiona Pereira, Campaign manager at Animal Aid. 

Pereira pointed out that 50 million pheasants and partridges are purpose-bred — many on huge factory farms — for the shooting industry annually. Participants on some shoots are charged in excess of £2000 each for the ‘pleasure’ of slaughtering these defenceless birds. 

A bad tick for bosses: Forestry worker Jim Newall got help from Unite after tick bite left him too ill to work

A bad tick for bosses

Forestry worker Jim Newall got help from Unite after tick bite left him too ill to work 

Jim Newall, a long serving Forestry Commission (FC) employee who was recently forced to retire on ill health grounds has thanked Unite for “its excellent legal and emotional support” on a successful personal injury claim against his employer. 

Jim, 61, loves the outdoors. He began work for the Scottish FC over four decades ago. He was a wildlife ranger before becoming a communities and recreation ranger.  “I really enjoyed the job. I worked with schoolchildren around preventing forest fires and on rural skills projects that were ideal for young people who were not academically inclined but really liked working on the land. 

“I worked with community groups composed of retired people who cleared paths, dug ditches, enjoyed working together and kept themselves fit as a result of the work they undertook amongst some beautiful countryside areas.”

Born and bred in the small village of Patna in East Ayrshire, he intended working until aged 66. But in 2014, whilst working in Galloway Forest he developed a red rash around where he was bitten on his leg by a tick. “The FC has leaflets telling us what to do and I followed the instructions. My doctor gave me some creams and they made no impact. 

“Initially my GP did not know what was wrong with me as most tick bites are harmless. I was off work for many weeks because I was just too tired to work. Blood tests confirmed I had Lyme Disease, which is caused in humans if the tick has already bitten an infected animal.”

Despite his illness, Jim returned to work on reduced hours. It made no difference as he was needing to sleep continuously. The FC sent Jim for specialist advice but that proved to be of limited help.  

Patna, built in 1802 to house local miners, has a trade union history. “My dad, James, was very active in the miners’ union. I joined the TGWU when I started work at the FC. A union is the only voice you have as a worker. I have never been a union rep but I am a passionate trade unionist.

“When I reluctantly realised that I was going have to finish working I contacted my union rep Neil Grieve. With 24 hours I was speaking to Thompsons solicitors. A personal injury claim was submitted. It was due to go to court but the FC made an offer and I was more than happy to settle. I received all the compensation I was awarded. I know from reading about how personal injury solicitors work that would not have been so if I had been forced to take up the case privately. Unite was also great in assisting me in negotiating early retirement. I can’t thank the union enough.”

Jim is also buoyed as he has heard that the FC is intent on strengthening its safeguards against its employees being bitten and is supplying Permethrin-treated clothing in areas where there is an increasing likelihood of ticks.  “Hopefully it will reduce the chances of other FC employees suffering my fate.” 

Leeds trees felled - they posed a risk to autistic child with pica

Leeds trees felled 

They posed a risk to autistic child with pica 

Big Issue North, 1-7 July 2019  

Leeds City Council may have become the first local authority to cut down trees after parents of autistic youngsters with Pica, an eating disorder, complained that they presented serious health risks to their children. 

The decision was made after lobbying by the Access Committee for Leeds (ACL) charity, which has previously assisted many parents of autistic children to obtain local authority disabled facility grants for housing adaptations. This has helped children to live at home, rather than in an institution. 

Pica involves eating items not thought of as food. People with development disabilities like autism are most affected by it. Children will drink muddy water and eat grass and falling leaves. 

Paula’s son Tom*, aged 11, has autism, severe learning disabilities and epilepsy, and was diagnosed with severe Pica at the age of two. They live in a heavily adapted home on a Leeds estate. 

“The problem starts when leaves fall in the garden as he will eat them and the grass, becoming so unwell he requires hospital treatment,” said Paula. “Stopping this means keeping Tom imprisoned as we can’t allow him in the specially enclosed garden unless we are constantly with him. And even if we are there he is so quick at running around he can eat the leaves and the grass unless we struggle with him and that upsets everyone.” 

The parent of another child with Pica said: “The last time I attempted to hang out washing with our son in the garden he ate mushrooms in a damp area under a large oak tree and we had to take him to A&E.” 

ACL volunteers successfully petitioned Leeds City Council that cutting down trees would be a safeguarding issue for Tom, and the council replaced the lawn with artificial grass and cut down sycamore, ash and elm trees that were overhanging Paula’s garden. 

“Similar actions should take now place elsewhere,” said ACL’s Tim McSharry, adding: “We believe this is the first case of its kind. We are extremely grateful to Leeds City Council and James Rogers, director of communities and environment, for understanding our concerns and for finding an effective resolution. 

“The needs highlighted by this case are not limited to Leeds and we believe there is an absolute priority for government to examine such cases and review how adequate resources can be made available to support families in a similar situation caring for a child with Pica.” 

But cutting down trees is controversial. One neighbour of Paula’s complained her house would be more vulnerable to antisocial behaviour as a result of losing the trees. Another felling over a week later in another Leeds ward also drew complaints from some residents. 

“I don’t like trees being cut down but our son can now use it without needing constant supervision,” said Paula. 

Asked about the basis for cutting down trees and how it intended to balance the concerns of Pica parents with those of local residents and environmental obligations, a Leeds City Council spokesman said it was first necessary to check if any trees were in a conservation area, adding: “Whilst the council will protect and preserve healthy trees where we can, we will always work with residents who may have specific concerns on a case by case basis in an effort to balance their needs with those of the local environment.” 

* Name has been changed 

How rural workers' revolts made trade union heroes - like Arch

How rural workers’ revolts made trade union heroes - like Arch

‘Kill all the Gentlemen’ Class struggle and change in the English countryside 

Martin Empson 

£14.99 

This February 12 marked the hundredth anniversary of the death of Joseph Arch. So it is great that he features prominently in this fascinating account of the historic class struggles waged over many centuries across the English countryside. 

The 1381 Peasants’ Revolt had numerous causes. It was triggered by the ruling class attempting to pay for an expensive war in France by collecting unpaid poll taxes. 

An increasingly impoverished peasantry rallied in their thousands to John Ball, Jack Straw and Wat Tyler’s call to arms. The uprising was unsuccessful. The subsequent royal suppression left thousands slaughtered. New laws were introduced to try and prevent similar future revolts. 

The ongoing desire by agricultural labourers for radical change could though not be stilled forever. Empson examines Jack Cade’s 1450 revolt, Kett’s Rebellion in 1549 and ongoing struggles against enclosures that deprived the poor of common land on which to fatten their  livestock.

The 1830 Captain Swing movement destroyed the threshing machines that were sweeping away agricultural workers jobs. Attempts at unionisation were crushed in 1834 when six landless labourers at Tolpuddle were caught trying to organise a union and transported.

By 1872 discontent at poverty wage levels was rife amongst agricultural labourers. In Joseph Arch there was a man whose oratory and organising skills could, at last, create an organisation that embodied the hopes of the unorganised, rural poor. It helped that Arch owned his own cottage and was almost guaranteed work as he was a very skilled hedgecutter. 

In 1872 Arch was approached by a group of men looking to form a farm workers' union. He agreed to help. On 7 February 1872, 2,000 labourers gathered to hear him in the village of Wellsbourne, Warwickshire. Similar events elsewhere drew massive crowds. On 29 May 1872, the National Agricultural Labourers’ Union was established. Arch was elected full-time President. 

By 1874 the union exceeded 86,000 members, over one-tenth of the farm work force. Wages everywhere were forced up before the farmers imposed a lockout of labourers and drove conditions back down. Some of the best union militants were forced to join the thousands who migrated overseas. 

The episode had though shown that trade unionism could be extended into the countryside. Arch later became the first agricultural labourer to be elected as a MP, serving as a Liberal between 1885 and 1900. 

To buy a copy:- https://bookmarksbookshop.co.uk/view/46096/%2527Kill+all+the+Gentlemen%2527+Class+struggle+and+change+in+the+English+countryside

Lunch time Save the NHS rally draws 25 people - the first such event planned to defend public services in Calderdale

Councillor and former NHS employee Stephanie Clarke spoke of how
privatisation had been disastrous for the NHS and needed reversing 

Former doctor and local councillor Colin Hutchinson gave a very interesting speech
packed with personal and political anecdotes 

John Dunn, former rebel Clay Cross Councillor and miner, gave a
typical passionate defence of socialist ideals and ambitions 

Nicola of the Hands Off
Huddersfield Royal Infirmary spoke of
how the treatment she had received at the hospital
had helped keep her alive and how she was determined to Keep the
NHS Public. 

Good turnout for unveiling of Edward McHugh headstone

75 people turned out on 29 June 2019 

Pat Hackett, Birkenhead Council leader and leader of the Labour Group spoke well 

MP Dan Carden was amongst the speakers 

Sheila Coleman, great woman 

Andrew Newby, author of a biography on Edward McHugh, had travelled specially from
Helsinki and outlined the great Irishman's many achievements 

Luke Agnew, with Mick Whitley, who chaired the event next to him, explains his delight in seeing the headstone
up in the Memorial Gardens where he works. 

The headstone came about after a talk by Mark Metcalf to a course of Unite stewards at Jack Jones House in
Liverpool. Luke Agnew was on the course and when he mentioned McHugh's unmarked grave it
was agreed to get a group together to raise funds for a suitable headstone. The result is as above, well done to Luke.