George Loveless - The Tolpuddle Martyrs' Museum, Dorchester Road, Tolpuddle, Dorset, UK
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Dragontree
N 50° 45.009 W 002° 18.061
30U E 549310 N 5622274
This statue depicts George Loveless, one of the six Tolpuddle Martyrs.
Waymark Code: WM9VME
Location: South West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/01/2010
Views: 7
Thompson Dagnall created this statue and calls it the 'Tolpuddle Six'. George Loveless sits in the middle gazing up at the sky in despair. George was the leader of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and was tried in 1834 when on the brink of starvation he and the others formed the first 'union' to ask for better pay and conditions. The trial saw the Martyrs transported to Australia for enforced labour.
The information board next to the statue invites you to sit next to George to reflect on their heroism.
The sculptor Thompson Dagnall was born in Liverpool and the Public and Commercial Services Union funded the sculpture. The back supports are carved by the students from Weymouth College.
The museum website elaborates further:
'In 2000 the TUC organised a competition to design a new sculpture at Tolpuddle. It was won by Thompson Dagnall from Liverpool.
His design marks the time when George Loveless is in Dorchester Prison but is so ill his warders fear for his life if he is transported. So he is held behind for a few weeks to recover whilst his five fellow Martyrs are put aboard the hulks before being shipped to Australia.
The sculpture, made from Portland stone, is designed for visitors to sit alongside George.
On the back of the six seats are words from the trial at which George Loveless said: “We will, we will, we will be free.”'
Visit Instructions:
You must have visited the site in person, not online.