Chartist Suffrage - Westgate Hotel - Newport, Gwent, Wales.
N 51° 35.267 W 002° 59.798
30U E 500233 N 5715191
Positioned outside the Westgate Hotel building, the sculptures commemorate the Chartist uprising of 1839, when twenty Chartists lost their lives, over the right to vote. Created by Christopher Kelly in 1991. Located in Newport, Gwent, Wales.
Waymark Code: WMFJQX
Location: South Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/27/2012
Views: 2
This listing features Union, Prudence, Energy a cluster of sculptures commemoring the chartist uprising of 1839. The sculptures are located at the scene of the violence, outside the Westgate Hotel, Westgate Square.
"The sculpture illustrates the desire for political change, and how the desire motivated the Chartist movement. The groups take their title from the motto of the Chartist convention 'Union, Prudence, Energy'. Union (The Ideal City) - the figures carry a model of Newport surrounded by dancing children, the group refers to the physical appearance of Newport. "The children dance through the space underneath the model, which is a reminder of the many tunnels and fly-overs that weave their way in, around, under and through the land on which Newport is built". Prudence (Still Life) - These two figures are representative of the arts, commerce and industry which have played an important part in the fortunes of Newport both in the past and present. Energy (Apotheosis) - Consists of three recumbent figures arranged in strata like the soil, they lie seemingly crushed but they form the foundation from which the spirit of Chartism, represented by the flying figures, sprang. The sculpture was commissioned by Newport Borough Council with assistance from the Welsh Arts Council to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the uprising in 1839.The work is located on the site the riots. Discontent with working conditions led to the Peoples Charter published in May 1838 by the London Working Men's Association. It contained six demands calling for parliamentary reform. Chartists gathered for a march into Newport in November 1839 led by John Frost, Zephaniah Williams and William Jones. The Chartists assembled outside the Westgate Hotel and culminated in a riot. The leaders were arrested and sentenced to exile. In 1854, the three leaders, Frost, Williams and Jones were unconditionally pardoned." Text Source: (
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"The Chartist Sculptures were created by Christopher Kelly and erected in 1991 to commemorate the Chartist uprising of 1839. Twenty people died when soldiers clashed with demonstrators demanding, The right to Vote, political reform. The sculptures form three groups, each representing a different aspect of the political and social change the Chartists hoped to bring about. The first group is 'Union,' showing an idealized view of Newport; the second, 'Prudence', shows the struggle for change, and the third, 'Energy', symbolises both labour and victory. Text Source: (
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Chartists :-
"Chartism was a Victorian era working class movement for political reform in Britain between 1838 and 1848. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was the first mass working class labour movement in the world. "Chartism" is the umbrella name for numerous poorly-coordinated local groups, often named "Working Men's Association," articulating grievances in many cities from 1837. Its peak activity came in 1839, 1842 and 1848. It began among skilled artisans in small shops, such as shoemakers, printers, and tailors. The movement was more aggressive in areas with many distressed handloom workers, such as in Lancashire and the Midlands. It began as a petition movement which tried to mobilize "moral force", but soon attracted men who advocated strikes, General strikes and physical violence, such as Feargus O'Connor and known as "physical force" chartists. One faction issued the "People's Charter" in 1838 and it was widely adopted by the movement. The People's Charter called for six basic reforms to make the political system more democratic:
1.A vote for every man over the age of 21;
2.A secret ballot;
3.No property qualification for members of Parliament;
4.Payment for MP's (so poor men could serve);
5.Constituencies of equal size;
6.Annual elections for Parliament." Text Source: (
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