Tolpuddle Martyrs Rally

I spent the afternoon in Dorset today, at the Tolpuddle Martyr's Rally, an annual trade union festival organised to commemorate the six farm labourers from the village, who in 1834 were transported to Australia for forming a friendly society to protest against the lowering of agricultural wages. At the time, their treatment created such controversy that 100,000 people marched through London to protest, organised by the fledging trade union movement, and the men were eventually pardoned.

Nowadays, the TUC (Trade Union Congress) keeps the tradition going with a festival featuring bands and singers from all over the world, political speakers, plays, stalls for all sorts of causes and lots of activities with a free rally on the Sunday (when my family usually go). It's always a great day out, very family friendly and the Sunday rally has a march through the village with all the unions proudly displaying their banners and brass bands playing, and then the General Secretary of the TUC usually speaks, along with the legendary Tony Benn (who gets a standing ovation every time) and music from Billy Bragg to finish. The festival is getting bigger and bigger every year, I think there were an estimated 10,000 people this year.

Anyway, here are some of my pictures from today, featuring Billy Bragg, some of the great banners and a funny t-shirt :D

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