The Ascott Martyrs

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ascott-under-Wychwood_church.jpg

The picture above of the predominantly 12th century parish church in the picturesque village of Ascott under Wychwood in Oxfordshire, England presents the quintessential Olde Worlde sleepy English village but almost 136 years ago to the day, the village was less than peaceful and idyllic as, following on the heels of the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were fighting their corner for the rights of the agricultural workers in mid Victorian England came the Ascott Martyrs – a group of indomitable women who entered into the fray.

Background

The Tolpuddle Martyrs’ struggle to make heard the voices of the poorly treated and equally poorly paid agricultural workers of England bore fruit in 1872 with the formation of the National Union of Agricultural Workers.  This led to some of the men of Ascott-under-Wychwood forming their own branch in 1873 but this didn’t go down well with one local farmer, a Mr Hambidge of Crown Farm.  He sacked workers who deigned to join the Union and replaced them with non-union workers from the neighbouring village of Ramsden in order to carry out some hoeing work, but he hadn’t reckoned on the strength of the workers’ womenfolk!

Sisters Doing it For Themselves!

In May 1873 the women from Ascott tallied forth and stood side by side to stop the Ramsden men from working on Crown Farm.  The police were called to the disturbance and the women were consequently arrested and taken to Chipping Norton Police Station where they were charged with obstructing and coercing two men, John Hodgkins and John Miller, with a view to encouraging them to leave Mr Hambidge’s employ.

The trial was conducted by two magistrates, the Reverends Harris and Carr, who did their best to persuade Mr Hambidge not to prosecute the women but Mr Hambidge was having none of it, he wanted his pound of flesh and so pressed ahead. 

The 16 ringleaders were subsequently sentenced to imprisonment with hard labour.  Seven of them were sentenced to ten days, namely Martha Smith age 45, Mary Moss (Smith) age 17, Charlotte Moss age 39, Ann Susan Moss age 25, Fanny Honeybone age 16, Ann Moss age 22 and Rebecca Smith age 25.  The remaining nine each received seven days, namely Martha Moss, age 33, Caroline Moss, age 18, Elizabeth Pratley, age 29, Mary Pratley age 33, Lavinia Dring, age 44, Amelia Moss age 36, Jane Moss age 31, Ellen Pratley age 25, Mary Moss age 35.