Hi Bev W
I'm not sure if you have the answer to the question of Thomas Morgan. I asked one of
the leading experts of the Chartists, Les James who sent the following. Hope it helps.
Kind regards
Luned in Blaenavon
Apologies in delay sending Les' reply - one bug followed by another wretched beast!
There were three men named Thomas Morgan and known to be active in the Chartist Rising
1839:
1. Thomas Morgan (Croespenmaen lodge)
2. Thomas Morgan (Gelligroes lodge)
3. Thomas Morgan (member of the Tredegar lodge at the Red Lion and probably born c.1823)
– see pp130-131, David J.V. Jones, The Last Rising,(1985)
“At the Red Lion and other houses in Colliers’ Row, Tredegar, William Evans, his
brother-in-law Thomas Morgan, John Morgan and other prominent radicals were making plans
and pikes. Evans was a little down hearted and others were perplexed that they knew so
little about the rising.” His Footnote 50 refers to 3/4 docs
- Chartist Trials docs vol 12, H.Lewis (Npt Library), can be viewed on Cynefin website;
- TS 11/502 (National Archives, Kew) letter 22 Dec 1839 from Phelps, the Newport
Magistrates solicitor
- TS 11/503, letter from Samuel Homfray, 10 Nov 1839 and Briefs for the Crown re. T.
Morgan
So far as I know, the Treasury Solicitors papers are not available on-line and can only be
consulted at Kew.
According to Appendix II: Committals and Trials, p258, Ivor Wilks, South Wales and the
Rising of 1839 (1984): Thomas Morgan was a collier aged 26 living at Tredegar and was
brought before the magistrates sitting at Ebbw Vale on 23 Nov 1839 and was charged with
unlawful combination and conspiracy and was amongst the 38 who stood trial before the
Special Commission held at Monmouth 29th Dec 1839 to 16thJan 1840, when he was sentenced
to 3 months hard labour.
I have not found any prison record – could have been Monmouth gaol. His chances of
working again as a collier were slim, he would have most certainly have been black listed,
so its quite likely that he boarded a ship for the US. If he worked on a merchant ship,
he would not be listed. And he may have used a pseudonym if a passenger.
I have not looked at the Monmouthshire Merlin, which is available online (NLW Newspapers)
On Wed, 7 Jun 2017
> Subject: [MON] Thomas Morgan involvement in Chartist Uprising
Bev W wrote:
Hello,
I am wondering if there is anyone on the list who knows about the family of this Thomas
Morgan (of Tredegar), who was prosecuted for his participation in the events that happened
in 1839 with the Chartist Uprising.
> My ancestor, who was a Thomas Morgan left Monmouthshire for the US circa 1840 and
have wondered if there might be a connection. We have no information about our ancestor
except that he was born circa 1820/21 in Monmouthshire and was a coal miner. He came to
the US and was naturalized in 1845, indicating that he was in the US for at least 5 years.
There is no evidence that he came with family or that he moved to join family.
> A passenger record has not been discovered.
>
>
> I have other ancestors who came to the US (and also left the US) because of
political turmoil. Any thoughts on how to research this further would be greatly
appreciated.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Bev W