I thought today would be a good day to write a missive once more about my formative years and events that happened during June as there are 2 that feel relevant today.
I remember on June 7th 1832 the enthuzimuzzy as Lord Grey’s Great Reform Bill received its Royal Ascent. Here in Yorkshire we gained MPs as rotten boroughs were brought to an end and I was able to vote for the first time. So many of us felt that it would be like making a stuffed bird laugh to have a man of industry and manufacture having an input, however small, into how our Country was governed.
June also shakes my memory of the meaters formed by the Chartists of the 1840s. June 21st 1842 saw one of their Sheffield Leaders Samuel Holberry die in Gaol for his beliefs. These fine men and women brought about such change during the 1840s and helped lead the Country towards the enfranchisement of all the adult population but were imprisoned for it.
I do not want to indulge in podsnappery nor do I wish to try to educate you on whom to vote. I must though urge one and all to vote. In my early years it was not available to me but people fought on my behalf to allow me a vote and to remove the injustices of the system. Today, whether your vote be for Tory or Whig or Labour I care not please just vote and have your say and honour those before you that did so much for this right that is so often squandered.
Charles’ expressions explained:
Enthuzimuzzy – Enthusiasm
Making a stuffed bird laugh – utterly ridiculous/preposterous
Meaters – large gatherings and meetings
Podsnappery – to ignore anything that does not fit his cause or argument whilst appearing virtuous and superior.