Mark Crail

A pile of books, all the same, copies of Chartist Lives by Mark Crail

#Chartism #C19th #History
It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that I am busy trying to flog copies of Chartist Lives. It’s full of amazing stories and it’s £19.99 in hardback, £9.99 in paperback and just £8.99 for kindle.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G3Q7PR7Y

Great work on your dad’s part: you always wonder what is out there sitting undiscovered in people’s family papers. In this case, quite a lot!

How wonderful to hear from you. I published my piece about him literally only a few days ago. A really very interesting man. Are you by any chance connected with the williampauldowling.com family website?

William Paul Dowling, 1824 – 1877 - chartist ancestors Remembered for his portrait of the London Chartist William Cuffay, sketched in 1848 while awaiting

No, he was too late for the book. Maybe he’ll make Chartist Lives 2. For now he’s at www.chartistancestors.co.uk/william-paul...

A pile of books, all the same, copies of Chartist Lives by Mark Crail

#Chartism #C19th #History
It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that I am busy trying to flog copies of Chartist Lives. It’s full of amazing stories and it’s £19.99 in hardback, £9.99 in paperback and just £8.99 for kindle.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0G3Q7PR7Y

In the summer of 1848 a young artist linked English Chartists intent on revolution and Irish nationalists planning an armed rising. Discover the amazing life story of William Paul Dowling on Chartist Ancestors
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/william-paul...

Online talk on The Radical Life of Thomas Paine, on his 289th birthday - Monday 9 February, 7pm - with @peterloomemorial.bsky.social chair Polyp, who published a Fantastical Visual Biography of Paine. Book now!

humanists.uk/events/in-co...

polyp.org.uk/books/paine-...

Can’t see Trump playing this one at future rallies

My portrait of Cuffay derived from his sketch: his face combined with a few photos of very similar looking modern blokes.

From: polyp.org.uk/books/courag...

#C19th #Chartism
If you’ve ever seen the portrait of William Cuffay sketched by a fellow prisoner in Newgate Gaol, you may wonder what became of the Irish Confederate who drew it. William Paul Dowling’s life story is now on Chartist Ancestors.
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/william-paul...

I didn’t go into it much, but he seems to have been quite the pioneer of photographic techniques and equipment. I wonder if he would have become a very much better-known photographer had he not been convicted and transported.

#C19th #Chartism
If you’ve ever seen the portrait of William Cuffay sketched by a fellow prisoner in Newgate Gaol, you may wonder what became of the Irish Confederate who drew it. William Paul Dowling’s life story is now on Chartist Ancestors.
www.chartistancestors.co.uk/william-paul...

Seeing lots of hospitality business owners on TV complaining about the cost of increases in the minimum wage. Rather fewer people on minimum wage being asked what that extra 50p an hour has meant for them.

The cover of JITTERBUG features a stylised rocket silhouette at the centre of an orrery, with a space suited figure dangling in its wake

Only 5 weeks until @titanbooks.bsky.social officially publishes my novel JITTERBUG, and I'm getting excited. This is a special book, and I think you're going to love it. Give yourself a little treat and preorder it today from your favourite bookshop!

We were only there for three days (my sister lives elsewhere in Aus) so limited experience - mostly in and around Hobart. I had to visit the place where William Cuffay was buried, but also thought the Tench (Hobart penitentiary) was fascinating. Were there in 2020 just as the world was closing down!

Robert Hughes’ The Fatal Shore is the best book on Australia’s convict history that I’ve come across. Tends to peter out a bit before the Chartist era and it’s clear he doesn’t have a great grasp on the political prisoners, but worth reading.

I’ve been to the Hobart female factory, which is well worth a visit.

Wondered why I didn’t remember the prison uniforms. Going to Port Arthur this time so will keep an eye out for them there.

Was this at Maria Island? Went there a few years ago and loved it. Going back to Australia and Tasmania this year, but probably won’t make it to Maria Island again.

Ernest Jones, leader of the later Chartist movement and poet, was born #OnThisDay 25 January 1819. His is one of dozens of stories told in Chartist Lives
www.amazon.co.uk/Chartist-Liv...

May Paris, Fife-born Chartist activist in Greenwich, south London, was born #OnThisDay 25 January 1809. Hers is one of dozens of stories told in Chartist Lives
www.amazon.co.uk/Chartist-Liv...

Ernest Jones, leader of the later Chartist movement and poet, was born #OnThisDay 25 January 1819. His is one of dozens of stories told in Chartist Lives
www.amazon.co.uk/Chartist-Liv...

May Paris, Fife-born Chartist activist in Greenwich, south London, was born #OnThisDay 25 January 1809. Hers is one of dozens of stories told in Chartist Lives
www.amazon.co.uk/Chartist-Liv...

Also a driving force behind the New Poor Law and all it entailed. A not entirely positive record.

I’ve seen it on eBay and don’t believe it’s 1840s. The image looks rather later and more likely French than British (see the military uniforms). Interesting, though, and would like to know its story.

News of the political exiles of 1848 Three years after the convict ship Adelaide carried the Irish and Chartist rebels of 1848 into a forced exile in Van Diemen’s land, the young artist who had sketched William Cuffay while they await…

By letter, meaning this (from my earlier post on here) chartistancestors.blog/2026/01/22/n...

Thanks. Those named in the letter got their ticket of leave as soon as they arrived, so not subject to this sort of thing, but many others were, of course.

Thank you, that’s very kind!

Can anyone recommend a good history of the convict system for those transported to Australia? Have read Robert Hughes’ The Fatal Shore, which is useful, but most other stuff seems to be entertaining stories of individual convicts or lacking depth.

News of the political exiles of 1848 Three years after the convict ship Adelaide carried the Irish and Chartist rebels of 1848 into a forced exile in Van Diemen’s land, the young artist who had sketched William Cuffay while they await…

Blog post: A letter to Ireland - news of the political exiles of 1848 #Chartism
chartistancestors.blog/2026/01/22/n...