Zephaniah Williams

Zephaniah Williams

Zephaniah Williams (1795-1874) a native of Argoed Bedwellty, Monmouthshire was a coal miner or collier and later a Master Collier at Blaina and innkeeper, keeping the Royal Oak at Nantyglo, from where he used to pay his colliers.

Chartist

He was a free thinking man in religious matters and the local Working Men's Association met at his home. It was at this time only natural that such a man would emerge as a natural leader during the Chartist movement in south east Wales.

He was subsequently prosecuted for his part in the Chartist Newport Rising at Newport, Monmouthshire in 1839.

The Newport Rising

Along with John Frost and William Jones, he led a large column of men from the Nantyglo area to march south on the Westgate Hotel, Newport, site of what is sometimes regarded as the greatest armed rebellion in 19th century Britain [Edward Royal, "Chartism", Longman, London: 1996] .

The men assembled at the Welsh oak, Pontymister before marching as one into Newport. Known as the "Blackwood Infidel", he had a reputation as a political Radical, and as an individual prepared to settle disputes in less conventional ways. Some histories refer to his having been prosecuted at Usk in 1833 for blowing up a coal mine in a dispute with the mineowner. Other histories refer to him having been an atheist who vigorously promoted his views - very controversial at the time.

Transportation to Australia for Life

For his part in the Chartist march on Newport he was sentenced to death, but his sentence was commuted and he was transported for life to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania, Australia).

Made his Fortune in Coal

Once there he made plans to escape but remained, eventually being granted a ticket of leave. He discovered coal on the island and made a considerable fortune from it, bringing his wife and family out from Wales to Australia in 1854.

He died a prosperous man at Launceston, Tasmania in May 1874.

External links

* [http://www.gtj.org.uk/item.php?lang=en&id=32805&t=1 Contemporary portrait of Zephaniah in the dock on trial]

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • ZEPHANIAH — (Heb. צְפַנְיָה), Judean prophet whose activity is dated to the reign of King Josiah (639–609). In addition to the usual mention of his father s name (Cushi), his ancestry is traced back four generations to hezekiah , possibly the king of that… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Williams College — Motto E liberalitate E. Williams, armigeri ( Through the Generosity of E. Williams, Esquire (or Soldier) ) Established 1793 Type …   Wikipedia

  • Zephaniah Swift — (* 27. Februar 1759 in Wareham, Plymouth County, Massachusetts; † 27. September 1823 in Warren, Ohio) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker. Zwischen 1793 und 1797 vertrat er den Bundesstaat Connecticut im US Repräsentantenhaus. Werdegang Noch …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Zephaniah Swift Moore — (1770 1823) was a U.S. Congregational clergyman and educator. He taught at Dartmouth College during the early 1810s and had a house built in Hanover, N.H. that now serves as the Blunt Alumni Center. He served as the President of Williams College… …   Wikipedia

  • Newport Rising — The attack of the Chartists on the Westgate Hotel The Newport Rising was the last large scale armed rebellion against authority in mainland Britain, when on 4 November 1839, somewhere between 1,000 and 5,000 Chartist sympathisers, including many… …   Wikipedia

  • 1840 in Wales — This article is about the particular significance of the year 1840 to Wales and its people. Incumbents*Prince of Wales vacant *Princess of Wales vacant Events*January 1 Trial of John Frost, Zephaniah Williams and William Jones opens at Monmouth… …   Wikipedia

  • Blackwood, Caerphilly — Coordinates: 51°40′N 3°11′W / 51.67°N 3.19°W / 51.67; 3.19 …   Wikipedia

  • Nantyglo — For the borough in the USA with a similar name, see Nanty Glo, Pennsylvania. Coordinates: 51°46′58″N 3°10′11″W / 51.78283°N 3.16980°W / …   Wikipedia

  • 1874 in Wales — This article is about the particular significance of the year 1874 to Wales and its people. Incumbents*Prince of Wales Edward Albert, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom *Princess of Wales Alexandra of DenmarkEvents*24 January Four pilots …   Wikipedia

  • Monmouth — For other uses, see Monmouth (disambiguation). Coordinates: 51°48′32″N 2°43′10″W / 51.80893°N 2.71938°W / 51.80893; 2.71938 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”