Henry Vincent
Encyclopedia
Henry Vincent was active in the formation of early Working Men's Associations in Britain, a popular Chartist
leader, brilliant and gifted public orator, prospective but ultimately unsuccessful Victorian
MP
, and later an anti-slavery campaigner.
, the son of a goldsmith
. Henry Vincent saw his father's business fail, a decline in circumstances which prompted the family to move to Kingston upon Hull
.
By 1828 Henry was a young apprentice boy in the growing printing
trade
. Once his apprenticeship
was completed he returned to London
to pursue his printing career. At this time he was very interested in the views of Tom Paine and especially Paine's views on universal suffrage
(which included votes for women, of course) and state welfare benefits.
and he was quickly recognised as one of the best young orators promoting universal suffrage and workers rights.
In 1837 Henry Vincent accompanied John Cleave
on a summer speaking tour in the industrial north of England and they helped local activists to establish Working Men's Associations in Hull
, Leeds
, Bradford
, Halifax
and Huddersfield
.
and the West Country
of England
from Cornwall
up to Wiltshire
and Gloucestershire
.
During this time the message of votes for all, improvement of working conditions, adequate wages and the right to meet to improve conditions for all was meeting stiff resistance from the Establishment
, gentry
, employers and industrialists. During a visit to Devizes
Vincent was knocked unconscious when he was beaten up.
of English Democracy
'. So eulogised RC Gammage in his account of 'The History of The Chartist Movement' in 1859.
with resulting violence and damage to property, and they were particularly opposed to those Chartists who were advocating the use of physical force to achieve their aims and vent their resentment and fury.
Government spies followed Vincent, seeking evidence to arrest and convict him at a time when transportation to Australia
or death by hanging
were some of the punishments for stirring up social unrest.
gaol for making inflammatory remarks. He was eventually tried at Monmouth Shire Hall on 2 August 1838 and sentenced to one year imprisonment.
Whilst in prison, he was denied writing materials and only permitted religious books as reading material.
It was in part at least the arrest of this prominent and popular chartist leader that gave rise to the Newport Rising
in South Wales
1839.
In court, he conducted his own defence, but was found guilty and sentenced to another year imprisonment.
This time, he was at least permitted visits from, amongst others, Francis Place
, who was allowed to teach Vincent French, Political economy and history.
, editor of the Working Man's Friend. The newly married couple took up residence in Bath, amongst close fiends and supporters and began the publication of The National Vindicator.
rather than the 'physical force chartists' and spoke using less inflammatory language, focusing on improving education and the moral improvement of the working classes. He now joined groups linked with the more readily popular Temperance movement
and helped form teetotal political societies. Many of the leading industrialists, or their wives, were in favour of teetotalism and Temperance and condemned the social evils of drink.
However, there was a price to pay for this moderate stance. Previously close allies within the Chartist movement such as Feargus O'Connor
now fell out with Vincent, disagreeing over the watering down of the physical force message and the distraction of the non-central Temperance message.
In 1842 Vincent contributed to the setting up of the Complete Suffrage Union. Although still a member of the National Charter Association, Vincent was no longer the envied spirited orator and firm ally of the inner circle of the most prominent and influential Chartists. Some of his old friendships and bonds were now broken.
(1842 and 1847), Tavistock
(1843), Kilmarnock
(1844), Plymouth
(1846), and finally York
(1848 and 1852). He was unsuccessful each time.
in 1866, 1867 and again in 1875 and 1876. Anti-slavery was his focus at this stage.
His wider travels stimulated his interest in world politics and working conditions. In 1876 he was active in opposing atrocities that had taken place in Bulgaria
.
in Stoke Newington
.
Chartism
Chartism was a movement for political and social reform in the United Kingdom during the mid-19th century, between 1838 and 1859. It takes its name from the People's Charter of 1838. Chartism was possibly the first mass working class labour movement in the world...
leader, brilliant and gifted public orator, prospective but ultimately unsuccessful Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, and later an anti-slavery campaigner.
Early life
Henry Vincent was born in High HolbornHigh Holborn
High Holborn is a road in Holborn in central London, England. It starts in the west near St Giles Circus, then goes east, past the Kingsway and Southampton Row, and continues east. The road becomes Holborn at the junction with Gray's Inn Road....
, the son of a goldsmith
Goldsmith
A goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with gold and other precious metals. Since ancient times the techniques of a goldsmith have evolved very little in order to produce items of jewelry of quality standards. In modern times actual goldsmiths are rare...
. Henry Vincent saw his father's business fail, a decline in circumstances which prompted the family to move to Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
.
By 1828 Henry was a young apprentice boy in the growing printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
trade
Trade
Trade is the transfer of ownership of goods and services from one person or entity to another. Trade is sometimes loosely called commerce or financial transaction or barter. A network that allows trade is called a market. The original form of trade was barter, the direct exchange of goods and...
. Once his apprenticeship
Apprenticeship
Apprenticeship is a system of training a new generation of practitioners of a skill. Apprentices or protégés build their careers from apprenticeships...
was completed he returned to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to pursue his printing career. At this time he was very interested in the views of Tom Paine and especially Paine's views on universal suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
(which included votes for women, of course) and state welfare benefits.
Political awakening
By the year of 1833 Henry Vincent was in London working as a printer but also deepening his political awareness and knowledge. In 1836 he joined the recently formed London Working Men's AssociationLondon Working Men's Association
The London Working Men's Association was an organization established in London in 1836. It was one of the foundations of Chartism. The founders were William Lovett, Francis Place and Henry Hetherington. They appealed to skilled workers rather than the mass of unskilled factory labourers...
and he was quickly recognised as one of the best young orators promoting universal suffrage and workers rights.
In 1837 Henry Vincent accompanied John Cleave
John Cleave
John Cleave was a British, London based Chartist leader, a printer and newspaper publisher.- Early career:Born of Irish stock, as a young boy John Cleave went to sea and is first documented for his political activities as late as 1828, in London, working to assist Henry Hetherington at the Civil &...
on a summer speaking tour in the industrial north of England and they helped local activists to establish Working Men's Associations in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Halifax
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
and Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Huddersfield is a large market town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England, situated halfway between Leeds and Manchester. It lies north of London, and south of Bradford, the nearest city....
.
Responsibility and resistance
In 1838 Henry Vincent was given responsibility for promoting universal suffrage and welfare benefits and Working Men's Associations in industrial South WalesSouth Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
and the West Country
West Country
The West Country is an informal term for the area of south western England roughly corresponding to the modern South West England government region. It is often defined to encompass the historic counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset and the City of Bristol, while the counties of...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
up to Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
and Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
.
During this time the message of votes for all, improvement of working conditions, adequate wages and the right to meet to improve conditions for all was meeting stiff resistance from the Establishment
The Establishment
The Establishment is a term used to refer to a visible dominant group or elite that holds power or authority in a nation. The term suggests a closed social group which selects its own members...
, gentry
Gentry
Gentry denotes "well-born and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past....
, employers and industrialists. During a visit to Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
Vincent was knocked unconscious when he was beaten up.
Oratorial virtuosity and appearance
Vincent was an accomplished public orator, passionate but logical and a clear, concise speaker with energy and drive. He was able to convince men and women from all walks of life to agree with his message. It was said of him that he was 'much below the middle size. His person however was extremely graceful, and he appeared on the platform to much advantage. With a fine, mellow flexible voice, a florid complexion and, excepting in intervals of passion, a most winning expression, he had only to present himself in order to win all hearts over to his side'. Furthermore, 'his attitude was perhaps the most easy and graceful of any popular orator of the time. For fluency of speech he rivalled all his contemporaries, few of whom were anxious to stand beside him on the platform. His rare powers of imitation irresistibly drew peals of laughter from the gravest audience. His versatility, which enabled him to change from grave to gay and vice versa and to assume a dozen various characters in almost as many minutes, was one of the secrets of his success. With the fair sex his slight handsome figure, the merry twinkle of his eye, his incomparable mimicry, his passionate bursts of enthusiasm, the rich music of his voice, and above all, his appeals for the elevation of woman rendered him a universal favourite and the Democrats of both sexes regarded him as the young DemosthenesDemosthenes
Demosthenes was a prominent Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC. Demosthenes learned rhetoric by...
of English Democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
'. So eulogised RC Gammage in his account of 'The History of The Chartist Movement' in 1859.
Target of the authorities
The authorities sought to obstruct Vincent and deny him the opportunity to speak out. They feared a worker's RevolutionRevolution
A revolution is a fundamental change in power or organizational structures that takes place in a relatively short period of time.Aristotle described two types of political revolution:...
with resulting violence and damage to property, and they were particularly opposed to those Chartists who were advocating the use of physical force to achieve their aims and vent their resentment and fury.
Government spies followed Vincent, seeking evidence to arrest and convict him at a time when transportation to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
or death by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
were some of the punishments for stirring up social unrest.
Gaol
In May 1839 Vincent was arrested and imprisoned at MonmouthMonmouth
Monmouth is a town in southeast Wales and traditional county town of the historic county of Monmouthshire. It is situated close to the border with England, where the River Monnow meets the River Wye with bridges over both....
gaol for making inflammatory remarks. He was eventually tried at Monmouth Shire Hall on 2 August 1838 and sentenced to one year imprisonment.
Whilst in prison, he was denied writing materials and only permitted religious books as reading material.
It was in part at least the arrest of this prominent and popular chartist leader that gave rise to the Newport Rising
Newport Rising
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 coal-miners, most with home-made arms, led by John Frost, marched on the town of Newport,...
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
1839.
Release, rearrest and gaol again
Upon release, Vincent found himself under close scrutiny again. He was re-arrested almost immediately for 'using seditious language'.In court, he conducted his own defence, but was found guilty and sentenced to another year imprisonment.
This time, he was at least permitted visits from, amongst others, Francis Place
Francis Place
Francis Place was an English social reformer.-Early career and influence:Born in the debtor's prison which his father oversaw near Drury Lane, Place was schooled for ten years before being apprenticed to a leather-breeches maker. At eighteen he was an independent journeyman, and in 1790 was...
, who was allowed to teach Vincent French, Political economy and history.
Release, marriage and a new publication
Upon his release from prison in January 1841 Vincent made plans to marry Lucy, the daughter of John CleaveJohn Cleave
John Cleave was a British, London based Chartist leader, a printer and newspaper publisher.- Early career:Born of Irish stock, as a young boy John Cleave went to sea and is first documented for his political activities as late as 1828, in London, working to assist Henry Hetherington at the Civil &...
, editor of the Working Man's Friend. The newly married couple took up residence in Bath, amongst close fiends and supporters and began the publication of The National Vindicator.
Modified stance and message
Vincent was immediately back on the road, making up for lost time and promulgating the Chartist message throughout the country. This time he was shrewd enough to take a stance with the 'moral force' chartists under William LovettWilliam Lovett
William Lovett was a British activist who was a leader of the political movement Chartism as well as one of the leading London-based Artisan Radicals of his generation....
rather than the 'physical force chartists' and spoke using less inflammatory language, focusing on improving education and the moral improvement of the working classes. He now joined groups linked with the more readily popular Temperance movement
Temperance movement
A temperance movement is a social movement urging reduced use of alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence , or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation or complete prohibition of alcohol.-Temperance movement by...
and helped form teetotal political societies. Many of the leading industrialists, or their wives, were in favour of teetotalism and Temperance and condemned the social evils of drink.
However, there was a price to pay for this moderate stance. Previously close allies within the Chartist movement such as Feargus O'Connor
Feargus O'Connor
Feargus Edward O'Connor was an Irish Chartist leader and advocate of the Land Plan.- Background :Feargus O'Connor was born into a prominent Irish Protestant family, the son of Irish Nationalist politician Roger O'Connor...
now fell out with Vincent, disagreeing over the watering down of the physical force message and the distraction of the non-central Temperance message.
In 1842 Vincent contributed to the setting up of the Complete Suffrage Union. Although still a member of the National Charter Association, Vincent was no longer the envied spirited orator and firm ally of the inner circle of the most prominent and influential Chartists. Some of his old friendships and bonds were now broken.
Attempted political career
The National Vindicator ceased publication in 1842 and Vincent focused more on lectures, on wider subjects than Chartism. He stood for election as an Independent Radical in IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
(1842 and 1847), Tavistock
Tavistock (UK Parliament constituency)
Tavistock was the name of a parliamentary constituency in Devon between 1330 and 1974. Until 1885 it was a parliamentary borough, consisting solely of the town of Tavistock; it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, when its...
(1843), Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
(1844), Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
(1846), and finally York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
(1848 and 1852). He was unsuccessful each time.
Later career
Despite these setbacks, Vincent continued to hold and develop his views and was invited to speak on long tours of AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1866, 1867 and again in 1875 and 1876. Anti-slavery was his focus at this stage.
His wider travels stimulated his interest in world politics and working conditions. In 1876 he was active in opposing atrocities that had taken place in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
.
Death and legacy
Vincent died on 29 December 1878 and is buried at Abney Park CemeteryAbney Park Cemetery
Abney Park in Stoke Newington, in the London Borough of Hackney, is a historic parkland originally laid out in the early 18th century by Lady Mary Abney and Dr. Isaac Watts, and the neighbouring Hartopp family. In 1840 it became a non-denominational garden cemetery, semi-public park arboretum, and...
in Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is a district in the London Borough of Hackney. It is north-east of Charing Cross.-Boundaries:In modern terms, Stoke Newington can be roughly defined by the N16 postcode area . Its southern boundary with Dalston is quite ill-defined too...
.
External links
- The full text of Henry Vincent's account of his Life and Rambles, February to May 1839, on A Vision of Britain through Time, with links to the places mentioned.
- History Zone; Chartist Lives - Henry Vincent