Added: Friday, June 30, 2006

On Sunday July 2nd, join us at 11.00am for the curtain-raiser to Halifax's "Celebrate Democracy" Festival !

A short walk to Blackstone Edge where Dr Mike Sanders of Manchester University will give a talk about the famous Chartist meeting of August 1846. This was the occasion of Ernest Jones maiden speech to the Chartists of the industrial North, commemorated in his stirring song:

But waved the wind on Blackstone height
A standard of the broad sunlight;
And sung that morn with trumpet might,
A sounding song of liberty!

The meeting was chaired by veteran Chartist campaigner Ben Rushton of Ovenden, who warned Jones that the arm of the law would be raised against him if he continued to support the cause of the working man. Jones was indeed imprisoned for his views, and spent two years in solitary confinement in punitive conditions, returning to stand for election in Halifax.

Meet at the White House Pub at 11.00am
Talk on Blackstone Edge at 12.00 mid-day.
Walking footwear advisable.

The White House pub is on the A58 between Littleborough and Ripponden, close to Blackstone Edge.

Buses: First Calderline 528: Halifax, Blackstone Edge, Rochdale - drop off at pub.

First Huddersfield 900: Hebden Bridge - Blackstone Edge reservoir - Huddersfield. Drop off at reservoir, turn right on to A58 towards Littleborough, walk short distance to pub.
Landranger map: 0L21 18/96

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