Uprising gets red-carpet treatment: Welsh celebration marks 1831 revolt claimed as origin of the flag of socialism
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.LABOUR MPs and Welsh Lord Mayors are to lead celebrations in Cardiff on Saturday of what they claim is the first use of the red flag 'as a symbol of the common people's cause'.
A ceremony in the central market place will recall the hanging at the county gaol of Dic Penderyn - Richard Lewis to the English - a man from Aberavon caught up in the Merthyr Rising of 1831, along with the first use of the red flag in Britain. It is intended to be the first of an annual event.
The rising in Merthyr Tydfil, a mass of ironworks which was then Wales's largest town, followed attempts, three years ahead of the Tolpuddle Martyrs, to form trade unions there.
Gwyn Williams, Emeritus Professor of History at Cardiff, who has written a book on the uprising, says the trade union element was soon swamped in the more general revolutionary ferment that led to the 1832 Reform Act as the Merthyr uprising turned into 'a natural justice riot'. The yeomanry were ambushed and the town taken over for five days. In the course of the uprising, 'the miners are said to have sacrificed a calf, washed a sheet in its blood and had a girl carry it round the town as a flag to stir up revolt', he said.
The event can be seen as 'an origin of the red flag - it was the first time an unadorned red flag was used in Britain', although not necesarily the origin of it, he added.
Trish Newland, librarian of the Marx Memorial Library, believes the red flag has no single origin: 'It is a bit like the hammer and sickle, lots of people were using it in various ways as a symbol of revolution or workers' rights.'
No such doubts, however, afflict those organising tomorrow's event. Rhodri Morgan, a Labour front bench spokesman on Welsh affairs, said: 'The Merthyr rising was at least as important as the Tolpuddle Martyrs to today's Labour movement, but the event has been marginalised because it was in Wales. The red flag should be stamped 'Made in Wales' and the fact that people are saying it is of diminishing importance and may disappear altogether makes its commemoration all the more important.'
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments