When Mark Crail embarked on a family history project, little did he know where his research would lead. As in most families there were anecdotes about ancestors but Crail didn’t know how much credence to give them. Rumour had it that Crail’s great-greatgreat grandfather, James Grassby, had been active in the Chartist movement in Hull in the 1840s and was imprisoned in 1848 after activism in the London disturbances surrounding the great petition.
The narrative Crail uncovered was far more interesting. It turned out that carpenter James had indeed been secretary of the Hull Working Men’s Association during the early days of Chartism and his name frequently pops up in the movement’s newspaper the Northern Star. Grassby was tried in 1842 alongside Chartist leader Feargus O’Connor and 57 others for incitement during the national strike of that year. He is later recorded as being involved with disputes with the directors of the Chartist Land Company as well as siding with Black Chartist, William Cuffay, in altercations with the convention leadership in 1848.
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