The Sheffield Outrages were a series of explosions and murders by a small group of

trade unionist A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (s ...

militants carried out in

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire ...

, England in the 1860s. Sheffield's early success in steel production had involved long working hours, in conditions which offered little or no safety protection. In '' The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844'',

Friedrich Engels Friedrich Engels ( ,"Engels"
'' trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ...

organisation and agitation in the United Kingdom. By the mid-late 1860s the majority of the objectives of the Chartist movement had been frustrated. These social and political reformers had not accomplished all they had hoped to, although they had succeeded in lobbying for the establishment of the first town council in 1843. (Eventually, the great majority of the items of their 'charter' did, in fact, become law). Social and working conditions in industrial England were not showing any significant improvement and the - as yet unrecognised - trade unions struggled to protect the interests of their members. These conditions provoked great discontent and eventually militant action. In some isolated incidents, workmen even began to use violence to punish employers and also those fellow-workers who would not become union members: the so-called "Sheffield Outrages". The trade unions themselves sought a formal inquiry to establish the facts of the matter, largely as a result of accusations in the newspapers of complicity in these outrages resulting from investigations by W. C. Leng of the ''

Sheffield Daily Telegraph The ''Sheffield Telegraph'' is a weekly newspaper published in Sheffield, England. Founded in 1855 as the ''Sheffield Daily Telegraph'', it became known as the ''Sheffield Telegraph'' in 1938. History The ''Sheffield Telegraph'' was founded i ...

''. On 17 November 1866 a delegation, which included members of the

Sheffield Trades Council The Sheffield Trades and Labour Council, usually known as the Sheffield Trades Council, is a labour organisation uniting trade unionists in Sheffield. Precursors The earliest recorded attempt to found an alliance of trade unions in the city is th ...

and the

London Trades Council The London Trades Council was an early labour organisation, uniting London's trade unionists. Its modern successor organisation is the Greater London Association of Trades (Union) Councils History Leading figures in the London trade union mov ...

, requested that the Home Secretary take the necessary measures to investigate. This led to a Special Commission of Enquiry into these occurrences in May 1867.The Sheffield Outrages: Report presented to the Trades Unions Commissioners in 1867, reprinted with an introduction by Sidney Pollard, Augustus Kelly, New York, 1971 Immunity was offered to all who gave evidence and, as a result a number of people were encouraged to testify. Among these was

William Broadhead William Broadhead (September 1815 – 15 March 1879) was a British trade unionist and saw grinder. Born in Whirlow, Sheffield, Broadhead worked as a saw grinder from childhood, later becoming the landlord of a public house in Owlerton. He used h ...

, the Secretary of the Sawgrinders' Union at that time, who described how he had paid two workmen £15 to murder a man called Linley. Linley had taken on too many apprentices, which was, in practice, a method of acquiring cheap labour.

References

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External links

Events that led to the first TUC
tuc.org.uk.
Sources for the study of the Sheffield Outrages
Produced by Sheffield City Council's Libraries and Archives History of Sheffield 1860s in England 1866 in England 1867 in England 1866 labor disputes and strikes 1867 labor disputes and strikes 19th century in Yorkshire Labour disputes in England Murder in Yorkshire Explosions in England British trade unions history