Inventarnummer
75/16/1-2
Titel
Plaster cast hands of Joseph Arch,
Beschreibung
These are plaster casts of Joseph Arch's hands. Arch was the president of the National Agricultural Labourers Union (1872-1892), the first successful union to be established. Nothing is known about the casting process.
Physische Beschaffenheit
2 casts, right and left hand: plaster
<DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>1.<B>A Plaster cast of Joseph Arch's Hands</B><P>Joseph Arch (1826-1919) was the President of the National Agricultural Labourers Union (1872-1896) the first successful union to be established. He lived in Barford, Warwickshire and worked as a labourer. As the local Primitive Methodist preacher he was skilled at public speaking, which helped him with his union speeches. Preaching also helped him on the hustings as he became the first MP to come from a labouring background.<P>75/16/1-2</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>1.<B>A Plaster cast of Joseph Arch's Hands</B><P>Joseph Arch (1826-1919) was the President of the National Agricultural Labourers Union (1872-1896) the first successful union to be established. He lived in Barford, Warwickshire and worked as a labourer. As the local Primitive Methodist preacher he was skilled at public speaking, which helped him greatly with his union speeches. Preaching also helped him on the hustings when he became the first MP to come from a labouring background.<P>The NALU at its peak in 1874 membership totalled 86,214. The Union was set up as a response to the harsh treatment and low wages from farmers at the time. The Union was successful due to Arch's leadership and inspiring speeches which encouraged people to join. Certain other events helped the union to thrive. The 1871 Trade Union Act recognised unions as legal and allowed them to register as Friendly Societies. Peaceful picketing during strikes became legal in 1875.<P>Labourers were not the only group to form a union. Farmers, some due to the threat of the strikes, formed their own. Unions became more widespread in the countryside as a response to low wages in comparison to the average industrial rate. The wages themselves were seasonal and erratic.<P>75/16/1-2</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV><DIV STYLE="text-align:Justify;font-family:Georgia;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;font-size:16;color:#000000;"><P><SPAN><SPAN>PLASTER CAST HANDS // DETAILS // Categories Making Rural England // Theme(s) Countryside, People // Collection Domestic and Personal Objects // Date 1875-1899 // Object number 75/16/1-2 // ARCHIVAL HISTORY // These are plaster casts of Joseph Arch’s hands. // Joseph Arch (1826-1919) was the first person from a labouring background in Britain to become a Member of Parliament, from 1892-1900. // He was also the President of the National Agricultural Labourers Union (1872-1896), the first successful union to be established. He lived in Barford, Warwickshire and worked as a labourer. As the local Primitive Methodist preacher he was skilled at public speaking, which helped him with his union speeches and the hustings during campaigning to become an MP. // We’re not entirely sure why these casts of Joseph’s hands exist. There is speculation that they were cast as an alternative to a death mask, signifying Joseph’s pride in being a labourer. They were, however, cast before Joseph’s death. Others have thought that he may have had his hands cast as a study for a waxwork, but again there is little evidence to support the theory.</SPAN></SPAN></P></DIV>
Bestandsgeschichte
MERL Catalogue form - temporary // Specimen // Location // MERL // Collection // NUAAW // Od. No. // 75/16/1-2 // Identification // Object name. Cast, plaster, hand, Joseph Arch // Class. // SOCIETY, Association, occupational, trade union, Agricultural Labourers Union // Description // Condition // Stained // Date // 1.5.75 // Material(s) // Plaster // Length //18cm //Breadth of Knuckles // 12cm // Repr. // 60/12356 // Reference // Category // NUAW // Source // MERL Records // Acquisition // Source // NUAAW, Headland House. // Method // Permanent Loan.’, http://www.historyworkshop.org.uk/radical-object-casts-of-joseph-archs-hands/
Datum
1875-01-01 - 1899-12-31
Entstehungszeitraum
Late-nineteenth century
Objektbezeichnung
Material
Technik
Format
- Length 180 mm
- Width 85 mm
- Height 80 mm
Digitales Dokument
- L:\MERL\Objects\JISC 2012\60 series negatives\60_12356.tif - High resolution image
