James ‘Bronterre’ O’Brien

James ‘Bronterre’ O’Brien 1804 – 1864.

Born in Ireland, James O’Brien intended to become a lawyer in London. He was particularly influential in the early period of Chartism. ‘Bronterre’ was his pseudonym used in ‘Poor Man’s Guardian’. He campaigned for freedom of the press and universal suffrage.

James (Bronterre) O’Brien after unknown artist NPG D5374 Copyright  National Portrait Gallery, London.

One of a set of five images of leading Chartists chosen by the historian Dorothy Thompson, in whose memory they are published.

Dorothy Thompson

Dorothy Katharine Gane Thompson. Historian. 1923 -2011.

Dorothy was an immensely influential historian of Chartism, the first mass working class movement. She was helping us with images of Chartism at the time of her untimely death. When asked to name her favourite five Chartists she replied, in no particular order; Feargus O’Connor, John Frost, Ernest Jones, William Cuffay and James ‘Bronterre’ O’Brien.

Our thanks to Kate Thompson for the photograph of Dorothy.

 http://www.breviarystuff.org.uk/dorothy-thompson-the-chartists/

Dorothy and E.P. Thompson

A memorial lecture was deleivered in 2012 by Shelia Rowbotham and is available as a pamphlet from Past Pixels.

Further activities are planned in 2020. Contact us on mail@pastpixels.co.uk