The Friday Photo – The Birmingham Man
This week’s The Friday Photo is of the statue of Thomas Attwood (born 1783) Birmingham’s first MP. The statue is known as The Birmingham Man and is easily mistaken for someone sitting on the steps in the often busy Chamberlain Square. Many people first come across the Soapbox and scattered pages which are part of the installation – they reflect Attwoods role in leading Parliamentary reform in the The Great Reform Act of 1832. The Soap Box has the inscription “Votes For All“.
I cannot agree with Lilly Mason’s comment……William Attwood MP from Birmingham and his Birmingham Political Union nearly caused a very ‘British Revolution’ in 1832 when over 30000 Brummies met at Newhall Hill to hear this great Birmingham Political Revolutionary speak in 1832…..troops were dispatched by the government to the Midlands as it was felt if the crowd had rioted after hearing Attwood speak an uprising in support of ‘One Man….One Vote’ by the assembled populace may have led to a Revolution……luckily for the Government of the day the crowd dispersed peacefully and Attwood was ultimately unsuccessful in getting ‘Votes for the Working Man’ and the result of the 1832 Reform Act was votes for the British ‘MIddle Classes’ and the British Proletariat had to wait for another #Birmingham MP John Bright and the 1867 Reform Act for true emancipation and ‘Votes for the Workers’…….’The Workers Flag is deepest Red……….#KarlMarx #FriedrichEngels #TheCommunistManifesto appeared in 1848….16 years after William Attwood MP failed to get votes for the working man by #Democratic means – through an Act of Parliament…..#BirminghamMadeMe #KeithBracey
Highly over rated man. The 1832 Reform Bill gave the vote to the middle classes, However, it was a complete failure as far as votes for the working man – which was the main issue in the struggle for the Reform Bill.
when did he appear? Must have mistaken him for a real person!
Love it!