Bronterre O'Brien
James ‘Bronterre’ O’Brien (1805-1864) was an Irish born, British radical, and a leading figure in the Chartist movement of the 1830s-40s. The Chartists aimed to improve the lives of working-class people through parliamentary reform. O’Brien, a journalist and political writer, advocated for universal manhood suffrage and free education for all. He worked extensively to raise public awareness of the issues facing working people, and although the Chartist movement ultimately failed to achieve its main aims, O’Brien and other Chartists paved the way for future labour reforms in Britain.
Bronterre O’Brien died in December, 1864 and was buried in Abney Park Cemetery.
Bronterre O’Brien lecture archive
The Abney Park Trust has long since held lectures in memory of Bronterre O’Brien.
James 'Bronterre' O'Brien fought, as a Chartist, for a free, untaxed press, universal suffrage and parliamentary reform in the 19th century. His radical politics brought him to the attention of the authorities and in 1840 he was charged with sedition and jailed for 18 months. A life of poverty and ill health followed and, though friends raised money to help a man who’d sacrificed so much for the causes they shared, he spent the last years of his life bedridden. He eventually died in 1864 and was buried in a modest ceremony – as he would have wanted – in Abney Park Cemetery. O'Brien's campaign for banks of credit accessible to all classes and his efforts to bring education to all through his Eclectic Institute, in Denmark Street, Soho, reveal a man with enormous foresight, energy and ideas, worthy of celebration in our difficult times.
In recognition of his lasting legacy, an annual graveside address organised by the Connolly Association had been given for many years, by speakers such as Tony Benn, Arthur Scargill, and A J P Taylor interpreting O'Brien's views on politics, radical action and journalism. After a break when the tradition had lapsed, it was revived in 2015 when the address was given by Jeremy Corbyn before he became Leader of the Labour Party.
List of recent past speakers:
2015: Jeremy Corbyn, Islington North MP (neighbouring constituency to Abney Park) since 1983; later that year, became Leader of the Labour Party till 2019
2016: Christine Blower, ex General Secretary of the NUT, now Baroness Christine Blower
2017: Kevin McCorry, Organiser of the NI Civil Rights Association from 1969-75 & founder member of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties
2018: Melissa Benn, author and campaigner, especially on education
2019: Dr Bernard Regan, author and campaigner (read his lecture here)
2020: Professor Michael Turner, from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, specialist on Chartism (read his lecture here)
2023: Diane Abbott, Hackney North and Stoke Newington MP (Abney Park’s constituency); former Shadow Home Secretary (read her address here)
