Popular politics, heritage and memories of Chartism in England and Wales, 1918–2020

Abstract

Chartism has enjoyed a remarkably enduring posthumous life. This article focuses on the politics of remembering the movement via three case studies: the interwar political left, the attempts by the political and cultural establishment to co-opt Chartism since the 1980s, and the role of Chartism in the contemporary and ongoing campaigns for democratic renewal promoted by a range of heritage organizations and groups. By drawing on critical heritage studies, as well as a range of material – from press reports to ephemera and the built environment – this article shows how forms of remembrance and the practices of commemoration surrounding Chartism were (and are) far from static and repetitive but evolving, dynamic and contested.