Tolpuddle

Photograph © Donna King 2003	Tolpuddle (also called Tolpuddell & Tolpiddle) is a village and parish on the River Trent or Piddle. It is 7 miles north east from Dorchester. These days it is famous for being the home of the Tolpuddle Martyrs; six farm workers who were sentenced to be transported to Australia after they formed a friendly society in 1833. A row of cottages, housing agricultural workers and a museum, and a row of seated statues commemorate the martyrs. An ancient sycamore tree on the village green, known as the Martyrs' Tree, is said to be the place where the Martyrs swore their oath.
The parish church is a stone and flint building dedicated to St John. The parish registers date from the year 1718, although the church is much older than this. It underwent a restoration in 1855. In Victorian times the village contained a post office, a small Wesleyan chapel and a National School constructed in 1857. The 2040 acres of land are light loam and the chief crops used to be wheat, barley and roots. In 1891 the population was 288	The Burial ground. © Donna King 2003
The Online Parish Clerk (OPC) for Tolpuddle is Donna King
Census	1841 [Kim Parker] 1851 [John Ridout] 1861 1871 1881 [Terry Smith]
Parish Registers	Baptisms 1719-1812, 1813-1882 [PR][Kim Parker] Marriages 1719-1840 [PR] [Kim Parker] Burials 1719-1812, 1813-1920 [PR] [Kim Parker]
Postal Directories	Harrod & Co 1865
Other Records	Militia Lists 1756 & 1796 1807 Poll Book Monumental Inscriptions
Maps	The 1891 Ordnance Survey maps of the parish can be seen at the old-maps site, just enter 'Tolpuddle' under place search
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Records held at the Dorset History Centre [Ref PE-TOL]	Registers Christenings 1718-1996. Marriages 1719-2014. Burials 1718-1968.
Registration District (for the purpose of civil registration births, marriages & deaths)	1 Jul 1837-30 Jun 1949: Dorchester 1 Jul 1949-31 Mar 1997: Weymouth 1 Apr 1997-30 Sep 2001: South Dorset 1 Oct 2001-17 Oct 2005: South & West Dorset
	THE TOLPUDDLE MARTYRS This plaque placed here by members of various trade unions affiliated to the Plymouth District Trades Council to commemorate the landing near this spot on 18th march 1838 of James Loveless, James Brine, Thomas and John Stanfield (4 of the 6 Dorset farm workers after exile in Australia) "Freedom & justice was their cause" 5th May '95

Pictures from old postcards of Tolpuddle, this one circa 1950

Tolpuddle Village circa 1940's??	Martyrs Seat, Tolpuddle

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