Join us to unveil our 201st blue plaque for The Northern Star newspaper.
- Saturday 30 November, 13:00.
- Leeds Central Arcade, Briggate, LS1 6DX
The Northern Star was one of the most influential publications of the 19th century. Established in 1837 by Irish Chartist campaigner and Member of Parliament, Feargus O’Connor, the paper was printed from a shop on Briggate in Leeds City Centre and played a key role in the Chartist movement, advocating for political reform and workers’ rights.
The Northern Star had a circulation greater than The Times and read out aloud in pubs, workplaces and homes to those unable to read. It’s influence was significant among workers in newly formed and growing industrial cities in the Victorian era.
The paper campaigned against the exploitative practices of the factory system at the time of the industrial revolution, as well as the repressive the Poor Laws. It was also engaged with international causes, such as the campaigns for Canadian independence, Irish home rule and ending slavery in the Americas.
The event will celebrate the lasting legacy of The Northern Star, its contribution to political activism in Leeds, and its role in shaping public discourse in the 19th century.
Click here to register your attendance at the unveiling.
PLEASE NOTE: The plaque will be unveiled on an easel and will be installed in its final location at a later date. Once the plaque has been installed, those who registered above will receive a notification and we will post an update on our website and social media. If you would like to arrange to see the plaque in the interim period, please email office@leedscivictrust.org.uk
Crowdfunder: There is a crowdfunder running to support this blue plaque unveiling. Click here to donate.
Supporting Event:
Guests are welcome to join us after the unveiling for an afternoon of events to celebrate The Northern Star
- The Leeds Library, 18 Commercial St, Leeds LS1 6AL. (5 minute walk from the unveiling)
- 13:30 – 16:00
Schedule:
- 13:30 Performance from the Commoners Choir followed by drinks and nibbles.
- 14:00 Refreshments
- 15:00 A lecture by Vic Clarke: The Northern Star and the Chartist Movement in Leeds ,1837-1844
Tickets for this supplementary event are free but essential due to limited capacity at The Leeds Library. Please cancel your ticket if you can no longer attend so it can be offered to someone else.
Click here to book your tickets for the supporting event at The Leeds Library.
