Chartists

William Cuffay

William Cuffay was born in 1788 either on board a ship or possibly in Chatham, Kent. His father was a former slave from St Kitts, while little is known of his mother. The family settled in the dockyard town of Chatham, Kent, his father now working as cook in the Royal Navy. It has been suggested that his surname is an Anglicisation of Kofi, a name given to male children born on Friday.

He became a journeyman tailor but lost his post in 1834 after a tailors strike. In 1839 he helped to form the Metropolitan Tailors' Charter Association and soon became an important figure in the Chartist movement in London. William was elected to the Executive of the National Charter Association in 1842 and later that year was voted president of the London Chartists. His significance in the movement is illustrated by a contemporary report in The Times which referred to "the black man and his party".

During 1848 William was one of three London delegates at the National Chartists Convention and was considered one of its most militant leaders. The main task of the convention was to organise a march to present a Chartists' petition to the House of Commons. He was disgusted when the march was called off at the last minute, but remained involved.

He was arrested at home on 18 August 1848 for treason and felony and after a trial, whose outcome was never in doubt, was found guilty and sentenced to transportation for life.

He was sent to Tasmania. In 1853 his wife Mary joined him, her passage paid for by Chartist subscriptions. After he was granted parole he took up employment as a tailor once more. In 1856 political prisoners were pardoned by the government but the Cuffays decided to stay where they were. William played a role in local politics in Tasmania and died in 1870.

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