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The Preston Strike and Lune Street Riot, which took place in Preston, in Lancashire, England over 12 and 13 August 1842, were part of the 1842 General Strike or ‘Plug Plot Riots’. These strikes and disturbances were prompted by depression in 1841-2 which resulted in wage cuts of over 25%. They were influenced by the Chartist movement and the government’s rejection of the petition for ‘People's Charter of 1838’, signed by over 1 million people who demanded a more democratic political system. Disputes spread throughout the North West of England from late July 1842. Workers in Manchester and Stockport struck on 10 August, Bolton on 11 August and in Preston a mass meeting was called for Friday 12th. The demands made at most of the strike meetings were for a return to 1840 wages and an acceptance of the Charter. One of the Chartist leaders was Preston handloom weaver Richard Marsden. ==The Preston Strike== The strike began on 12 August 1842 after a large meeting of around 3,000 cotton workers at Chadwick’s Orchard – now the site of Preston’s Covered Market. They pledged to "strike work until they had a fair days wages for that work, guaranteeing its continuance with the Charter", the Chartist newspaper ''The Northern Star'' reported that "Before night every cotton mill was turned out without resistance - all done chiefly by boys and girls".〔The Northern Star, 20 August 1842〕 The next day news spread that some mills had resumed work. The remaining strikers met in Chadwick’s Orchard on Saturday morning, as early as 6 am and went to Messrs. Sledden’s machine shop on North Road and compelled workers there to turn out, "after several windows were broken and a few slight wounds inflicted on both sides." They then started moving through Preston from factory to factory. The Mayor Samuel Horrocks, officials and the police were called upon to deal with the unrest and protect property. They enlisted the help of soldiers stationed in the town from the 72nd Highlanders to help stop the riot. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Preston Strike of 1842」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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