THE first half of the 19th century was a period of political agitation.

Events ranged from the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 to the last Chartist Petition of 1848, which took place at a time when revolutions were occurring all over Europe.

From 1819 the villagers of Skelmanthorpe were at the forefront of political struggles and a special flag, known as the Skelmanthorpe Flag, was woven in this year at a house on Radcliffe Street.

The flag, which was later taken to many rallies and demonstrations all over Huddersfield, proclaimed: `Skelmanthorp will not rest Satisfied with the Suffrage being anything but Universal."

This was later taken up by the Chartist movement.

Chartism was an umbrella movement which drew together many different groups with various aims and grievances.

Chartists were called that because they devised a six-point charter which detailed their demands.

These were: universal male suffrage, annual parliaments, vote by secret ballot, abolition of property qualifications for MPs, payment for MPs and equal electoral districts.

None of these were realised in the lifetime of the movement, but all except annual parliaments are now law.

The Chartists disbanded after the failure of their third petition in 1848, just two years after the hated Corn Laws had been repealed.

Some believe that after the repeal of the Corn Laws Chartism's popularity declined.

Thus, many historians argue that for many followers Chartism was purely a knife and fork question.