People will get the chance to be involved with the delivery of a project to delve deeper into the lives of Dorset’s nineteenth century ‘overlooked’ rural working-class heroes through a range of fun activities.

Historic England announced funding through the Everyday Heritage grant programme, announced late in February, will benefit 56 new projects across the country, looking into the country’s working-class heritage.

Only one project was earmarked in Dorset, which is titled Tolpuddle Family Lives: A People’s Heritage.

The project will look to uncover overlooked parts of the story behind the Tolpuddle Martyrs, with a particular focus on the village’s women and children.

It will imagine the past as experienced by the working-class who laboured in the cottages and on the land.

Tolpuddle Martyrs were a group of six farm workers who were sentenced to seven years’ transportation to Australia after forming a union, which was against the law at the time.

Collecting evidence from a wide variety of sources, the project will explore creative ways to bring the past to life.

Activities are set to include craft workshops, concerts and related activities celebrating the skills and cultures of rural labourers.

Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust was founded in 2014 to save the Martyrs’ legacy by renovating the Chapel built in 1818 by the men who later became known as the Tolpuddle Martyrs.

The Old Chapel will be the busy hub of the project that will delve into evidence from diaries, memories, family tales, crafts, folk art and family histories.

A key element of this programme is ‘co-creation.’ This is where participants will be offered opportunities to influence the direction and the delivery of the project which is planned to run from April to October, 2024. 

The Project Director and Chair of Tolpuddle Old Chapel Trust, Professor Philip Martin, said: “We are delighted to be part of this exciting and important national programme run by Historic England which shines a light into those parts of our national heritage too often overlooked, under-valued, and unappreciated. 

“We look forward to welcoming anyone who is interested in participating, and no prior experience or expertise is required.”

To find out more about what the trust do and to contact them, visit https://www.tolpuddleoldchapeltrust.org/