Isaac Ironside facts for kids

Isaac Ironside (born 1808, died 1870) was an important English politician. He was a Chartist and a socialist. He worked mainly in the city of Sheffield. He helped improve life for many people there.

Isaac's Early Life

Isaac Ironside was born in 1808 near Masbrough, Rotherham. He grew up in Sheffield. His father, Samuel Ironside, was a Wesleyan preacher. Isaac's family had strong roots in their local church. His younger brother, Samuel Ironside, became a missionary in New Zealand. He even signed the important Treaty of Waitangi.

Isaac started working in factories when he was young. He also studied a lot in his free time. In the 1820s, after he got married, Isaac moved to America. He joined a special community called New Harmony, Indiana. This was a Robert Owen's utopian colony. It was a place where people tried to live and work together perfectly. However, the colony did not succeed. So, Isaac and his wife returned to Sheffield. In 1833, he joined his father's new accountancy business. By the 1840s, Isaac was running the business himself.

Fighting for Workers' Rights: Chartism

Isaac Ironside was a strong supporter of Chartism. This was a movement in the 1830s and 1840s. Chartists wanted more rights for working-class people. They wanted all men to be able to vote. They also wanted fairer elections.

In 1831, Isaac joined the Sheffield Political Union. He helped with the election campaign for Thomas Asline Ward. Ward was a Radical candidate for Sheffield in the 1832 election. In 1833, Isaac also helped start Sheffield's Mechanics Institute. This was a place where working people could learn new skills.

Isaac became a key leader in Sheffield's Chartist movement. He spoke at a big meeting in Paradise Square in 1838. However, when the first Chartist petition failed, the movement split. Some people wanted to use violence, but Isaac did not agree with this. He started to attend fewer meetings.

Improving Sheffield: Community and Politics

Isaac Ironside believed in helping his community. In 1839, he faced a problem at the Mechanics Institute. The poet James Montgomery had Isaac removed from his job there. This happened because Isaac put books about socialism on the shelves. Socialism is an idea about how society should be fair for everyone. Montgomery also thought Isaac was causing trouble by opening a coffee room.

Instead, Isaac worked with Robert Owen. They suggested creating farming communities. Isaac also opened a Hall of Science in Sheffield. This was a place for learning and discussion. In 1848, he started a Workers' Educational Institute there.

In 1846, Isaac was elected to the Sheffield Town Council. He represented the area of Ecclesall. On the council, he started the Central Democratic Association. This group pushed for socialist and Chartist ideas. By 1849, this group had 22 members. They were strong enough to make the council create a health committee. They also built a model farm based on Owen's ideas at Hollow Meadows.

Isaac used ideas from Joshua Toulmin Smith to involve local people. He set up "wardmote" committees. These allowed any local citizen to share their ideas and influence council decisions. With their support, Isaac helped make sure Sheffield's streets were paved. He also helped lay underground sewers in the 1850s. These improvements made the city much cleaner and healthier. Isaac also supported women's suffrage. This meant he believed women should have the right to vote. He encouraged Anne Knight to start the Sheffield Female Political Association.

Later Years and Family

In 1851, Isaac Ironside started a newspaper called the Sheffield Free Press. He became a strong supporter of David Urquhart. He also supported Joshua Toulmin Smith when he ran for election in Sheffield in 1852. In 1856, Isaac even wrote letters to Karl Marx, another famous socialist thinker.

Isaac kept his seat on the Sheffield council until 1868. He passed away in 1870 and was buried in Sheffield General Cemetery.

Isaac and his wife Elizabeth had five daughters. Their names were Emma (born 1835), Frances (born 1841), Una (born 1845), Kate (born 1850), and Lilian (born 1852).