Richard Spurr (1800–1855) was a Cornish cabinet maker and lay preacher who was imprisoned for his part in leading the political movement Chartism.
[1] He became interested in promoting peoples’ rights whilst operating from premises in Pyder Street, Truro,[2] and was a leader of the Chartist Movement in Cornwall.
[citation needed] Spurr was arrested by police with drawn cutlasses[4] on Thursday 16 January 1840 at the Trades' Hall, Bethnal Green whilst addressing an LDA meeting of about 700 people "to put their trust in God and keep their powder dry"[5] and sent to Newgate Gaol[6] to await trial at the Central Criminal Court.
[7] Initially a member of the National Charter Association of Great Britain and Ireland, standing for election to its executive committee in May 1841,[8] he became an early member of the National Association for Promoting the Political and Social Improvement of the People, founded in 1841 by William Lovett[9] There is much written about Richard Spurr in the newspapers of the day, but also in books including full chapters in [10] and "Crime, Protest and Popular Politics in Southern England 1740-1850".
Richard Spurr died in January 1855[14] (within 2 months of the Eureka Stockade) and so never saw true democracy introduced to England or Australia.