MORE than 100 people gathered today for the eighth South Wales Chartist Convention held in Newport.

The convention, which this year is commemorating the 175th anniversary of the 1839 Chartist Uprising, saw leading academics and history enthusiasts discuss new research and ideas about the march, where thousands of protestors descended on the Westgate Hotel demanding the release of fellow Chartists who were being kept there.

Twenty-two Chartists were killed as soldiers opened fire on the protestors.

A message from Dame Rosemary Butler, one of three commissioners for the Newport Chartist Commission, announced that Emma Price, of EMP Projects, and Jo Breckon, of Ceridwen Partnership, had been appointed as project managers for the group. The project managers will find new ways of commemorating the uprising in Newport.

Pat Drewett, chairman of the Chartist anniversary committee, said: "The day has gone brilliantly. There's been three major academics here this morning, Dr Malcolm Chase, Dr Owen Ashton and Dr Chris Williams, who each gave a different perspective.

"The convention's got bigger and better each year with people coming from all over the place. The interest in the Chartists is growing and growing."

Mr Drewett said the movement had more relevance than ever as countries in the Middle East and Ukraine fight for democracy.

He added: "Newport is the home of the vote because we are at the root of modern democracy."

The convention also looked into the connection between the Chartist and suffragette movements.

A screening of the short film, A Bird in A Cage, made by Gwent school children, told the story of Margaret Haig, Lady Rhondda, who fought tirelessly for women's rights.

After she inherited her father's title, she would have become the first female to sit in the House of Lords had it not been for the banning order made by Lord Birkenhead's committee.

Earlier in the day, Mayor of Newport Matthew Evans, spoke about his own connection to the Chartist movement.

Cllr Evans' great-great-great-great grandfather was Newport printer John Partridge who produced publications for the Chartists.

Further events are being held this week to commemorate the 175th anniversary,

On Tuesday, November 4, school children will march down Stow Hill to Westgate Square as part of the annual Chartist recreation march dressed in costumes and carrying placards.

Later that day, there will a public commemoration at the Chartist Memorial stone at St Woolos Cathedral churchyard on Stow Hill.

On November 8, there will be a Chartist Day at Newport Museum with free activities and later in November, Chartist musical The Forgotten will tour theatres in Gwent.

A twitter account @Chartistslive has been tweeting events in 'real-time' which will culminate in commemorating the Newport uprising on Tuesday, November 4.

A new organisation has also been launched called Our Chartist Heritage which will also be looking at ways to promote the heritage of Newport and South Wales.