LAST month the Argus told how local historian Richard Frame brought John Frost’s original gravestone back to Newport. Here he explains how he, along with Alexander Cordell, went on to find out where John Frost had lived in the years after he had returned from transportation.

FOLLOWING the discovery of the location of John Frost’s resting place in Horfield Parish Church, Bristol, I contacted Alexander Cordell, the author of Rape of the Fair Country, which had sparked my original interest in the Chartists.

Mr Cordell’s work, which was published in 1959, had become an international best seller, awaking a fresh interest in the story of the struggle for democracy which had taken place in the 19th century.

In 1986, just before the unveiling of the new stone on Frost’s forgotten burial place, Newport Local History Society published a newsletter, to which Mr Cordell contributed a feature entitled The Making of a Chartist.

South Wales Argus:

John Frost

In this article he discussed the influences that shaped the man who was to become one of the most important Chartist leaders.

Although Mr Cordell was living in the Isle of Man and unable to attend the unveiling, he was determined that on his next visit to Wales we would take a trip to Horfield.

With the location of John Frost’s grave established, attention turned to where he had lived since his return to Britain in 1856. An old photograph of his cottage in Stapleton was on display in Newport Museum, so all we had to was find it.

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South Wales Argus:

John Frost’s house at Stapleton. (With thanks to Newport Museum and Art Gallery)

On Saturday March 14, 1987, David Illife, Alexander Cordell and myself called in at Horfield to visit Frost’s grave, and from there we made the short journey to Stapleton, where we felt fairly confident we’d find the cottage.

But despite having a copy of the photograph from Newport Museum, we drew a blank. On the verge of giving up for the day, we passed a cottage that looked vaguely like the one we sought, but was set back well off the road.

We took a chance and knocked on the door. Luckily somebody was in. Mrs Packwood, the occupant, was fascinated by the story but was unable to help us. We were about to leave empty-handed when a young voice chirped up from the back of the house.

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The attack of the Chartists on the Westgate Hotel, Newport, Mon. Nov 4th 1839. Picture: Wikimedia

"I know where it is mum," called young James.

It turned out that, by a remarkable chance, only weeks before he’d been to visit Newport Museum and seen the photograph in the display cabinet and recognised it immediately. Just a short distance from their home, we found 68 Park Road, Stapleton. The outside hadn’t altered a bit since that early photograph.

It appeared unoccupied and in a poor state of repair, and peeping through the window it was clear that no one had lived there for many years.

South Wales Argus:

Richard Frame, James Packwood and Alexander Cordell in 1987

It was quickly established that the house had recently been bought by a local councillor who lived next door and was planning to refurbish it, so that he could move his mother in. A visit was arranged and Les James, David Osmond and myself met up with the new owner and entered what seemed like a time capsule. The inside of the house appeared as if Frost had just popped out. Even the garden, in its overgrown state, added to the atmosphere.

South Wales Argus:

Inside the house

The councillor’s mother had died before work could begin and the cottage was sold.

Returning a few years later it was good to see that a sympathetic restoration had been carried out and a blue plaque had been erected to mark the home of the Chartist leader, who despite hinting at writing his autobiography, had gone silently to the grave, leaving future historians to ponder on what actually led to the bloody event that had taken place outside the Westgate hotel in 1839.

Richard Frame is a member of the committee which organises the annual Newport Chartist Convention. With Covid-19 restrictions making a ‘live’ convention impossible, this year a ‘virtual’ event will be held on the weekend of December 4, 5 and 6. Details will shortly be posted on the Our Chartist Heritage website (www.newportrising.co.uk) or the Charism emag (thechartists.org/magazine.html).