Elizabeth Gaskell and Manchester:
Identity, Culture and the Modern City
Conference, 19/20/21 July 2005

My paper will treat of an Irish family's migrant experience, moving from a rural eviction in Mayo, to survive in an unfriendly urban scene in greater Manchester during the 1840's -1860's. The family is that of Michael Davitt, later an M.P. and a writer. It will trace their journey from Liverpool to Haslingden by foot; their gradual rise through the social and economic cycles as initially non-English speakers. Michael Davitt, through losing an arm in a cotton mill accident gained an education that enabled him escape a life of manual work. He came under the influence of Ernest Jones and thus widened his horizons. He became aware that agrarian servitude in Ireland for Irish people, was mirrored by industrial servitude in England for English people. Influenced by Jones he too began to denounce landlordism in England and gained an understanding that there was no intrinsic division between the poor working class of each country.

As Davitt and his family improved their social and economic position he became involved with the Fenians. He was present at the attempt to blow up Chester Castle and supported the attempt to resuce the Fenian prisoners in Manchester in 1867. The subsequent execution of three Irishmen, " Manchester Martyrs", [commemorated in Moston Cemetery] was seen as an extension of the persecution of the Irish in Manchester. I will explore how and why a small group will adopt terrorist tactics within their host community, to fulfill their historic aims, exposing innocent people to death, including members of their own emigrant community.

Davitt served many years in jail but emerged to become a life long worker for the rights of the poor throughout the world. He resigned his seat in the House of Commons in 1899 as a protest against the Anglo-Boer War.

Anthony Jordan is the author of eight historical biographies and has worked in Manchester as a student. His latest book is WB Yeats: Vain.glorious. Lout. A Maker of modern Ireland.