Frost, John (1784?-1877), led the Chartist Movement in Wales. Chartists advocated a number of political reforms, such as allowing all adult men to vote regardless of their wealth, see Chartism . Frost worked as a tailor and draper in Newport, Gwent, and became active in the struggle for political reform. In 1836, he served as mayor of Newport. Frost became a recognized national leader of the Chartists in 1839. On November 4 of that year, Frost led a group of armed workers in a protest to the Westgate Hotel in Newport, where the government had imprisoned several Chartists. Troops who were occupying the hotel opened fire on Frost’s marchers, killing 20 of them and wounding many more. After their trial, Frost and his associates were transported to Tasmania, Australia. Frost later returned to the United Kingdom.
Frost was born in Newport, Wales, on May 25, 1784. He died on July 27, 1877, near Bristol, England.
