Tolpuddle martyrs were six farm laborers from the village of Tolpuddle, in Dorset, England. They were transported to Australia in 1834 because they took part in trade union activities. They were among the first transportees convicted on political grounds. Later political transportees were pioneers of the labor movement in Australia. People throughout Britain protested strongly against the sentence of transportation. In 1836, the men received a pardon and returned to Britain.
