Blind Jonathan Walker

Jonathan WALKER was one of the family's colourful characters and his step-grandaughter, Deborah PRESTWICH told many stories about him. He worked as a collier, according to the 1871 Census, although the same record also listed him as being blind. The family is a little convoluted at this point, but it appears that he has a child, Samuel, presumably from a previous marriage, another son, Jonathan from his marriage to Elizabeth STANLEY, and the two children from her previous marriage to Thomas STANLEY. The phrase they used to describe their brood was 'mine, thine and ours'!

The main story involving Jonathan is his part in the Murphy Riots of 1868 when religious tensions between Protestants and Catholics were running high. He was living on Orange Street at that time, probably a Protestant area, given that the Prince of Orange pub was and still is a popular local watering-hole. During the disturbances, Jonathan is said to have saved the life of a Catholic man who was being pursued by the mob. There is more background to this incident on this site.

It is also possible that Jonathan was active in the Chartist uprising in 1848. This was a forerunner of the trade union movement and promoted universal male sufferage. They were very much disregarded by various governments and their frustration turned to violence in August 1848, during which a policeman was shot by a person or persons unknown.

Joseph RADCLIFFE was sentenced to death for the murder, although it was fairly clear that he wasn't to blame. This was eventually commuted to banishment for life and he ended up in Australia, although he rturned to England twice on journeys to and from America.

Six other men were tried for their part in the murder and one of them was Jonathan Walker, aged 20, which fits our 'Blind Jonathan' He was transported for seven years for "having feloniously devised war against HM Queen in order to change her measures." More information.