One Sketch #11 - Chartist Commemorative Sculpture, Newport

I like Newport. There we are, I've said it. Sue me. Newport has only been a city for a few years, but it's a city I like, and so when I was at a bit of a loss where to go today, I thought I could do a lot worse.

Newport is rightly proud of its connection with the Chartists. Chartism was a very serious working class movement in Britain from the late 1830s, which called for, amongst other social improvements, universal male suffrage. Needless to say, the 'ruling classes' were a) scared witless by Chartism, and b) determined to oppose the Chartists at all costs.

In November 1839 up to ten thousand Chartists marched on Newport. Their purpose was to free fellow Chartists who were believed to have been imprisoned in the town. Troops were called, and opened fire, killing over 20 demonstrators.

Today I sketched a part of the Chartist Commemorative Sculpture by Christopher Kelly, which was erected in the early 1990s.

The law don't help poor working folk
But it taught us, if we rise
That the rich don't take no prisoners
And they don't apologise
It's blood of honest working men
That stained the gutters red
And the ruling classes slept more sound
For the twenty who lay dead.

One sketch #10 Espresso Bar Swansea

Yes, the fact is that I didn't get time to post yesterday. Ideally I would post the same day as I make the sketches, but I have to allow myself the leeway to post the next day, or as soon as possible, so long as I do actually make the sketch on the right day. In other words, it's my game and I'm playing by my rules. Here's the sketch: -

I've seen this building so many times, since it's almost directly opposite Swansea station. I like the mural painted on the side of the building, and it's own distinctive architecture. As for verse, well. . .

Pour me a cup of coffee,
Rich and deep,
Strong as you like, and bitter
Who needs sleep?

Actually, I do. I've had real problems getting a good night's sleep for a long time, and yesterday I started reading Matthew Walker's "Why Do We Sleep?" in the hope of picking up some ideas. One of the things I have found really interesting is his explanation of the effects of caffeine. So much so that I have limited myself to just one cup of coffee so far today. We'll see if it brings any benefits.