Place, Francis (1771–1854)

English Radical. He showed great powers as a political organizer, and made Westminster a centre of pro-labour union Radicalism. His campaign to secure the repeal of the anti-trade union Combination Acts (achieved in 1824) was a masterpiece of political lobbying. He organized meetings and conducted a campaign in the newspapers arguing that the Combination laws harmed the masters as much as the workers, for they interfered with labour relations and free trade. Having persuaded Parliament to conduct an enquiry, he handpicked the workers who would give evidence, selecting only the most moderate, smart, and quietly-spoken. He was also involved in Chartism, a radical political democratic movement.