The Old Cock Inn, Halifax.
1832: A meeting of the Reform movement, precursor of Chartism, at the Old Cock Inn..
Rushton had been politically active since Peterloo in 1819, and would have been to many such meetings.
Picture courtesy of The Working Class Movement Library.

Oddfellows Hall, St James St, Halifax, opened 1840. Ben Rushton an Honorary Member- 140 Oddfellows led his funeral procession.

Large Chartist meetings were held here; Ernest Jones lectured to enthusiastic audiences: “There was loud response to his exciting appeals”.1848 (Gammage) ( Dickens also spoke here.). At the 1847 election “A great meeting of women exclusively was held in the Odd-Fellows Hall to promote the return of the people’s candidate. There could not have been less than two thousand women present. The proceedings were conducted with the utmost enthusiasm and order. This was one of the most novel and pleasing sights ever witnessed”. Northern Star 31 July 1847 . Jones in 1848.

Skircoat Green, and The Standard of Freedom. (Photo: Doug Robertshaw.)
Frequently the scene of mass gatherings. The pub gained its name when the landlord declared "The people of Skircoat Green shall join in that march of freedom and I will raise the 'Standard of Freedom' at this inn."

1819: Radicals and Reformers gathered on the green in protest on the day after Peterloo, and marched from here to Huddersfield in mourning for the deaths and casualties.
Ben was one of the leaders of this procession.

Good Friday, 1848: A West Riding demonstration at Skircoat Green drew c 20,000 people, confirming “Halifax as now the leading centre of Chartism in the country.” though many people said that Chartism had failed by then. Speakers from Halifax included Rushton, Kit Shackleton (county secretary of the movement), Isaac Clisset. 500 special constables observed proceedings. (Epstein & Thompson.)

“Processions with music and flags poured in from Bradford, Huddersfield and other places. An immense concourse of people assembled on the moor. Ben Rushton presided. Lightowler of the Convention was one of the speakers. (Gammage)

Friendly Fold, Ovenden:

A plan of the Fold in 1870.

The plot opposite the back of the Friendly Inn may have been where Ben Rushton’s cottage was. It is now a car-park.

Dial House, Friendly Fold Road, was a Methodist New Connexion Meeting House and Sunday School at the time Rushton was engaging with Methodism as a young preacher, between 1815 and 1821. He would certainly have attended meetings here.

Basin Stone. (photo HD)
Used for radical meetings by Chartists, Hudsonites and later socialist groups.

August 18, 1842, three days after the Plug riots in Halifax Rushton addressed a large Chartist meeting at Basin Stone, on the moors above Todmorden. .

The scene is said to be the subject of a retrospective painting by AW Bayes, now in Todmorden Town Hall.

Wadsworth Moor, 1842: To celebrate the presentation of the National Petition, people gathered at Hebden Bridge where they were exhorted to orderliness and peaceableness,.They then walked in procession through Midgely to Wadsworth Moor, preceded by a band, & carrying banners and flags. A crowd of about 7,000 gathered there and addressed by Sutcliffe, ‘the Chartist Missionary Jones’ (not Ernest) and Rushton. Cheers were raised to Frost and O’Connor before the return home. “Thus ended one of the largest meetings that has been held in this neighbourhood for these many years.” Northern Star 7.5.1842

Mount Skip Inn was the meeting place for the local branch of Chartists, known as the Mount Skipton Chartist Association. Closed now as a pub, but does B&B.
“Messrs B Rushton and R Sutcliffe addressed a numerous auditory at Mount Skip, Wadsworth, near Halifax, on Monday evening last, on the National Petition and People’s Charter, and was most cordially received. Resolutions were passed, expressive of confidence in the General Convention...” Northern Star 11.5.39

Blackstone Edge.
1846 Aug 2: “An old man, named Benjamin Rushton” chaired a meeting of about 12,000 Chartists. O’Connor brought along Ernest Jones, whose first encounter it was with the strength of Chartist support in the industrial North. Rushton warned him of the strong arm of the law being raised against him.
1850 A meeting of several thousand (“..not less than 30,000”: Gammage.) indicates continuing support for the movement. Speakers: Rushton, Kit Shackleton, Harney, O’Connor and others.