SATURDAY-NIGHT THEATREbr br Sat 26th Aug 1961, 20:30 on BBC Home Service Basicbr br The recorded broadcast of April 24.br br Haydn Jones, Avril Elgar and Miles Malleson in Six Men of Dorset by Miles Malleson and H. Brooksbr br A play about the Tolpuddle Martyrs, celebrating the brave working class men who were exiled to Australia for forming a trade union.br br The action takes place in Dorset, London, and Australia in the 1830s, and Canada in the 1850s.br Produced by Charles Lefeauxbr br Main characters in order of speaking:br br Nellie, as a child: Susan Bownbr br Georgie: David Lottbr br Jinnie: Heather Kydbr br Betsy Loveless, their mother: Avril Elgarbr br George Loveless, their father, and one of the Six Men: Haydn Jonesbr br James Loveless, one of the Six Men: Tom Watsonbr br Two of the Six Men: James Brine: Nigel Anthonybr br Two of the Six Men: James Hammett:br br William Eedlebr br Edward Legg: Kenneth Dightbr br The Squire: Eric Andersonbr br Dr Warren: Derek Blomfieldbr br Farmer Bryant: Julian Somersbr br Farmer Case: Wilfred Babbagebr br Farmer Duffelt: Philip Morantbr br Two of the Six Men: Thomas Standfield:br br Frederick Trevesbr br John Standfleld: Andrew Irvinebr br William Cobb: Godfrey Kentonbr br Mr Wollaston, JP: Peter Claughtonbr br James Frampton, JP: John, Bryningbr br Mr Gambier, Counsel for the Prosecution:br br Derek Birchbr br Mr Butt, Counsel for the Defence: Miles Mallesonbr br Judge Baron Williams: Keith Williamsbr br The Rev Dr Wade: Willoughby Goddardbr br Robin Nealy: Andrew Irvinebr br Nellie Loveless: Penelope Leebr br Other parts played by members of the BBC Drama Repertory Companybr br Tolpuddle is a village near Dorchester in Dorset, where in the years 1833 and 1834 a great wave of trade union activity took place and a lodge of the Friendly Society of Agricultural Labourers was established.br br George Loveless and five fellow workers – his brother James, James Hammett, James Brine, Thomas Standfield and Thomas's son John – were charged with having taken an illegal oath. But their real crime in the eyes of the establishment was to have formed a trade union to protest about their meagre pay of six shillings a week – the equivalent of 30p in today's money and the third wage cut in as many years.