Eight Hours Day, which is celebrated in Tasmania on the second Monday in March each year to commemorate the winning by Australian workers of fairer working hours, also falls near the anniversary of the free pardon granted to Tolpuddle Martyr, George Loveless, on 10 March 1836.
George Loveless was a Methodist Lay Preacher and one of the first British Trade Union Organisers.
He was sentenced to transportation to Van Diemen’s Land in 1834 on account of his work in organising the Dorset agricultural workers in their quest for better pay and conditions. He landed in Hobart, was granted a ticket of leave in recognition of his exemplary conduct and assigned to a master in New Town.
A free pardon was granted to George Loveless on 10 March 1836. He learnt about it a few days later when he read of it in the local newspaper! He returned to England and later moved to Canada.
A plaque commemorating his achievement was unveiled jointly by the Methodist Conference and Unions Tasmania in 1970. For some years it was affixed to the exterior of the Trades Hall building in Davey Street. It is now preserved by Unions Tasmania at their North Hobart premises.
Andrew
Heritage People 
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