Shoemaker Thomas Hardy and London Corresponding Society

Isaac Cruikshank, The Cobbler Turned Preacher (1791)

"In January 1792, a local shoemaker, Thomas Hardy, formed the London Corresponding Society, starting what J. Ann Hone describes as the rise of the "politically awakened artisan." The members of the LCS were adept at reaching out to fellow reform groups across the country, arousing the ire of the national government. From its founding up to its dissolution in 1799, the LCS was seen as a "a small society of citizens that at the conclusion of the eighteenth century had the courage to resist the system of oppression adopted" by fellow reformers. Attempts to broaden their support, such as an annual meeting in St. George's Field calling for popular suffrage, usually met with opposition from officials.

Several months after the birth of the LCS, some members of the comparatively liberal Whig party founded the Society of Friends of the People. This more genteel group sought similar reform, specifically "a more equal representation of the people in Parliament." Direct opposition to the established order could not be easily maintained in the seat of government, and the attempts for reform bills in 1792 and 1793 met with several arrests and resounding parliamentary defeats. The society was faced with a feeling of hopelessness, and the government eventually outlawed the meetings, which forced the group to disband.

The government itself proved reactionary towards any calls for reform, especially after 1793, when conflict with France gave a negative tinge to any radicalism. An alleged assassination attempt served as the basis for the Treasonable Practices and Seditious Meetings Acts, which increased the pressure on non-governmental organizations. In 1794, Habeas Corpus was suspended, allowing police to arrest whomever they pleased without cause. This enabled a series of Treason Trials, and although most were released or acquitted, it left an impression on others who might consider opposing the government. The fear that these trials brought upon the citizens could have suppressed further acts of revolutionary violence. Finally, the LCS was directly targeted in 1799 by the Corresponding Societies Act and rendered illegal. Along with the Friends of the People, it was seen as too similar to the architects of the French Revolution. ." 

source http://cai.ucdavis.edu/waters-sites/london1790s/

Read more about Thoms Hardy and London Coresponding Society here and here.