Tol ‧ pud ‧ dle Mar ‧ tyrs /ˌtɒlpʌdl ˈmɑːtəz $ ˌtɑːlpʌdl ˈmɑːrtərz/ BrE AmE
a group of six English farm workers who were put in jail for organizing a ↑ trade union (=organization that represents workers) in Tolpuddle, Dorset, in 1833–4. They were sent to Australia as criminals, but many people protested and in 1836 the men were brought home and set free.