The 1801 UK chart and the Cable Street Riot.
The chart for the UK often used by astrologers is the 1801 Act of Union chart, the other is the 1066 chart. They are both radical in their different ways but both have Aries rising and the Sun in Capricorn, which I feel describes the country. 1801 saw the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, massive expansion of Empire with the wealth stripping and cruelty that that involved. Mars, ruler of the Ascendant is in fall, greedy in Taurus in the first house. The period relates to an incredible accumulation (of other people’s) wealth and the power that it brings (Jupiter, ruler of the 8th, other people’s money and the 9th, overseas).
The Sun peregrine (without dignity) in Capricorn in the 10th house talks of the domination the UK will achieve worldwide. At one point the Empire encompassed one third of the world, which is rather extraordinary for a small island in the North Sea. Like the Roman Empire before it, the British Empire gained and maintained control through violence (Aries) and bureaucracy (Capricorn).
Foreign territories are shown by the 9th house, ruled by a boastful, expansive Jupiter in Leo conjunct the IC. The IC shows heritage and land and the UK certainly acquired that. Jupiter in Leo has belief in the divine right to rule and does so with pomp and ceremony (Leo loves a big show).
The people are shown by a dignified Moon in Cancer also conjunct the IC. The people are kinder than their masters and have more power ultimately than the peregrine Sun.
Like most empires the British Empire lasted around 250 years (to the 1950s) when it exhausted itself and the subjected peoples broke free. This might be timed to when Jupiter moved to conjunct Saturn also in Leo in the 4th, 22 degrees away which might represent the 220 years of Empire after which it the burdens (Saturn) became heavier than the benefits (Jupiter) and it could no longer be sustained.
For these reasons, I believe this chart is radical. So what is happening by transit now?
For transits I look at the slow moving planets as these are generational movements. The first to catch my eye is Pluto at 3 Aquarius retrograding to opposite the natal Jupiter at 1’17 Leo. Uranus, which just slipped into Gemini is heading to the opposition of Chiron. Saturn is exactly opposite the natal Uranus at 1’53 Aries and is about to go retrograde (July 14th) and Neptune will head back to that degree on August 8th, Saturn gets there on July 21st. Interestingly, Jupiter dignified in Cancer is moving to the conjunction of the IC at 9’47 Cancer (23rd July) and to that Moon (the people) at 25’25 Cancer June 8th next year.
It is interesting there is a dignified Moon in Cancer in the 1801 chart. Our rulers may be shown by harsh, ambitious patriarchal Capricorn and blood thirsty Aries, but the people are gentler, more compassionate and kinder. Certainly, they have shown this with their support for Palestine, hundreds of thousands marching and protesting all over the country. There is a real split between the people and our rigid, power hungry leaders, Cancer Capricorn symbolises it.
The people are rebelling, sick of inequality and ‘austerity’ another name for the transfer of assets to the ultra wealthy. Both the right and left are mobilising to change the system which is certainly corrupt and past its sale by date. Which side will prevail? I am heartened to remember how we threw out the Fascists in the 1930s despite the fact our ruling classes and media were more than happy to collaborate and in some cases, like the Daily Mail and members of the Royal family, cheer for Hitler.
The battle of Cable Street was a culminating moment of the fight against antisemitism and fascism1. In 1936. Mosley’s fascists, supported by the police and the ruling classes tried to stir up hatred by marching in military fashion through Stepney, which was then a mainly Jewish area. Jews, communists, trades unionists, Irish dockers and local people withstood charges on horseback by the police who tried to clear a way for this inflammatory march. They failed, besieged by stones, chamber pots and paving stones, the estimated 500,000 protestors faced the 6,000 police drafted in, overturned trams and blocked the route. At 15.30 Fenner Brockway (Independent Labour Party) phoned the Home office and asked them to stop the march which they did. Further marches in the East End were banned and in 1940 Mosley’s fascists became a proscribed organisation marking the end of his movement. Mosley spent the war in prison.
Notice the synastry with the 1801 chart, especially the strong Jupiter at 18’45 Sagittarius conjunct the 1801 Mercury. Jupiter dignified in Sagittarius calling for justice, freedom and equality (all great Jupiter attributes). Also, the Cable Street Mercury at 4′ Libra had just passed over the 1801 Uranus, coordinating (Libra) resistance to violence (Uranus). The Cable Street Uranus at 8’37 Taurus was heading for the 1801 Mars at 11’52 Taurus, Uranus Mars often shows violence and aggression, war was to break out three years later, these fascist marches were testing grounds to see how far they could push people and how much support fascism had in this country.
Plaque commemorating the Battle of Cable Street. photo credit Richard Allen 2005. Public Domain. ‘They shall not pass’ comes from the Spanish ‘no pasaran‘ the slogan of Dolores Ibarruri figurehead of Republican Spain.
Pluto at 28 Cancer is within orb of the 1801 Moon at 25′ Cancer, which I think speaks to the existential threat the people saw (the Moon) and realised they would be extinguished (Pluto) if they didn’t care for each other (Cancer).
The lesson is clear for our times, protest and rebellion works, fascism can be defeated if we unite against a common enemy, and asking nicely never changes anything.
In September, I am running a course to teach astrology to herbalists and other practitioners. Email to be put on the waiting list elisabethbrooke209@gmail.com (sometimes these links don’t work if so copy and paste the email address)
Elisabeth Brooke 