Eyewitness Accounts

Eyewitness Accounts

To commemorate the 200 year anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre the Peterloo 2019 Ambassadors have worked in partnership with Professor Robert Poole (University of Central Lancashire), author of Peterloo: the English Uprising and the Age of Revolution at University of Kent to compile the 400+ eyewitness accounts which include press reports and petitions.

This is the first time the original accounts have been compiled into an online archive. You can now use the website to search by name, place and role and learn more about the eyewitness accounts from 1819.

James Chisnall Petitioner

Petition of James Chisnall (/Chisnell) of Royton.

  • Place: Oldham,Royton
  • Role: Demonstrator,Injured
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James Campbell Petitioner

Petitioner who was close to the hustings was sabred and trampled on.

  • Place: Manchester
  • Role: Demonstrator,Injured
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James Boothby Petitioner

Sabred and then run down by one of the Yeomanry.

  • Place: Manchester
  • Role: Injured
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James Beswick Petitioner

Petitioner received a sabre wound to right the right arm.

  • Place: Manchester
  • Role: Injured
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Joseph Fletcher Eyewitness Account

9/11/1819 Statement regarding reformers, anti-government comments and the requests for him to make pikes.

  • Place: Blackley,Manchester
  • Role: Spectator
  • Occupation: Blacksmith
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