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.

Thomas Worrall Eyewitness Account

18/4/1820 Statement regarding clearing the stones and bricks from St Peter’s Field by 10:00 am on 16/8/1819 and seeing enough stones on the field afterward to fill a large cart.

Place: Manchester
Role: Officer
Occupation: Assistant Surveyor of Paving

Find out more

Jane Wolstenholme Eyewitness Account

2/11/1819, Statement about 3pm 16/8/1819 saw stones thrown at Special Constables and she rescued constable Robinson.

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator

Find out more

John Whittaker Eyewitness Account

9/2/1819 Statement about his observations about reformers anti-government/church views prior to 16th August and observations about action on 16th August.