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.

Mary Jones Eyewitness Account

Saw no insult offered by either Yeomanry or crowd at SPF. Saw a woman crushed to death by the pressure of the crowd.

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator

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William Hulton Eyewitness Account

President of Lancashire and Cheshire Magistrates. Chairman of 10 on that day.

Ordered the deployment of the military to support the yeomanry in dispersing the crowd. Gives a detailed account of his movements at SPF. ‘I gave orders to Col. L’Estrange to advance to the support of the Yeomanry; I never thought it would be necessary to disperse them violently, as I thought they would disperse on the apprehension of those named in the warrant; and I will add, that we had no previous intention whatever of dispersing the crowd, I witnessed none of the scenes that took place after.’

Place: Manchester
Role: Officer
Occupation: Magistrate

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John Hulley Eyewitness Account

Says no warning was given by the cavalry prior to charging the crowd. ‘They offered no insult to any one.’

Place: Mossley,Tameside
Role: Demonstrator
Occupation: Cloth Maker

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Henry Horton Eyewitness Account

Saw different parties marching to SPF. Saw speeches. Heard Hunt say ‘put them down, keep them down’. ‘I felt no inconvenience; nobody threatened to take my good coat off my back; I was certainly alarmed.’

Place: Elsewhere
Role: Press,Spectator
Occupation: Reporter 'The New Times'

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Jonathon Hobson Eyewitness Account

Corroborates previous witnesses re: the peaceable nature of the crowd, that they offered no resistance to the military, and that Hunt did not incite any resistance in his speech. ‘Saw nothing done to intimidate or oppose the cavalry; there was a shout, but he considered it to be a shout of welcome’. Mainly resided in Liverpool.