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.

Robert Grundy Eyewitness Account

Gives detailed account of events of the 16^th, where he saw no resistance made by the crowd. Interrupted by debate about whether a speech supposedly given by Hunt, or one supposedly given in parliament, would be acceptable in questioning. ‘Mr. Hunt bowed, and the witness said, I should consider such a speech very improper.’

Place: Salford
Role: Officer
Occupation: Special Constable

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Joseph Green Eyewitness Account

Present at SPF. Former Boroughreeve for Manchester. Of the opinion that the meeting was a violent uprising. ‘It certainly appeared to me more like the beginning of a general rising of the neighbourhood than of a meeting for any peaceable purpose’.

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Manufacturer

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James Frankland Eyewitness Account

Frankland’s son attended SPF meeting. Saw Bamford’s speech prior to meeting. Saw nothing untoward in the procession.

Place: Middleton,Rochdale
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Clogger,Leather-Cutter

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Peter Statham Eyewitness Acccount

Testifies that people coming into Manchester were armed with sticks topped with sharpened Iron, and threw stones at the Cavalry.

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Shipping Company Clerk

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John Fell Eyewitness Account

Saw crowd at SPF – says there were no long staves, only walking sticks. Saw no resistance from the crowd. ‘I saw no sticks held up against them; the people was making way as fast as they could.’