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.

Simon Mellor Petitioner

The petitioner was wounded in his thigh by a sabre; he also witnessed a woman ‘take her last breath’ and die.

He could not return to work for twenty days.

Place: Oldham,Royton
Role: Injured,Petitioner
Occupation: Weaver

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Biddy Monks Petitioner

Elderly petitioner was stood far from the hustings when she was inflicted with a wound on the arm, then crushed, her shoulder dislocated and side caved in.

She attended the meeting with her daughter, who dragged her away and was forced to plead with the yeomanry not to attack her mother again. Petitioner was 70 years old at this time.

Place: Manchester
Role: Injured,Petitioner

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Elizabeth Neale Petitioner

The petitioner was trampled, and had all of the ribs on her right side broken. She was rendered disabled for 5 months, during which time she was confined to the infirmary.