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 Redford Petitioner

The petitioner had his right shoulder-blade cut through by a sabre.

Place: Middleton,Rochdale
Role: Demonstrator,Injured,Petitioner
Occupation: Hatter

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William Schofield Petitioner

Petition of William Schofield of Manchester. Observed Yeomany attack and received sabre wounds to head and arm while trying to leave. Witnessed dead and injured.

Place: Manchester
Role: Demonstrator,Injured,Petitioner

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John Shields Petitioner

Petition of John Shields of Manchester. Was next to hustings and stuck on head by Yeomanry, trampled by horses, and beaten unconscious by constables with truncheons. Sabred again while trying to get home.

Place: Manchester
Role: Demonstrator,Injured,Petitioner

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James Smith Petitioner

Petition of James Smith of Thornham.

Place: Rochdale,Thornham
Role: Injured,Petitioner

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James Smith Petitioner

Petition of James Smith of Crompton. Stuck (sabred?) by soldier, rode down twice by cavalry and stuck a second time. Leg and elbow injuries. Unable to walk for some time.