Eyewitness Accounts

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.

Henry Hunt Petition

1819 petition. Petition of Henry Hunt Esquire of Hants, chairman of the meeting at St Peter’s Field on 16th August 1819.

  • Place: Elsewhere
  • Role: Demonstrator
  • Occupation: Orator
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Henry Hunt Letter (Johnson)

Letter from Hunt to Johnson 6/7/1819 accepting the invitation to attend the meeting on 2nd August.

  • Place: Elsewhere
  • Role: Demonstrator
  • Occupation: Orator
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Henry Hunt Letter (Sidmouth)

17/8/1819 Letter from Hunt to Sidmouth requesting what charge he is held on & enclosing a copy of the warrant for his arrest.

Written from New Bailey prison.

  • Place: Elsewhere
  • Role: Demonstrator
  • Occupation: Orator
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Harmer, Pearson and Denison Letter and Report

2 documents (1) letter written to the Editor of the Morning Chronicle, written 11th Sept 1819 (2) Report to Relief Committee, written 22nd Sept 1819.

Solicitors engaged in collating witness statements.

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Gilbert Burrington Letter

30/11/1819 Letter from Barrington to Sidmouth informing him that the slaughter at Manchester was committed by the Cavalry was published on a poster.

  • Place: Elsewhere
  • Role:
  • Occupation: Reverend
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