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.

Owen McCabe Petitioner

Observed peaceful gathering, head crushed by Yeomanry Cavalry

  • Place: Manchester
  • Role: Injured,Petitioner
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James Lees

Brother of the late John Lees who’s body was miss-examined by the Coroner. Petitioner hopes that justice will be done.

  • Place: Oldham
  • Role: Demonstrator
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John Lees Petitioner

Around one o’clock Yeomanry and Special constables attacked unprovoked, observes several hundred injured.

  • Place: Oldham,Royton
  • Role: Injured,Petitioner
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James Lees Petitioner

Petitioner attended meeting and observed peaceful gathering, observes Yeomanry sabre slashes on head bed ridden at home for three weeks.

  • Place: Oldham,Saddleworth
  • Role: Injured,Petitioner
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John Kershaw Petitioner

Observed that cavalry ride into crowd, petitioner thrown down by pressure of crowd and crushed, collarbone broken.

  • Place: Oldham,Royton
  • Role: Injured,Petitioner
Find out more

Enormous thanks to our partners and funders