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.

Alice Kearsley Eyewitness Account

Testified during Lees Inquest. Was cut by a trumpeter whilst standing fifty yards from the hustings.

Place: Manchester
Role: Injured

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William Booth Eyewitness Account

Testified at the Less Inquest. Claimed to be injured by missiles thrown even before meeting started, suggesting the affair was not as peaceful as others testified.

Place: Manchester
Role: Officer
Occupation: Police Constable

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Nathan Broadhurst Eyewitness Account

Testified at Lees Inquest. Saw the Yeomanry as they entered towards the hustings from Mr Buxton’s house; ‘The Cavalry cut away, some of them saying, “Damn you, I’ll reform you”‘.

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William Buckley Eyewitness Account

Testified at Lees Inquest. Saw the peaceful procession of 4-5000 coming down Mount Street- but the Yeomanry, whom he had seen earlier loading their pistols, galloped up in disorder and ‘dashed amongst the crowd.’