Alexander Anderson Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Demonstrator
• Occupation: Weaver

Helped organise the meeting. Forgetful or evasive. Does not recall much detail of the meeting

Account

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Alexander Anderson sworn: examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. Where do you reside?
A. Manchester.
Q. What are you?
A. A weaver.
Q. Was you at the meeting on the 16th. August, 1819?
A. I was.
Q. Was you one of the persons who called that meeting?
A. I was one of the persons who signed my name to the requisition.
Q. What was your object?
A. To petition Parliament for a reform.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—The requisition will speak for itself.
Mr. Evans.—You object, do you
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—I do object.
Q. At what period of the day did you go to the meeting?
A. Between eleven and twelve.
Q. Were there many people on the ground then?
A. A great many.
Q. Of what did the crowd of people consist?
A. I cannot say, there were a great number walking backwards and forwards.
Q. All men?
A. Old and young, women and children.
Q. How long did you stay at the meeting?
A. I stopped at the meeting till Mr. Hunt passed me by in some sort of a carriage.
Q. Did you go away then?
A. No.
Q. How long did you stay?
A. I stopped till I saw him go on the hustings.
Q. When did you go away?
A. Soon after.
Q. Did you go away before the meeting was dispersed?
A. Yes, I felt very poorly, and I said I would go home and get my dinner.
Q. Had you any other object in calling the meeting but what was stated in the requisition?
A. Nothing at all.
Q. To your knowledge had any other person?
A. Not to my knowledge.

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. Was this the first meeting you had been at, Alexander?
A. It was not.
Q. You had been at many before?
A. At many a one before that.
Q. At Manchester?
A. I never went out of Manchester to one.
Q. What had you done at the other meetings besides talking?
A. I cannot say what was done only listening to the people.
Q. And you went away much edified?
A. When I was tired looking at them I went home.
Q. Was you at the meeting of the 9th. of August; you know there was a bit of a meeting?
A. I was not.
Q. But there was one?
A. There was one but it was reckoned to be illegal.
Q. That was the reason you did not go?
A. That was the reason I did not go there.
Q. How far did you get upon the 16th.?
A. Somewhere about the Quakers' Chapel.
Q. And then you saw Mr. Hunt?
A. Yes.
Q. Who were with him?
A. A good many, I do not know any.
Q. Had you seen them before?
A. I knew that gentleman.
Q. You knew their names; did you know Johnson?
A. I have seen him, but I should not know him again.
Q. Did you see him in the open carriage?
A. I did not.
Q. Did you see him with Mr. Hunt?
A. I was not taking notice.
Q. But you saw the lady on the dickey?
A. I might see them.
Q. Did you see a lady dressed in white?
A. More than one or two.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—In the carriage or on the carriage?
Q. In the carriage or on the dickey?
A. They were riding there.
Q. They were moving along with Mr. Hunt, they had flags?
A. I did not take notice.
Q. Do you know Mr. Carlile?
A. Yes.
Q. You are not intimate with him?
A. I know him when I see him.
Q. What had you been about, you went late?
A. I was at my work.
Q. Did you see the people marching in the "beautiful order" my friend speaks of?
A. Some few.
Q. How few?
A. I cannot say.
Q. I do not want to know to a thousand?
A. Do you mean what went in the street?
Q. Yes: what is your street?
A. Newton Lane.
Q. Is that near Oldham Road?
A. It goes into the Oldham Road.
Q. Give us a small conjecture of the numbers you saw coming down.
A. I cannot, I am no great judge.
Q. You never will be—How many did you see, more than two or three parties?
A. Several.
Q. Did you not see several march in ranks like soldiers?
A. There was no symptom of that.
Q. What did they march like?
A. Some were very poor and ragged, without any thing in their hands.
Q. A ragged regiment — How did they march, with their feet in "beautiful order"?
A. Quietly.
Q. Just in the same way as soldiers?
A. Not the same way as soldiers; they always have firelocks.
Q. With that single exception they marched the same way, but had no fire arms?
A. No.
Q. That was the only difference; that they had no firelocks and soldiers have?
A. Yes, when they are marching out of town.
Q. These men had nothing in their hands?'
A. Some might.
Q. What had they in their hands?
A. I cannot say.
Q. Tell us what you think they had in their hands?
A. Some odd ones had a small rod in their hands.
Q. A switch, you mean?
A. Yes.
Q. Very few of them had any thing?
A. Some had bits of rods.
Q. How many might there be in a party?
A. I cannot say.
Q. 3000 perhaps, or 4000?
A. I cannot say nothing to that.
Q. Do you mean to represent that you did not see a party of 4000 or 5000 coming down your street?
A. I would not wish to swear but to what I know.
Q. You do not know?
A. I cannot swear what number were together; I would not wish to swear what number; I did not take that notice.
Q. Did you ever see such a party march down the street?
A. I never saw so many as at the meeting.
Q. I ask you whether you ever saw so large a party marching down the street; had they bugles?
A. They had some sort of music.
Q. Do you mean to affect to say they had no music?
A. They had something they blew.
Q. Not bagpipes I suppose; you know what a bugle is?
A. Yes; them they sound in the morning.
Q. Was it them you heard?
A. Something similar to that.
Q. Were they trumpets or bugles?
A. I cannot say more than that.
Q. And they blew that as they came along?
A. I heard them blow it once.
Q. Had they any drum?
A. I did not hear any, nor do I recollect.
Q. What number of banners—ensigns were there?
A. I cannot say any thing about that.
Q. You saw none?
A. I cannot swear positively, it is so long back.
Q. That is not our fault; I ask you how many flags there were?
A. I cannot say how many.
Q. Were there three or four?
A. There might be three or more.
Q. Was you near enough to read what was written on the flags?
A. Some of them.
Q. What did you see upon them?
A. 'Tis a great while back.
Q. What did you see written upon any of the flags?
A. I will not pretend to say, for I cannot recollect.
Q. Was there "Equal Representation or Death"?
A. It might be on it.
Q. Did you see that? I ask you if you did not see that on one of the banners—"Equal Representation or Death"?
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Do you recollect whether that was on the banners or not?
A. I think I have heard people say it was.
Q. If you recollect you must tell us?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. You can read?
A. I can if it is near me.
Q. I mean what was written on the black flag; you saw the black flag?
A. I think I did.
Q. Will you take on you to swear deliberately, that you cannot recollect the words on the flag?
A. I do not recollect now, I might if I had been called then.
Q. You admit that you saw to the number of three or more?
A. Three.
Q. I ask you if you did not see this — "Let us die like men, and not be sold like slaves"?
A. I think I did.
Q. You have seen Caps of Liberty?
A. Yes.
Q. How many were there with that party. I do not ask you how many were in the field?
A. I cannot say how many; I did not see them.
Q. Was there one on the black flag?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. Did you ever attend drilling?
A. No, nor ever see none.
Q. Did you know any of the party that came down?
A. I cannot remember at this time.
Q. Did you see them halt?
A. Yes, I see them halt.
Q. Who gave the word?
A. I do not know.
Q. Did they halt by the sound of the bugle?
A. It is such a while back I cannot remember; what I could remember then it would be hard to remember now.
Q. Was you halted by the word or by the sound of the bugle?
A. I do not know.
Q. Did you hear any one give the word to "march" or "halt"?
A. I did not take notice.
Q. What countryman are you?
A. I was born in Ireland.
Q. How long have you been in Manchester?
A: About 32 years.

Re-examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. Do you know any thing of a meeting on the 9th?
Witness returned no answer.

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