Francis Phillips Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Manufacturer,Merchant

Met with a party of 1500 reformers at Ardwick Green. They carried two flags and a number of thick sticks. A man carrying one such stick threatened him. Describes the behaviour of the crowd was disturbing, and he ordered his own warehouse to be locked. He argues that it was essential for the magistrates to call in the military, he also suggests that if a ‘bolder commander’ had been in charge of the meeting then Manchester would have been in even greater danger.

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Francis Philips sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.

Q. You reside at Manchester?

A. At Manchester.

Q. I believe you are a merchant?

A. I am a merchant and manufacturer there.

Q. I believe your attention was attracted by the crowd of people going to Manchester on the 16th.?

A. It was.

Q. It will not be necessary for me minutely to examine you; I will only ask you, did you observe in what way they were armed; had they sticks?

A. The party I met at Ardwick Green, about a mile and a half from Manchester, in number about 1500, to the best of my knowledge, marched, though without music, with perfect regularity. It may be important to mention, that I saw one of their flags distinctly; there were two flags, one of them had inscribed on it, "No Corn Laws," the other I cannot speak to.

Q. Had they any sticks?

A. A great number of sticks.

Q. Of what description of sticks.

A. They were such as countrymen walk with. I beg the foreman of the Jury to let me see the stick in his hand. I did not see one that was not four times as thick as that.

Q. Did you see any that had the appearance of being recently out—recently taken from the tree or hedge?

A. I particularly noticed one, that was a formidable weapon indeed. It was apparently as thick as my wrist, with a green bark as if newly cut.

Q. Did the man say any thing to you?

A. The man observed that I was looking particularly at him; he carried it on his shoulder. He put his other hand to it and shook it at me in a threatening manner.

Q. Did you observe any of the parties or divisions, distinguished by a particular badge in their hats?

A. That was another. The party I saw, came on the ground; I identified and saw the same banners on the field.

Q. State whether you remember any party on the ground, or any where else; particularly distinguished?

A. I observed a large party, distinct from the one I have mentioned, enter St. Peter's Field; a number of them were distinguished by a green leaf—a laurel leaf I believe it to have been, in their hats;

another part of them had a white badge in their hats.

Q. From what you observed of the parties who entered the town, and proceeded to the meeting at St; Peter's Field, in your judgment, was the meeting such a one as was calculated to inspire alarm?

A. I expected Manchester would not exist, as Manchester, that night. And I am firmly of opinion, that a bolder commander had been at the head of the meeting, such a one as Thistlewood, that would have been the case.

Q. In your judgment, was the danger you apprehended, averted by the interposition of the military?

A. It was averted by the wisdom of the Magistrates and the constables, and by the calling in of the military, in aid of the civil power.

Q. In the course of the day, what further expressions did you hear from the mob?

A. I heard a great number; some similar to those given in evidence, which it would be useless to repeat. One I particularly remember, which was distinct from the others.

Q. What was that?

A. A man very similar in appearance to the third witness for the plaintiff, who was hatter in Oldham, but not the man I am speaking of, was addressing a little group round him. He said to his companions, "it will soon be settled; and when our strength and numbers are known, people of consequence will join us” or words to that effect.

Q. Did the alarm you felt on that occasion, induce you to take any precautions for the safety of your property?

A. Certainly.

Q. What did you do?

A. With respect to my house, I made it, in fact, into a garrison. In respect to my warehouse, I had the windows secured, and two or three of the outer doors well secured early in the morning; and I ordered a trusty servant never to quit the third door, and to close it at the moment he saw the appearance of a crowd advancing.

Q. In your judgment, in the face of such an assembly, would it had been safe to have executed a civil process without the aid of some military?

A. It would have been excessively injudicious and rash.

Cross-examined by Mr Evans.

Q. Are you aware whether the Magistracy gave any directions that the shops should be shut on that day?

A. I knew nothing of it. I wish it to be understood, I do not know it of my own knowledge; I may have heard of it.

Q. Did you ever hear of it from any of the Magistrates?

A. I did not. I had no conclusion with them before the meeting.

Q. You published a pamphlet about this?

A. I did.

Q. You published two editions?

A. I did.

Q. I believe you found it necessary to correct some error in the second edition?

Mr Serjeant Hullock.[Symbol]The edition will correct itself.

Witness.[Symbol]I made a sight alteration, I added a chapter, and corrected two words, in the second edition.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.[Symbol]Why were we to go into that?

Mr. Evans.[Symbol]To shew that he has given his opinion under a string impression and bias.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.[Symbol]You cannot to go into that; he is speaking on his oath.

Q. You feel a strong interest in this question?

A. I think it the duty of every Englishman to feel a strong interest in the welfare of his country.

Q. Were the people suffering distress at this time?

A. There were many people suffering distress, but the ringleaders had not suffered distress. The distress was occasioned by them.

Q. I am not asking you any questions as to the cause of their distress, there are four or five Counsel in the cause, and I think the witness might leave it to them. There were people out of employ?

A. I dare say there were. I have no doubt this was the case; I do not doubt the fact, though certainly there were many people who were employed.

Q. Did you see any on wounded or cut by the military?

A. Not one.

Q. Where was you when the Manchester Yeomanry marched up to the hustings?

A. I was near Mr. Buxton's house, and very near the spot where they filed off with the constables. It was the dust occasioned by their filing off towards the hustings, that prevent my seeing what happened afterwards.

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