Francis Riley Eyewitness Account

Evidence given by demonstrator Francis Riley at the trial of the reformer John Knight.

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Evidence of Francis Riley

National Archives TS 11/1025/4266
Trial of John Knight for Habergham Eaves meeting

Francis Riley says that on Sunday the 15th day of August last he left home to go to M, that he got to Bury that night and proceeded to Manchester the following Morning. That he staid at a public house in Manchester till near 12 o’clock at noon of the same day viz the 16th day of August when he this witness went to St Peters Square in Manchester where there was a meeting. That when he got there there was a number of persons assembled, women, men and children. That this witness got within about 20 yards of the hustings and saw a person arrested who witness understood to be Hunt. That the cavalry made a charge upon the people assembled and this witness was pressed down by the crowd. That when the cavalry began to act upon the crowd this witness heard a person call out “stone them”. That he looked round him and gathered up a pot which he saw lay and whilst he this witness was crushed down by the crowd as before stated he this witness threw the pot which he had in his hand at a soldier which was on [sentence unfinished]. That when this witness got up he leaped over some rails into a cellar hole but he was soon ordered out of the cellar hole and then he this witness went into the Quakers meeting house yard where he staid not very long and then got into the street which he had gone along into St Peters Square and he this witness then left Manchester and went towards home. That this witness saw no pikes at Manchester nor any person that had a pistol. Some persons on the crowd had sticks and some had none.

That he this witness attended a meeting of the Radicals at Skipton which was held either on the 8th or the 15th day of November last, it was on a Monday, that he saw no pikes or pistols there. . .

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