Henry Andrews Eyewitness Account

• Occupation: Servant

Servant to Henry Hunt: character witness for Hunt. No indication he attended demonstration on 16th.

Account

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Name: Henry Andrews
Occupation: Servant
Home: Not stated
Date: 23nd March 1820
Source: Trial of Henry Hunt 124-126
Summary: Hunt’s servant. Character witness for Hunt. Describes previous meetings. Suggests Hunt’s horse was poisoned by soldiers/police.

Henry Andrews examined by Mr. Hunt. —Had been Mr. Hunt’s servant nearly seven years; had accompanied Mr. Hunt to many public meetings, to the three great meetings at Spa-fields, to those at Bristol and Bath, to the county meetings of Somersetshire and Wiltshire, and to meetings in Palace-yard; had heard that Mr. Hunt was a freeman in Bristol, and knew that he had property in Bath and at Glastonbury, in Somerset¬shire, where he (Mr. Hunt) was Lord of the Manor. Knew that Mr. Hunt had a farm in Wiltshire, when he attended the Wiltshire meeting, and that he resided in Hampshire when he attended the meeting in that county. Knew that he (Mr. Hunt) was a Liveryman of London, and that he was resident in the city of Westminster when he attended meetings there. Went with Mr. Hunt to Manchester. Never knew of any riot or breach of the peace at any of the meetings, which he had attended with his master. Remembered the soldiers surrounded the great meeting at Brandon-hill, in Bristol. The people cheered the soldiers going and coming, but this did not appear to give the least offence. He remembered meeting some Horse-guards on returning from one of the Spa-fields meetings. Some of the people hissed the soldiers, but Mr. Hunt did not. He rose and told the people not to hiss the soldiers, but to cheer them. Remembered that this conduct was repeated on meeting with other soldiers on the same day; went to the Spa-fields meeting on the 2nd of December with Mr. Hunt; all was peaceable and quiet; heard that morning of a riot in Snow-hill before they got to Spa fields; went with Mr. Hunt to Bullock Smithy; proposed going back as the Manchester meeting was put off from the 9: h to the 16th of August. Mr. Hunt went on to Stockport, where he slept at Mr. Moorhouse's. Witness accompanied Mr. Hunt on the following day to Manchester. Recollected that Mr. Hunt spoke to the people, and lamented that he could not stay, as he must go back into the country on business, but said he would return on the 16th. Witness held himself in readiness to return with Mr. Hunt till the following Wednesday, when he came to the stable and said he had made up his mind to stay over the 16th, He remembered the horse Bob; he was dead, and buried at Preston: witness had seen his grave and monument; the horse was said to have been poisoned at the Lancaster Assizes. Had never known Mr. Hunt to excite the people to violence; knew that Mr. Hunt in Salford, where he was brought up, was considered the poor man’s friend; had always encouraged industry.

Mr. Scarlett remarked, that in this call the usual practice was reversed, and the servant was called upon to give the master a character, instead of the master being called upon to speak to the character of the servant; had never seen Mr. H. or any of his visitors intoxicated. Squire Whitmore and the Clergyman of the village were the persons who visited him most frequently; his fellow-servant had lived upwards of six years under his present master; had never before been a witness in a Court of Justice.

Cross-examined by Sergeant Bullock. —The fellow servant of whom he had spoken was not Bob; it was a female; she was in York; knew that his master had property in various places which had been mentioned. Did not know that Mr. Hunt had property at Manchester. Had heard that one man had been shot in a riot in Snow-hill, and Mr. Beck, whose shop had been plundered. That was on the day of one of the Spa-fields meetings. This took place before the meeting. Went to the meet¬ing and Mr. Hunt spoke. Did not know that he saw Watson standing at the side of Mr. Hunt on that occasion. Did not know that he had since seen Dr Watson and Thistlewood with Mr. Hunt knew no person that stood by Mr. Hunt at the meeting. Was not with Mr. Hunt on his return to London to Manchester, so did not go to the grand dinner. Went with Mr. Hunt to Moorhouse's house; had seen Knight at Smedley Cottage; did not know Carlile; could not say that he was not there, because he knew nothing of him; witness did not attend his master to Guildhall on the morning when he expected his action against Dr Stoddart for a libel would come on. Was not in London when Mr. Carlile was tried. Was never at Blackheath with Mr. Hunt had heard that Mr. Hunt had been a brewer in Bristol. Had been with Mr. Hunt when he lodged in Norfolk-street, in London, where he had three upstairs rooms. Remembered Mr. Grundy coming to Smedley Cottage while Mr. Hunt was there. Saw Mr. Hunt, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Knight get into the carriage. Did not know the name of the fourth person who got in; did -not know where the barouche came from; did not know where it was hired.

Re-examined by Mr. Hunt—Never sat down with Mr. Hunt to dinner in his life. Did not profess to be a politician; he only minded his own work.
By the Judge. —Had heard Mr. Hunt say that a poor man who worked hard from Monday morning to Saturday night, ought to have enough to maintain his family.

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