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James Andrews Eyewitness Account
- Place: Bury
- Role: Officer
- Occupation: Deputy Constable
Saw Hunt three times in 1819. In January expected trouble that did not arise. At St Peter’s Field saw flags, caps of liberty and stone throwing. Would have refused to attempt arrests without military support.
Account
Download account8th April:
James Andrews called.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—What do you examine this witness as to?
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—As to the same sort of facts.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.-- Have you any more.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.-Yes; a dozen. But there are two witnesses I should like to call to night with respect to the state of the field in the morning, to shew it was cleared of all sorts of missiles.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You had better call them at once.
9 April:
James Andrews sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. I believe you are deputy constable of Bury?
A. Yes.
Q. You was formerly an inhabitant of Manchester?
A. I was.
Q. Did you happen to be at Manchester on the 9th. August?
A. I was.
Q. Do you know a place called Smedley Cottage, where Johnson resides?
A. Very well.
Q. On the 9th. August, do you remember seeing Mr. Hunt any where?
A. I do.
Q. Was he on horseback, in a carriage, or on foot?
A. In a gig.
A. By whom was he accompanied?
A. By Johnson the brush maker, at the side of St. Michael's Church.
Q. His companion was Johnson the brush maker?
A. He was.
Q. Any other carriage in company with them?
A. There was a chaise.
Q. Did you know the persons in the chaise?
A. I know since, and one or two I knew then.
Q. Have you seen the same persons since?
A. At different times.
Q. Tell us if you had any knowledge then, or have acquired it since?
A. On the box, by the side of the chaise driver, was Sir Charles Wolseley; in the inside, was Harrison of Stockport, and Moorhouse.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Was the man there who was called Parson Harrison?
A. Yes; and another person I did not know.
Q. Have you had any means of knowing that person since?
A. I have not.
Q. Did you hear any speaking?
A. I heard Hunt speak, but I could not tell what he said.
Q. Did he speak from the gig?
A. He stood up in the gig, and spoke; he was speaking when I went up there.
Q. What number of people were there?
A. Men, women, and children, a thousand, I dare say.
Q. Did he speak any length of time?
A. About ten minutes after I got there.
Q. Was his speech received with silence, or in what way?
A. Apparently at the end of sentences, there was a shout.
Q. Perhaps they might have shouted half a dozen times?
A. There was a great shout when he went away.
Q. Was you at the meeting on the 16th.?
A. I was.
Q. I do not inquire into the particulars of the different divisions coming on the ground; but do you remember whether the hustings continued where they were, or whether they were removed.
A. I cannot say.
Q. Were there two carts?
A. Only one.
Q. There was another brought?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see the cart that was there afterwards removed?
A. I do not know whether that was removed or another brought to it.
Q. You do not know whether the cart was removed from its original position?
A. I cannot tell that.
Q. You saw some of the inscriptions, such as "Equal Representation or Death” and so on?
A. I did.
Q. Were there any daggers?
A. I saw something that represented one.
Q. Did that surmount a flag-staff with a banner?
A. A colour or banner.
Q. Do you remember the inscription?
A. No.
Q. When they were all assembled together, what number of banners were there?
A. I counted about fifteen stand of colours.
Q. How many of these had caps of liberty?
A. I think about six or eight; but it is so long ago, I can scarcely recollect.
Q. You saw Hunt's arrival, and how he was received?
A. I did.
Q. Did you see the Cavalry form below Mr. Buxton's house?
A. I did.
Q. Whereabouts were you?
A. Upon the higher part of the brow that goes up Windmill-street, just at the top.
Q. You was in a situation to see the advance of the Cavalry; such a situation as enabled you to have a full view?
A. A very full one.
Q. Did any thing occur in your presence, that you saw, in their progress to the hustings?
A. I saw, before the crowd began to face them, five or six people waved their hats in front of the horses.
Q. That was before they advanced?
A. Before they advanced.
Q. Taking them to be in their way, in their progress towards the hustings, did you see any thing happen?
A. I saw stones flying about.
Q. Are you quite sure, that before they reached the hustings, you saw stones flying about?
A. I did; if you will give me leave I will tell you the reason.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—Only tell us what you did see.
Witness.—l recollect holding my head on one side, and I said to a person——
Q. Never mind what you said; you recollect holding your head on one side; what induced you to do that?
A. On account of the stones flying.
Q. From what part did the stones appear to come?
A. They appeared to come from the mob.
Q. Whereabouts?
A. It appeared to me to be the lower part of the hustings.
Q. Do you mean that part that lay between the hustings and the Quakers' meeting-house?
A. I do.
Q. In your judgment, from the appearance of the mob, would it have been safe to have attempted the execution of a warrant by the civil power, without the assistance of the military?
A. I would not have been one who would have gone.
Q. Was you in Manchester in January, 1819?
A. I was.
Q. Did you see Henry Hunt then?
A. I did.
Q. Where did you see him then?
A. At different times in the street, I saw him particularly go to the playhouse.
Q. Did you see him go there as one of the audience?
A. He was on the outside; it was the night the paper was issued to say there would be no play.
Q. Did you see any papers posted up that day, intimating there would be no play?
A. I do not recollect; but I heard.
Q. At what time of the night was it you saw Mr. Hunt?
A. About six o'clock.
Q. Is that the usual hour of opening the play-house doors?
A. The doors were generally opened at six, and the play goes on at seven.
Q. Was it in the interval between the hours of six and seven?
A. It might be seven o'clock.
Q. What was he doing?
A. Speaking to the people.
Q. What from a box?
A. From the box, by the side of the coachman.
Q. Then did he come in a coach?
A. I think it was a stand coach.
Q. Johnson was in the inside?
A. He was; but Hunt was on the outside.
Q. He got there to deliver himself. What number of people was he addressing?
A. A great many.
Q. How many?
A. Many hundreds.
Q. What was you doing?
A. I expected some bother, and I went to see it.
Q. Did you hear what he said?
A. I heard him desire the people to be quiet, or else the bloody butchers of Waterloo would be let loose upon them; or something of that kind.
Q. Are you quite sure he used the expression of the "bloody butchers of Waterloo"?
A. I am quite sure of it.
Q. Did he go away, after he had made his speech?
A. He went back to the Spread Eagle, and I followed.
Q. What, still expecting a bother?
A. Yes; Mitchell began to speak.
Q. You say you are now a peace officer at Bury?
A. Yes.
Q. And was formerly in Manchester?
A. Yes.
Q. How long have you been connected with the police?
A. For years; I was a grocer before.
Q. I will ask you whether it would have been safe to have attempted the execution of this warrant by the civil power, without the aid of the military?
A. I would not have gone myself.
Cross-examined by Mr. Blackburne.
Q. How long have you been a police officer at Bury?
A. Ten months.
Q. You liked it better than grocering?
A. It suits me.
Q. Although you did expect a bother, you was disappointed?
A. I was disappointed.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—And surprised?
A. And surprised.