James Chisnell Eyewitness Account

• Place: Lancaster,Royton
• Role: Injured
• Occupation: Weaver

Account

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Account of James Chisnell of Royton, weaver, sworn in Manchester, 1 Nov 1819

Source: Manchester Observer 25 December 1819

(Transcribed by Peter Castree)

In the King’s Bench.

JAMES CHISNELL, of Royton, in the county of Lancaster, weaver, maketh oath and saith:-  That he was at the Manchester Meeting on the sixteenth of August last and was standing near the hustings when the Cavalry came up, and one of them gave this deponent two cuts with his sabre, one on his head, and the other on his arm; that he was then knocked down and [trampled?] upon by the horse, but what then passed, this deponent does not know, as he fainted; and when he recovered he found himself surrounded by several persons who were shaking this deponent and throwing water in his face, by which he was revived; and after some time was enabled to be led to the Infirmary:  And this deponent further saith, that he found he had entirely lost the use of his arms and hands from the injuries which he had received:  And this deponent further saith, that he was put into a large room in the Infirmary, where several other persons were sitting, and other persons apparently gentlemen, were walking about the room; who repeatedly taunted the sufferers with ironical remarks respecting the meeting where they had received their wounds:  And this deponent further saith, that after waiting some time, he was ordered to take off his clothes to be examined, when he told the Surgeon that he could not undress himself; upon which his shirt and flannel waistcoat were torn off his back, and he was bled by the Surgeon and had his wounds dressed:  And the deponent further saith, that he particularly requested the said Surgeon to examine his shoulders as he could not move his arms, and felt very great pain both in his shoulders and other parts where he was bruised:  And this deponent further saith, that the said Surgeon then said in an insulting tone to this deponent, “Well, you will not go to a political meeting again, I suppose,”  or words to that effect; to which this deponent replied, that with the help of God, if he got better, he should, as he this deponent saw more than ever that a reform was necessary: upon which the said Surgeon ordered this deponent to go home to Royton, which is about nine miles from Manchester, saying, there was nothing the matter with him: at the same time ordering this deponent some medicines, which were obliged to be put into his pocket,  as he could not use his hands, even for so simple a purpose:  And this deponent further saith, that he was then sent home, and being assisted by persons on the road, and his strength stimulated by the use of spirits given him by the people on the road, he was enabled to reach Royton by eleven o’clock at night:  And this deponent further saith, that the next day he applied to a surgeon, who ordered him to be stripped, and said that his shoulders were both out; and upon this he, this deponent, was held down in a chair by four or five men, while the surgeon performed an operation on him, and by violent force reduced his arms to their natural situation:  And this deponent further saith, that he was under the Doctor’s hands eight weeks, or thereabouts; and that he, this deponent, has not yet regained the use of his hands and arms so as to be enabled to resume his work as a weaver:  And this deponent further saith, that when he was attacked and cut down, he did not, nor did any other person, to his knowledge, offer any resistance or violence, nor was there any riot or disturbance.

JAMES CHISNELL.

Sworn at Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, the first day of November, One thousand eight hundred and nineteen, before me

JOHN DICAS, a Commissioner, &c.

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