James Heath Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Gentleman

Testifies to feeling alarmed at the number of people, 3000-4000, passing his house at Cheetham Hill. Several of the passers by threatened him.

Account

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James Heath sworn: examined by Mr. Littledale.

Q. I believe you live at Chetham Hill?

A. Yes.

Q. How far is that from Manchester?

A. About two miles.

Q. Is that on the road between Manchester and Bury?

A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember, on the morning of the 16th. August, 1819, any people coming past your house?

A. Yes.

Q. What were their numbers?

A. I cannot tell; from 3,000 to 4,O00.

Q. Were they all in one body or different parties?

A. In different parties.

Q. Did you go to your door or window to see them pass?

A. I was in the dining room when they came by.

Q. Was that up stairs?

A. Below stairs.

Q. Did you go to the gate of your house?

A. After the principal body had passed, I did.

Q. Were there more people passed, after you got to the gate?

A. Several smaller parties.

Q. Where were they coming from?

A. They appeared to be coming from Bury and Rochdale.

Q. Now as you was standing at your gate, did any people, as they passed, say any thing to you?

A. Yes;. there were three in a party.

Mr. Blackburne. — Does your Lordship think that where three persons are passing by, we are to have an account of what they said?

Mr. Justice Holroyd. — Yes; I think we must hear what they said.

Mr. Blackburne. — It is merely the account of these three persons passing by.

Q. Were they the last of a party, or did any more come up?

A. More came up.

Q. What did any of them say to you?

A. One said “you will not sleep in that house to night."

Q. Did you ever see so large a body come past your house before?

A. I do not know that I did.

Q. Did you feel any alarm?

A. Yes; I felt a little alarm.

Q. What made you alarmed?

A. In consequence of the number of people going, and what might happen at Manchester.

Q. Do you know whether any alarm was felt by your neighbours?

Mr. Blackburne.—Surely we are not to have in evidence, what was the state of alarm of his neighbours?

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—The state of alarm of the people was what the Magistrates acted upon.

Mr. Blackburne.—l have taken the objection, and your Lordship has ruled against it.

Q. Did any of your neighbours express their alarms to you the night before?

A. The night before

Q. Was the alarm expressed by many?

A. No; by Mr. Rider.

Q. By any body else?

A. No.

 

Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. Pray were there any old women in your house?

A. No.

Q. Any body but yourself and your wife?

A. Yes; a female servant.

Q. Was she alarmed?

A. She did not express it.

Q. Was Mrs. Heath alarmed?

A. Yes.

Q. Will you swear from what place they came?

A. No.

Q. Will you swear to what place they went?

A. No.

Q. Will you swear who they were?

A. No.

Q. You do not know whether they were spies hired to state this; will you swear whether they said it in earnest or not?

A. It did not appear as a joke.

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