Jane Wolstenholme Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator

2/11/1819, Statement about 3pm 16/8/1819 saw stones thrown at Special Constables and she rescued constable Robinson.

Account

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‘The Information of Jane Wolstenholme, wife of John Wolstenholme, Pool Street near Brazenose Street, Whitesmith, Manchester, taken upon oath before me one of His Majesty’s Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Lancaster this Second day of November 1819.

Who saith that about three o'clock in the afternoon of the sixteenth of August last, saw a number of Special Constables running for their lives, and instantly saw a very great quantity of stones and brick-bats thrown at them. In about two minutes afterwards one of the Special constables (Whose name Informant has since learned is Robinson) came to the shop door quite breathless and exhausted, at the moment that Informant was shutting the door, for protection against the stones that [they] were then throwing in frightful quantities. Informant pulled Mr Robinson into the shop to save his life, and in a moment got the bar across the door to fasten it. A shower of stones then were thrown at the door and windows, several of which were broken – the door was split as also the shutters which were fortunately not taken down that day. Informant being so much alarmed at the meeting, that the shop window shutters remained up all that day. The shower of stones was so tremendous as to fear that the House would be forced in. Informant sent for the soldiers, who in about five minutes happily arrived and saved the life of Mr Robinson who certainly would have been murdered by the mob, if they (the soldiers) had not come up to rescue him, and Informant verily believes that her House would have been forced down if the soldiers had not at that moment made their appearance.

The mark of Jane Wolstenholme X

Sworn before me Jas. Watkins.’

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