Jeremiah Smith Eyewitness Account

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Headmaster

Testifies to alarm at influx of people, sent most boys away from school and secured those who remained in his own house. Saw Hunt’s carriage come into town and stop and hiss at the Star Inn & the Police Office.

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The Rev. Jeremiah Smith, D. D. sworn: examined by Mr. Starkie.

Q. You are the head Master of the Grammar School in Manchester?

A. l am.

Q. Did you reside in Manchester on the day in question; the 16th. August?

A. I did.

Q. Did you take any precautions on the morning of that day, as to your doors and windows?

A. Yes.

Q. What was it you did?

A. I dismissed the boys from the school—I locked up my own boarders—I collected my own boarders under my own premises, locked both the doors leading to the street, and closed the shutters in front of my house.

Q. What was it that induced you to take these precautions?

A. The great influx of strangers into the town.

Q. Did you yourself see many come in?

A. Many.

Q. Can you form any judgment as to the number?

A. I cannot; I saw many in small parties.

Q. Did you see any large parties?

A. At a later hour in the day, after I had secured my own premises, I went out with a view of ascertaining the state of the town.

Q. You say you sent the boys home, what was the reason?

A. I feared the most serious consequences from the influx of strangers and the meeting; many boys were absent from school, and did not come at all.

Q. Many were absent and did not come?

A. During the short time we were in the school, several parents sent for their boys away, after which I dismissed the school.

Q. I think you say that you yourself went out to make observations?

A. I did.

Q. Where did you go?

A. I went to the house of the steward of the school, which is next to the Star Inn.

Q. That is the house where the Magistrates are accustomed to meet?

A. So I understand.

Q. What did you observe there?

A. I remained in the house some time, and was going home just when the party who were conducting Mr. Hunt to the ground turned from St. Mary's Gate into Deansgate.

Q. St. Mary's Gate leads from the Exchange?

A. It leads from the Exchange.

Q. Did you see Hunt?

A. I did; l went back; it was impossible to proceed. I returned into the house.

Q. You saw Hunt?

A. I went into a room: oh the first floor of the steward's house.

Q. Describe what you saw?

A. From the window there, I saw the whole party conducting Mr. Hunt pass by. Mr. Hunt himself was in an open carriage with others: they stopped opposite the Star, and shouted, groaned, and hissed.

Q. Did they stop at all when that was done?

A. They did.

Q. Opposite the Star?

A. Opposite the Star; after a time they proceeded.

Q. At the time they were opposite the Star and hissing, to what place was their attention directed?

A. To the Star Inn.

Q. They then proceeded?

A. They then proceeded to the end of Back King-street.

Q. Which leads to the Police Office?

A. Yes.

Q. About one hundred yards further. When they got to the street leading to the Police Office, what did they do then?

A. They did the same.

Q. Do you mean, shouted, groaned, and hissed?

A. Yes.

Q. To what place did their attention then seem to be turned?

A. Towards the Police Office.

Q. Were there a considerable number of persons there attending Hunt?

A. A great number.

Q. Could you form any opinion as to their number?

A. I am not qualified to judge of numbers.

Q. Was the street full?

A. The street was full for a great length of time.

Q. Was the body of those who passed, collected together, or stretched over some distance?

A. Stretched over some distance; the hissing came chiefly from the part nearest the carriage, not from the whole body.

Q. And continued along the line for some distance?

A. For some distance.

Q. Was you enabled to see whether Hunt took any part in this?

A. I did not observe.

Q. You have said you was alarmed before this; what were your fears then?

A. My fears were much increased; so that I should have been very thankful if my wife and children had been a distance from Manchester.

Q. Did you feel then serious alarm for the safety of your wife and children?

A. Yes.

Q. Was it merely from the numbers of the people, or the way in which they demeaned themselves?

A. From their demeanour opposite the Star; paying no respect to those whose bounden duty it was to protect the inhabitants and preserve the peace.

Q. Observing their conduct and demeanour, did it seem to proceed from a view to disrespect and insult towards those authorities?

A. I conceived it did.

Q. Did other people seem to feel the same alarm?

A. Yes.

Q. From what did you infer that?

A. From the conversations I had with many of my neighbours, I am convinced there was a great alarm.

Q. Did you observe the doors and windows of the shops in Deansgate?

A. They were generally shut up.

Q. The shop windows?

A. They were generally closed; some doors were open.

Q. Deansgate is one of the most frequented streets?

A. It is.

Q. There are a great number of shops in it?

A. There are.

Q. Was there any kind of business carried on during the time you-was these?

A. I did not observe any.

Q. And the doors and windows of the shops were closed?

A. Closed generally; some doors were open.

Cross-examined by Mr. Blackburne.

Q. It is rather a narrow street, Deansgate?

A. It is not very wide.

Q. I believe it is not very unusual, when there are a multliude of people passing, for the shopkeepers to close their windows?

A. It may be done.

Q. To prevent the pressure on the windows, and breaking them?

A. They were open before the people came.

Q. You say you sent your scholars home?

A. The day scholars.

Q. The day scholars are the principal part of your establishment?

A. I have fifteen boarders now.

Q. I do not mean to say that you have not a very excellent establishment.

A. I cannot tell you what number of day scholars there are.

Q. At what time was it you sent the day scholars home?

A. I think soon after ten o'clock; we returned into the school from breakfast at half-past nine, and, as far as I recollect, we did not remain long together.

Q. There were a great number?

A. Fifty or sixty.

Q. You sent them home?

A. Yes.

Q. You could not go with, each of them?

A. It would have been impossible.

Q. Then they went by themselves?

A. By themselves.

Q. Were they big boys and little ones?

A. Boys of all ages.

Q. Had you began to feel this alarm before you sent them home?

A. Yes.