John Barlow Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Officer
• Occupation: Innkeeper

Decided he should join his fellow Special Constables when he saw the size of the crowd. Saw crowds with stick and stones being thrown.

Account

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John Barlow sworn: examined by Mr, Serjeant Hullock.

Q. You live at Manchester?
A. Yes.
Q. And are an innkeeper?
A. Yes.
Q. In what street did you reside in August, 1819.?
A. In Deansgate.
Q. How far was your residence from the Police Office?
A. One hundred and fifty yards, one part.
Q. Do you remember seeing the party in which Mr. Hunt was?
A. I did.
Q. About what time did the party make its appearance?
A. About twelve; the strongest party about twelve, or half-past.
Q. When did that party in which Mr. Hunt was, come?
A. From half-past twelve till a quarter before one.
Q. He was in an open carriage?
A. He was.
Q. Had you an opportunity of seeing them opposite the place where the Police Office is situated?
A. I had.
Q. Did they make a stop there?
A. They did.
Q. How far were they when they stopped—at what distance from the office?
A. The carriage might be 150 or 160 yards when they stopped within view of it. I beg pardon, from 50 or 60 yards from the place where the carriage stopped, right within view of it.
Q. Had you an opportunity of observing any order given, or any thing that induced the stoppage?
A. I only heard the word' "halt".
Q. You did hear the word “halt"?
A. Yes.
Q. Did the word "halt" proceed from the carriage where Mr. Hunt was?
A. Before the carriage.
Q. At the word “halt," did the party halt?
A. It did.
Q. Was Mr. Hunt, at the time, sitting or standing up?
A. I think he was standing.
Q. Did you observe any motion of him or any other person in the carriage—were either of them with their hats off?
A. Only when the carriage stopped; then those within and those without turned their faces towards the Police Office and hissed.
Q. What then happened?
A. They shouted, hissed and groaned.
Q. During that time, was Mr. Hunt covered or uncovered?
A. I am not certain.
Q. Did you see any hats off?
A. Those who were in the carriage waved the hats about their heads.
Q. How long did they continue doing so?
A. Not many seconds.
Q. And then did you hear any word, given?
A. No; they proceeded on.
Q. Had they flags and banners along with them?
A. They had.
Q. Were you in a situation to see?
A. Yes.
Q. Was there a black flag, with the words inscribed, "Equal representation or death"?
A. Yes.
Q. That was on one side; do you know what was on the other side?
A. I do not.
Q. Can you tell me whether those in the open carriage shouted or not?
A. I am not positive.
Q. You say there was a large party along with this carriage?
A. A very large party.
Q. Had any of the persons, as far as you could observe, any sticks?
A. They had.
Q. Those about the carriage?
A. Yes; before, about, and after.
Q. Did they walk in order, in a sort of column?
A. They did.
Q. Had many of them sticks?
A. A great many.
Q. And of what appearance or size?
A. Very large, in general.
Q. Did they use them as walking sticks, or in what way did they carry them?
A. Some walked with them; some carried them on their shoulders, the same as firelocks.
Q. Had you heard, before this day, of the intended meeting?
A. I had.
Q. Was you aware of the meeting to be held on the 9th.?
A. I heard there was to be one on the 9th.
Q. Was you at all acquainted with the general state of the country at the time?
A. I was not.
Q. You saw straggling parties before?
A. A great many.
Q. Were these parties accompanied by music or banners?
A. They were merely straggling parties.
Q. Was this the only large party?
A. There was one before, and another after; the largest was before.
Q. Had the large party any accompaniment of banners and music?
A. It had.
Q. About what number might that party consist of?
A. I really cannot say.
Q. You have seen regiments of soldiers marching out of Manchester?
A. I have.
Q. Was it as large or less?
A. I became so alarmed from what I had seen, that I was obliged to close the doors and window-shutters, and burn candles in the room.
Q. Do you know whether similar precautions were taken by your neighbours?
A. Some few.
Q. State precisely, if you please, the reason that operated on your mind, that induced you, in the middle of the day, to shut up your windows, and close your doors?
A. I thought we should have a disturbance.
Q. Did you think the disturbance likely to ensue, would have put your property in danger?
A. I did.
Q. From the number of persons you saw enter the town that day, and the mode in which they conducted themselves when in Manchester, did you consider the town in danger?
A. I did.
Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. Did you ever see any other procession going through Deansgate?
A. None so large.
Q. Did you never see the shutters shut on any occasion before?
A. I never did; not for people passing in the day time.
Q. You had a great deal of property to be put in peril?
A. It was my all.
Q. Pray what property had you?
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—I am of opinion he is not bound to state the value of his effects.
Q. Will you swear that when you saw these sticks on their shoulders, you did not believe they were musquets?
A. I knew they were not musquets.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—You know a stick from a musquet.

 

John Barlow sworn: examined by Mr. Littledale.

Q. You are a merchant at Manchester?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you remember being at the Exchange, on the 16th August?
A. I do.
Q. Did you observe a party of men come past?
A. I did.
Q. Had any of them any sticks or bludgeons?
A- They had a considerable number.
Q. Of which?
A. Of sticks, my Lord, and bludgeons likewise. I considered a many of them to be hedge-stakes newly drawn from the hedge.
Q. Did their appearance create any alarm in your mind?
A. It did, sir.
Q. Was you a special constable?
A. I was.
Q. Had it been you intention, before you saw this party of men pass, to have attended the meeting as a special constable?
A. No, sir; not in my official capacity.
Q. Did you change your intention?
A. I did. I considered it my duty to attend in that capacity, and lend all the assistance that I could, to preserve the public peace.
Q. On account of the alarm their appearance had occasioned?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you go to the meeting amongst the special constables?
A. I did, sir.
Q. Do you remember seeing the Yeomanry advance?
A. I do.
Q. Prior to that time, did you observe whether the people round the hustings had their arms locked?
A. I cannot speak to all the people.
Q. Opposite to where you were?
A. Yes.
Q. As the Yeomanry were advancing, did you observe any thing was said or done by the crowd, when the Yeomanry got up to the density of the crowd?
A. When three or four had passed the line, the Yeomen were broken in by the rush of the crowd. The other part made their way the other way round the hustings.
Q. Before any of the yeomen got up to the hustings, did you hear any expressions, any words, used by the crowd?
A. I cannot precisely charge my memory at present.
Q. Did you see any stones thrown?
A. Yes; a great number.
Q. When were they thrown?
A. As soon as they had broken through them; some before.
Q. Was that before the Yeomanry got to the hustings?
A. It was. The advance of the Yeomanry had reached the hustings before the line was broken.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—What do you mean by the advance?
A. The trumpeter and the officers. I cannot say how many there were of them.
Q. You mean the first?
A. The first of them.
Q. Did you see any thing else thrown besides stones?
A. Stones, and brickbats, and sticks, flew about.
Q. Do you mean before the Yeomanry reached the hustings?
A. The first had got towards the hustings; but before they had reached the hustings, I observed sticks and stones likewise, but not so many.
Q. Before any of them got to the hustings, there were stones thrown?
A. There were; but not so many.
Q. Do you remember seizing a bludgeon yourself?
A. I do. As the other party were coming, up and turning the other way round the hustings, one man struck at one of the Yeomanry and hit him across the thigh.
Q. What was it with?
A. A very large bludgeon. It was a bough of a holly tree, quite green.
Q. You seized the bludgeon?
A. I did, sir.
Q. When the Yeomen got to the hustings, was resistance made to them?
A. Yes; I could not see what they were doing at the hustings; it was sometime before I got the bludgeon, I think; I was nearly knocked down; I was hurt; I was stunned.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You say you was knocked down?
A. Not knocked down.
Q. You were hurt?
A. I was.
Q. How was you hurt?
A. How, I cannot say.
Q. Did you see the Hussars and the Cheshire Yeomanry come on?
A. I did.
Q. If they had not come on, were the Yeomanry abIe to encounter the people?
A. I consider not—not by any means.
Q. Were they in danger if the Cheshire Yeomanry had not come up?
A. I should consider them in imminent danger.
Q. After the meeting was dispersed, did you see any thing lying on the ground?
A. A very great number of sticks, and bludgeons, and stones.
Q. Were the sticks and bludgeons the same kind you had seen in the hands of the people, as they passed the Exchange?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. In your judgment, was it possible for the civil power to have executed the warrant without the assistance of the military?
A. Not by any means.
Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. What kind of merchant are you?
A. A merchant of manufactured goods.
Q. What hour did you go on the ground?
A. A little after twelve.
Q. Where were you when these stones were thrown?
A. I was up to the density of the crowd; where they were linked?
Q. Where did these stones appear to come from?
A. From the crowd; in all directions.
Q. In all directions?
A. Yes; almost.
Q. When the Cavalry got into the dense part of the crowd there were more stones thrown than ever?
A. Yes, there were.
Q. Were there a great many of the people knocked down with these stones?
A. I don't know.
Q. Yon saw some?
A. I don't remember that I did.
Q. You are quite sure it was before any got up to the hustings, that stones were thrown?
A. I am.
Q. Did you see where they got them from?
A. I did not.
Q. You did not see them take them out of their pockets?
A. I did not; but they could not stoop for them, they were so very dense.

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