John Chadwick Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Shoemaker

Saw crowd drilling in military fashion on 15^th August 1819. Was present at the meeting, 16^th August, and says it was peaceful. ‘If any person was to swear that the people marched by with you, four or five abreast in a riotous manner, they would swear a falsehood. I saw no swords pistols or bludgeons.’

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John Chadwick, examined by Mr. Scarlett —Lives at Manchester, a shoemaker. He went on the 9th to meet Hunt. He met him at Ardwick Green. There was a gig with Hunt and Johnson in it, and a, chaise with Sir C. Wolseley, Parson Harrison, and Mr. Moorhouse in it. There appeared to be about 3000 people coming in with them. The crowd increased as it went along. He heard:  Hunt say in a low tone shout, shout, shout.” He repeated that till he got opposite the Observer Office. There they stopped, and every time Mr. Hunt whirled his hat, the people shouted, and the others joined. They appeared to understand him. They then went on to Johnson's house, and shouted again. Hunt said, three times three.” This was opposite Saint Michael's church. He then told the people to come on one side, and he would tell them his errand to Manchester. He then drawed his gig on one side, and said that he had been invited to attend at Manchester by the Manchester Committee, and that he and his gig, and his political Bob (his horse), had set out together. He had come as far as Coventry, where he saw the Courier newspaper, which stated that the Manchester Magistrates had put down the Reformers at Manchester, and that he (Hunt) would be afraid to show his face there, as they would make him smell gunpowder. Afterwards, he said that he had seen the proclamation at Bullock-Smithy, and such a proclamation never came from a shop-board of tailors; he added, that he would have the Courier to know that he was not afraid of gunpowder. He then turned to the Stockport people, and said he hoped to see them all on the 16th, and that they would bring as many of their friends and neighbours as they could with them. Witness knew where White Moss was; on the 15th of August he got there before day-light; White Moss is about 5 miles from Manches­ter. There was a great number, about two or three hundred at first, but they kept increasing all the morning. They came from different roads. Witness went there from curiosity. They fell in ranks like soldiers when the horn was blown. This was about day-light. Witness also fell in. The people fell in to the companies belonging to the place they came from. Every company had a person to command it. They then marched about the field for two hours; and  when the word was given to fire they clapped their hands. The words “Make ready, present, fire,” were given as if they had guns; and at the word “fire”, they clapped their hands. About six o'clock they all joined in a body, and then they made me and all the other spectators fall in with them. I did not know any of them by name. I saw Murray there.

Mr. Hunt objected to this evidence. The witness had sworn that he knew none of these people.

Mr. Scarlett said he would show that some of the people had attended Mr. Hunt

Mr. Hunt said, it mattered not unless some of those persons were among the accused.

Mr. Scarlett said, he hoped Mr. Hunt would not be allowed to disturb the proceedings of the Court.

Justice Bayley —Mr. Hunt has a right to take the objection, and I am doubting whether this is evidence—(The witness was sent out).

Mr. Scarlett said he was about to show, that some of these persons who were training, and who assaulted Murray, had attended the meeting of the 16th, and had also cheered opposite Murray's house: he would show that Mr. Hunt and his party had done the same. This, he conceived, was per­fectly regular.

Justice Bayley — When you have shown that any of the persons of the White Moss party were at the meeting on the 16th, then it will be evidence, but I think you had better prove that first.

Witness was again called in and examined. He said he was at the meeting of the 16th, and the first person he saw there was a man whom he had seen at White Moss with a letter brought from Manchester. A person arrived at White Moss after witness had seen Murray. The parties then formed into a square, like four walls, and the man who was to read the letter was in the centre. The letter was not read, as they said there was no name to it, and they would have nothing to do with it. The man then joined them. The man who was to have read the letter was the man who led up the Middleton and Rochdale parties on Monday. This man was drilling the men, and giving the word of command He saw Murray, the constable, on the Moss, and heard the people call “spy, spy,” and then run after him. There was another man with Murray, Witness left the ground about six o'clock. He went next day at 11 o'clock to John­son's house, to meet Mr. Hunt Witness went with a party from the Union School-room at Manchester He did not see Mr. Hunt go from Johnson's, for he (witness) joined the Rochdale and Middleton parties, who were going on to the meeting. He saw Mr. Hunt go to the meeting afterwards from Johnson's house. Johnson, Knight, and a person they called Carlile, were with him in an open topped chaise. Some of the people walked in ranks near it, but the rest walked irregularly. They shouted as they came to Johnson's, and also at the Exchange, and oppo­site Murray's house, they hissed hard. There was a woman on the coach with the coachman. She carried a flag.

Cross-examined by Mr. Hunt—I live at No. 30, Miner Street, Man­chester; I have lived there nine years. I work a little for myself. I know you are Hunt; when you bid the people shout. I did not join them. Went through mere curiosity, and nothing else. I stayed up all the night I went to White Moss; the man who went with me is named William; I do not know his other name; he saw all I saw at White Moss. I never told those who brought me here, that another person had been with me at White Moss. I have frequently talked over the matter with the man who went with me. I do not know where he lives. The story I have told here has been taken down in writing by Mr. Milne; he never asked me whether any body had been with me. I went to him of my own accord to speak the truth; I went to him last Thursday. I never went to him before that time. There were about 300 persons at White Moss when I got there. There were some scores, who did not fall in until they were forced. They said to us “you must all fall in, for we'll have no lookers on.” When I first came, they had not fallen in, —they were all sitting down. There are roads close to White Moss, and persons passing could not miss seeing the people marching. When I fell out of the ranks, I went into the next field, lest I should be made-fall in again. I think there were as many spectators as persons inarching, I left them about seven in the morning, and went home. I do not recollect any other words used, but, ”march” said I counter-march; ”when they did march;” the men walked up the field. I think when they said, ”counter-march,” they marched back again; not backwards, but to the place from whence they came; I did not see them raise their arms in the attitude of firing; I did not see the people in the carriage hiss or take any notice of Murray's house; any person who should state the contrary would state what is false. (Described the flags borne by the different parties on the 16th). I heard shouting and cries of ‘Hunt and Liberty’. There was no disposition to do Mischief manifested by the crowd; they were all gay and cheerful.

If any person was to swear that the people marched, by with you, four or five abreast in a riotous manner, they would swear a falsehood. I saw no swords pistols or bludgeons. I saw some walking-sticks with some of the people. If any of them had had weapons calculated to do mischief, I must have seen them; I never) cheered on any occasion. When I got to St. Peter's field I stood near the house where the Magistrates were. When the cavalry came in, I was rather alarmed, but not before. Peter's field was full of people, who were all-standing peaceably. I saw nothing to the contrary. They remained so till the cavalry began to go down. As they were going to the stage I quitted the field. They came in with their swords drawn, and in a sort of trot. I went away because I thought there would be danger. There were many others running as well as me. I went to White Moss, as it was well known in the town that drilling was going on there.

Cross-examined by Robert Wilde. —I left Manchester about twelve o'clock on the night of the I5th, and arrived at White Moss about six the morning. It is day-light between two and three in the morning In August. It would be a hard job for me to tell you the road I took to White Moss.

Cross-examined by Mr. Johnson. —Some of the people went before Mr. Hunt’s carriage on the 16th. You may call it marching if you will. I can't say whether they went six a-breast. I was before the carriage, and do not know how those behind it went. I heard no sound of bugle, nor any order for hissing given at Murray's

Re-examined by Mr. Scarlett —I went to Blakely, and then crossed the fields to White Moss. The nearest turnpike road to the Moss is a mile and a half distant. The nearest village is Blakeley, which is a mile off. There were some stout lads who marched before the carriage of Mr. Hunt I saw them in Ashton-lane.

The placard calling the meeting of the 9th of August, in order, In-order to consider of the best means of obtaining a Radical Reform in the House of Commons was then put in.

Mr. Hunt objected to it as evidence, unless it could be shown that he had been a party to its being published.

Justice Bayley said the placard had not yet been proved.

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