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John Moore Eyewitness Account
- Place: Manchester
- Role: Officer
- Occupation: Constable
Claims that Manchester and nearby towns had been in a state of increased disturbance since Henry Hunt’s visit in January 2019. Claims the pressure of containing this had affected his mental health. He took time off to be ready to deal with the anticipated problems on the 16th of August. States he was knocked down twice in the pressure of the crowd, the second time by one of the cavalry on a horse.
Account
Download accountJohn Moore sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. Were you one of the two Constables of Manchester, in the year 1819?
A. Yes.
Q. The colleague of Mr. Andrew?
A. Yes.
Q. You came into office, we understand, in the latter part of the year 1818?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. From that time down to the month of August, 1819, had you opportunities, in your situation, of knowing the nature and state of the country and of the public mind at that time?
A. Yes, we had.
Q. You have seen Mr. Hunt, I presume?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see Mr. Hunt at Manchester before the month of August, 1819?
A. I saw him in January.
Q. Upon what occasion had you an. opportunity of seeing him then?
A. I saw him come into the town in an open carriage?
Q. I believe that is a cold time of the year in Manchester?
A. Yes.
Q. Was he attended, or unattended?
A. He was attended, by a great mob.
Q. A numerous mob do you mean?
A. Yes.
Q. Of what description might that be composed?
A. They appeared to be of the lowest class.
Q. In what species of carriage, gig, or buggy, did he make his appearance?
A. In a barouche.
Q. Did it hold more than one?
A. There were several other persons with him.
Q. In the carriage?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know from whence he was coming?
A. From Stockport, I believe; I saw him on the Stockport road.
Q. He was entering into Manchester by the Stockport road?
A. Yes.
Q. Was you acquainted with the persons of the people who were along with him?
A. Not at that time.
Q. From what has transpired since, do you know?
A. Yes.
Q. Who were they?
A. Johnson.
Q. Was there any other you afterwards saw?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. You know that Johnson was one?
A. I believe so.
Q. Did he pass through Manchester, or stop?
A. I saw him again near the Exchange.
Q. With the same accompaniments?
A. With the same accompaniments.
Q. What became of him finally that day?
A. He went to St. Peter's Field.
Q. Do you know in what part of January it was?
A. The 18th. January, 1819.
Q. Having arrived at St. Peter's Field, was any thing done?
A. I went back to the Police Office.
Q. Did you hear him address the people?
A. Not at that time.
Q. Did you go back again?
A. I went to the field; but not very near the hustings.
Q. Was he addressing the people?
A. He was on an elevated place; I did not hear him; some person was speaking from an elevated part?
Q. Was he present at the time?
A. I believe he was.
Q. At the time he was so speaking, was there a considerable crowd of individuals?
A. I believe there was.
Q. Were the effects of the meeting apparent some days after in Manchester?
A. They were.
Q. In what way did they exhibit themselves — in what way did you see the effects of that meeting?
A. By the unusual quantity of the lower orders that were continually in the streets.
Q. In your judgment, was the unusual quantity of people that appeared in the streets, subsequent to that time, to be ascribed to the appearance of Mr. Hunt?
A. Entirely.
Q. Do you know what became of him afterwards; did you see him again?
A. I saw him once, I believe.
Q. How long did Mr. Hunt continue at Manchester, at that time?
A. He remained till the Tuesday following.
Q. What day of the week was the 18th. January?
A. Monday.
Q. Then he was there a week after?
A. The Tuesday in the following week, in consequence of the disorderly state of the town, the Boroughreeve and Constables, I being one of the Constables, thought it right to request the Managers of the Theatre to close it.
Q. Why did you do so?
A. Because we understood that Mr. Hunt meant to be at the Theatre.
Mr. Blackburne.—Is that any thing like evidence?
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—It is the strongest evidence that can possibly be offered, to shew the state and bad spirit of the public mind of the town of Manchester, from the time of Mr. Hunt's making his first appearance in it, downwards.
Q. In consequence of the observations of yourself and colleague of the unsettled state of the town, did you think that to recommend, or rather to request, the Manager of the Theatre to close it, was a proper step to be taken?
A. I did.
Q. Did you think that step a necessary step towards the preservation and tranquillity of the town?
A. It was; we adopted it solely with that view.
Q. You had no private interest to serve?
A. Not at all.
Q. Was the Theatre in fact closed?
A. Yes, it was.
Q. Did you happen to see Mr. Hunt that night?
A. No, I did not.
Q. Were there any individuals assembled to go to the play?
A. About five o'clock, the Boroughreeve and I went down to get a little refreshment.
Q. You say you went down to take a little refreshment about five o'clock, why did not you go down before that time?
A. It was hardly possible for us to get any regular refreshment during the whole of the week.
Q. What precluded you from taking refreshment as usual?
A. The number of communications brought, from time to time, to the Police Office, and which we thought it our duty to attend to.
Q. Did these communications relate to the unsettled state of the town?
A. Entirely.
Q. In your judgment, was the unsettled state of the town, the result of Mr. Hunt's visit to Manchester at that time?
A. It was.
Q. Do you mean entirely, or was it merely one cause that operated towards it?
A. I believe, entirely.
Q. You say that you went down to get some refreshment?
A. Yes.
Q. Did that going down to get refreshment lead you towards the Theatre?
A. No; it was in a contrary direction.
Q. Had you afterwards any occasion to see the Theatre?
A. We had scarcely sat down, when a message was brought to us that a mob had assembled round the Theatre, and were attempting to force the doors.
Q. Did you go down, in consequence?
A. Yes; we did.
Q. Both of you went down?
A. Yes.
Q. Describe to us the state of things when you got there?
A. We found a large body assembled round the Theatre.
Q. Before this time, had any public notification been made by the Manager, or any person in command in the Theatre, that there would be no performance?
A. Yes; a placard was posted up.
Q. In the Theatre?
A. In various parts of the town.
Q. Was any reason alleged?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. Then there was a public notification to that effect?
A. There was.
Q. What description of mob was it you found collected before the playhouse door?
A; It was growing dark, and we could not distinguish its character.
Q. Was it numerous?
A. Numerous.
Q. Did you see Hunt in the course of the night, or hear him?
A. No, sir.
Q. What became of the mob?
A. We got into the Theatre.
Q. Was the mob induced to go away?
A. They remained for some time at the Theatre.
Q. Was any attempt made by them to get into the house?
A. Many attempts were made to force the doors open.
Q. Without success?
A. Without success.
Q. You do not know when Hunt left Manchester, at that time?
A. I am not certain.
Q. You did not see him again, to your recollection?
A. I think not.
Q. From that time in the month of January, the time we have been speaking of, down to the subsequent month of August, were the duties of attendance at your office increased or diminished?
A. Exceedingly increased.
Q. Have the goodness to state to the Jury from what causes, and in what manner, that increase took place?
A. We attributed it to the discontented state of the working classes.
Q. Was your attendance, at that time, almost continual?
A. Almost continual.
Q. Had you opportunities of knowing the state of the public mind at Rochdale and other places?
A. Yes, we had.
Q. Mention the most populous places to which you refer?
A. Oldham, Ashton, Bury, and Bolton.
Q. Is there a place called Middleton?
A. Yes, Middleton.
Q. Stockport?
A. Stockport.
Q. And are all these populous places in the neighbourhood of your town of Manchester?
A. Yes, all of them within ten or twelve miles.
Q. From the information you possessed on the subject, was you induced to believe that the state of the public mind in those places was of the same quality and description as in Manchester?
A. We had requested respectable individuals in those towns to communicate with us.
Q. Were the inquiries you caused to be instituted, the best calculated to give you information on the matter?
A. They were. We were particularly anxious to be correctly informed.
Q. Did you then receive information from those sources, of the state of the different towns?
A. From time to time.
Q. Subsequent to January?
A. Yes.
Q. When was it you first heard (if you ever heard) of such things as any training or drillings going on at particular places? A. Some weeks before the 16th. August.
Q. You saw, no doubt, the advertisement for the meeting of the 9th. August?
A. Yes, we did.
Q. How soon do you recollect to have seen that?
A. Very soon after it was published.
Q. It was posted up, as things of that sort generally are?
A. Yes.
Q. Had you received information of trainings and drillings, previous to that time?
A. Certainly.
Q. Had the information you received, come from one particular spot, or various places?
A. Various places.
Q. In consequence of the information you have just now stated you and your colleagues to have received, were your official labours increased?
A. They became almost intolerable.
Q. In your judgment, were they essentially necessary for the preservation of the public tranquillity? A. We believed so.
Q. Were you at all assisted in these labours, by any of the gentlemen of the town?
A. The responsibility became so great, that we requested the gentlemen who had in former years served office, would form themselves into a committee to assist us.
Q. Did they comply with your request?
A. Yes, they did.
Q. Now tell us of what description of people that committee was formed?
A. Persons of the first consequence in the town of Manchester —persons of the first consequence, and character.
Q. Were they men of property?
A. Yes.
Q. Were they gentlemen who had served the office of Boroughreeve and Constable, many or some of them?
A. They formed a. considerable part; but there were many who had not served.
Q. But there were many who had served these offices?
A. A great many.
Q. 0f what number might the committee consist?
A. I do not recollect; but I should think sixty.
Q. Sixty or seventy perhaps?
A. Yes.
Q. Was that committee selected from a larger number, by you or any one else?
A. It was an open committee.
Q. At what period, according to your recollection, was that committee first appointed?
A. I believe sometime between January and August.
Q. After it had been so appointed, did the committee meet from time to time?
A. It did.
Q. Daily or weekly, or how?
A. Sometimes it met daily; and it was subject to be called together at other times by the Boroughreeve and Constables.
Q. I believe their meetings were held at the Police Office?
A. At the Police Office.
Q. How were the gentlemen originally convened — by you and Mr. Andrew, or in what way?
A. Many were convened by ourselves; many tendered, offered their services.
Q. Were these tenders made spontaneously, from a knowledge of the situation of affairs and the information they received, or by your desire?
A. I believe, in consideration of the great burthen thrown upon our shoulders.
Q. At the first meeting, was the information you had obtained communicated to the gentlemen who so attended; and, upon receiving that information from you, did they concur with you in the measures you adopted afterwards?
A. Every measure we adopted had their entire concurrence.
Q. Did you take any measure but such as, in your judgment, was necessary for preserving the public peace?
A. We did not.
Q. And in that judgment, they coincided with you?
A. Yes.
Q. From what you observed in January, and from the information you acquired afterwards, in your judgment, was a visit from Mr. Hunt to Manchester, likely to endanger the public peace of the town?
A. It was.
Q. Did you see him there on the 9th. August.
A. I believe I did not.
Q. You told us you was apprized of the intended meeting on that day?
A. Yes.
Q. The 16th. August having now arrived, was it necessary, in your judgment, to take every precaution that could be suggested, for the preservation of the public peace of the town of Manchester upon that day?
A. Yes.
Q. Your situation, of course, would lead you to have a communication with the different gentlemen of the Magistracy?
A. Very frequently.
Q. Upon the subject of the state of the town?
A. Yes.
Q. Can you tell us how often it was?
A. Constantly.
Q. Did you communicate to them, from time to time, the information you received of the state of the public mind?
A. Yes.
Q. Were the Magistrates, then, in possession of all the information which you possessed on the subject, on the morning of the 16th.?
A. I believe they were.
Q. I believe a committee of Magistrates had been appointed from the Magistracy of the counties of Lancaster and Chester?
A. Yes, there had.
Q. Do you know when that committee was appointed; about what length of time before the transactions of the 16th.?
A. I think it was in consequence of the calling the meeting of the 9th.
Q. In consequence of calling the meeting of the 9th., was there a general meeting of the Magistrates of the two counties?
A. That is the impression on my mind.
Q. The impression on your mind is, that the committee of Magistrates were appointed before the meeting of the 9th.?
A. Yes.
Q. I believe ten or twelve were appointed as the committee?
A. There were.
Q. Of whom Mr. Hulton was the Chairman?
A. Yes.
Q. After the meeting of the 9th., in Manchester, did these gentlemen assemble, from time to time, to deliberate on the subject?
A. They did.
Q. You would, of course, know, of your own knowledge, by attending them?
A. Yes.
Q. None of these gentlemen were inhabitants of Manchester, they came from a distance?
A. They came from a distance.
Q. Do you happen to know whether they did not meet every, day?
A. I think they met almost daily.
Q. None of them were inhabitants of Manchester, some lived at a short distance, and some more remote from the town of Manchester?
A. Yes.
Q. Some in Cheshire?
A. Yes.
Q. Some in Yorkshire?
A. Yes.
Q. And others in this county, but at a distance?
A. At a distance.
Q. Were the meetings of the Magistrates, from time to time, almost daily, owing to the state of the public mind?
A. I believe, entirely.
Q. Did you see the people march in different divisions on the 16th.?
A. I was engaged in the direction of the special constables.
Q. What time did you, go on the ground on the morning of the 16th.?
A. About eleven o'clock.
Q. Of what description of persons were the special constables composed?
A. Persons of considerable respectability, many of the first.
Q. Persons of property in the town?
A. Persons of property in the town.
Q. About what number might there be?
A. From 300 to 400.
Q. Of the description you have stated?
A. Yes.
Q. Did these gentlemen come forward voluntarily, or when did they apply to you?
A. Many came forward, on the morning of the 16th., to be sworn in; others had been sworn in before.
Q. Others had been sworn in before?
A. Yes.
Q. What time did the Magistrates meet at the house of Mr. Buxton?
A. Soon after eleven.
Q. Had you received any directions, or did you undertake to preserve a communication between that house and a cart?
A. The Magistrates had signified a wish that we should preserve a communication.
Q. There was a cart?
A. There was a cart.
Q. Which acquired the name of hustings, from the purpose for which it was applied?
A. Yes.
Q. What means did you adopt to form a communication of that sort?
A. We formed a double line of constables, parallel to each others.
Q. What distance from each other?
A. Nearly two yards; it might vary sometimes.
Q. Were these lines, pushed up as far as the hustings or cart?
A. In the first instance, they were up to the cart.
Q. Did they remain so—did they continue so?
A. No sir, the communication was interrupted.
Q. Did you see the interruption actually take place, or did you see it after it had occurred?
A. I did not see it till it had actually taken place.
Q. State what occurred afterwards?
A. I went into Mr. Buxton's, house, and during my absence, the interruption had taken place.
Q. By what means did that appear to you to have been effected?
A. By the, interposition of a great body of persons between the constables and the hustings, by which the communication was cut off. I endeavoured to restore it.
Q. Did you succeed in your attempt?
A. I found I could not do it without ill-blood; without creating some uneasiness.
Q. Therefore you abstained?
A. I was anxious to avoid it.
Q. Did you make any request to the people to give way, so as to restore the communication?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Did they know your character and situation?
A. Yes; I held up my staff of office.
Q. But your request was fruitless?
A. Yes; I found I could not do it without force.
Q. You say all your endeavours up to this time, had been, as far as you could devise them, calculated for the peace of the town?
A. Entirely.
Q. And you saw the different parties come on the ground?
A. Very indistinctly.
Q. Do you remember Hunt's arriving?
A. I do; I went into a higher room of Mr. Buxton's house, to see how he would be received.
Q. In what way was he received?
A. By tremendous shoutings.
Q. Was he received as a person who seemed to possess influence, or as a common individual?
A. As a person who possessed unbounded influence.
Q. How did he get to the hustings, through the immense body of people assembled?
A. The car in which he came was drawn up to the hustings.
Q. How did he penetrate the mass of people?
A. They seemed to give way;
Q. Did the approbations and shoutings continue during the whole time of his approach to the hustings?
A. Yes; they did.
Q. Were there any banners or colours at that time displayed?
A. A great many.
Q. ln what part of the field did they appear—in any particular part?
A. Near the hustings.
Q. Did you see him ascend the hustings?
A. I do not recollect seeing him distinctly.
Q. How noon after that was you sent for, or did you go into the Magistrates' room?
A. Very shortly after that I was sent for.
Q. Into their room?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. What took place when you got into the room?
A. I found a warrant had been issued.
Q. In whose hands, as far as you recollect, was the warrant at that time?
A. I believe in the hands of Mr. Nadin.
Q. The deputy constable?
A. Yes.
Q. Was it put into your hands?
A; It was put into my hands by Mr. Hulton.
Q. Mr. Hulton, the chairman of the committee, took it from Mr. Nadin, and gave it to you?
A. He gave it to me.
Q. Have the goodness to look if that is it: (shewing the warrant) is that the warrant so handed to you by Mr. Hulton?
A. I believe it is.
Q. What was said at the time?
A. It was a warrant for the apprehension of certain persons.
Q. Whose names are therein mentioned?
A. Yes.
Q. What was done after that, did you leave the place with the warrant?
A. I did.
Q. Was Mr. Andrew there?
A. Yes.
Q. Mr. Nadin, Mr. Andrew, and the Boroughreeve were in the room?
A. Yes, they were.
Q. Therefore any conversation before, on the subject of the military, you are a stranger to?
[Missing Page]
A Most undoubtedly.
Q. Why?
A. Because the civil power was so inefficient, at least in my mind.
Cross-examined by Mr. Blackburne.
Q. In what trade are you, Mr. Moore?
A. I am not in any trade.
Q. Are you a gentleman?
A. At that time I was not in any profession or business, nor am I at this time.
Q. You ordered the Manager of the Theatre to shut the playhouse?
A. We requested him.
Q. And he did so?
A. He did.
Q. What time of the day was that?
A. After one o'clock.
Q. Did you see any bill posted up, intimating that there would be no play, till after it was dark?
A. We undertook to get the bills posted up ourselves.
Q. Were they posted up before it was dark?
A. I have every reason to believe so, but I did not see them.
Q. You did not see any?
A. I did not see any.
Q. The persons assembled did not succeed in getting in?
A. They did not.
Q. You say that before the 18th. January, the duties of your office were so great that you could not find time to get refreshment?
A. After the 18th.
Q. I understood you to say that the duties of your office were so irksome, that you could not even find time to get refreshment?
A. From the 18th. to the 25th. entirely so; indeed, throughout the whole of my year.
Q. The duties of your office had increased?
A. Certainly.
Q. You had to sit up all night, perhaps?
A. Frequently.
Q. And that continued till the 16th. August?
A. With intermissions.
Q. Were you at the Police Office generally?
A. Very often.
Q. Was you there on the Saturday before the 16th?
A. I believe not.
Q. Was you there at any time when Mr. Hunt came to offer himself, in order to see whether there was any charge against him?
A. I was not; I had requested permission to go to Buxton for a few days; I was unwell from the fatigues of office.
Q. Then you did not see him?
A. No.
Q. You went on to the ground about eleven o'clock?
A. About eleven o'clock.
Q. Was you the person who formed the two lines of special constables?
A. I assisted.
Q. At the time you formed it, how many carts were there?
A. I think only one.
Q. There were ultimately two?
A. Yes; there were.
Q. Did you see the second come?
A. I do not recollect seeing it come; I saw there were two afterwards;
Q. Was the line of constables interrupted, until the second cart came?
A. I do not recollect.
Q. Was the second cart there when you first saw the interruption?
A. I think not.
Q. You think it was not there?
A. I think it was not.
Q. What time was it when you discovered this interruption had taken place?
A. When I had found the interruption had taken place, it was about twelve.
Q. The line of constables still continued to a certain distance?
A. They rested on the compact body of the people.
Q. How far distant from the hustings?
A. Ten or twelve yards.
Q. There was a very great crowd about the hustings?
A. There was.
Q. You could not restore this communication, you say, without ill-blood?
A. That was my impression.
Q. You being on the field would see the various parties?
A. Very indistinctly.
Q. But you say there was a shout at the coming on of each party?
A. I believe there was.
Q. Mr. Hunt came only with one party?
A. I believe so.
Q. He came in a carriage —were there two horses.
A. I did not see it.
Q. It went slowly?
A. I believe it did.
Q. And moved slowly up to the hustings?
A. I believe it did.
Q. As it approached the people, they gave way to let it pass?
A. I believe they did.
Q. You say the warrant was given to Mr. Nadin?
A. I think it was in the hands of Mr. Nadin when I went in.
Q. Did you precede or follow Mr. Nadin?
A. I believe I followed him; I was very near him.
Q. He went the first of the constables?
A. I believe he might.
Q. The Cavalry went before him?
A. He went on the left of the Cavalry.
Q. But the Cavalry were before him?
A. Very little.
Q. Still, some little?
A. I apprehend scarcely any; we endeavoured to keep in line with them.
Q. Why, Nadin had drawn up all the special constables to Mr. Buxton's house?
A. I believe not.
Q. You will swear that?
A. Yes.
Q. I suppose he is here?
A. He is here.
Q. You say you was knocked down by the pressure of the crowd?
A. Yes.
Q. How far had the Cavalry gone before you recovered yourself?
A. I was knocked down again.
Q. Where was the Cavalry?
A. It had surrounded the hustings.
Q. Between the first fall and the second, you were scarcely ever on your legs?
A. Never.
Q. Your second fall was caused by a horse running against you?
A. I believe it was.
Q. You apprehend, by one of the 15th?
A. Yes.
Q. From your first fall, from that time to the second fall, you was in such a situation as not to be able to observe what was passing around you?
A. Certainly.
Q. How far was you from the hustings when you first fell?
A. I should think, twenty yards.
Q. Now, Captain Birley, I believe, led up the Manchester Yeomanry?
A. I believe he did.
Q. Did you see Meagher, the trumpeter?
A. I did not know him at that time.
Q. Did you know Oliver, and Mr. Withington?
A. I knew Mr. Withington; Oliver I did not.
Q. Was he there?
A. I believe he was.
Q. He was an officer at that time in the corps—I mean Mr. Withington?
A. Yes; I believe he was.
Q. When you first rose, did you look about to see what had become of the Manchester Yeomanry?
A. I do not recollect what was my first impression, I was exceedingly shaken.
Q. Did you see, afterwards, whether they were dispersed about the field?
A. I do not recollect seeing them at all.
Q. Do you know how many they consisted of?
A. No.
Q. Do you not know what number of troops there were in Manchester on that day?
A. I cannot say.
Q. Cannot you tell within any reasonable bounds?
A. I cannot.
Re-examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. About these bills—these play bills, you gave orders that they should be printed?
A. The Manager said it was so short a time, that we undertook to get them printed and posted up.
Q. You took on yourselves to get them printed?
A. Yes.
Q. And to post them up?
A. Yes.
Q. Whether they were posted up, you cannot say?
A. No.
Q. You say you was not at the Police Office on the 14th. That was Saturday; had your health suffered prior to that time?
A. I was afraid, if I did not retire, I should not be able to attend on the 16th.
Q. When did you go to Buxton?
A. On the 11th.
Q. When did you return?
A. On the Sunday morning.
Q. Should you have returned but for the meeting the day following?
A. I apprehend I should not.
Q. You say you knew Mr. Withington was a member of the corps?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you remember whether you saw him with the troop?
A. I do not remember seeing him with the troop.
Q. Do you know what rank he held in the corps on that day, was he captain or lieutenant?
A. Lieutenant.
Q. I believe there was only one troop when they went up to the hustings?
A. I believe not.
Q. You do not know whether Major Trafford was there?
A. I saw him that day.