John Ratcliffe Eyewitness Account

• Place: Lees,Oldham
• Role: Demonstrator
• Occupation: Cotton Spinner

Saw the Rochdale procession. Perceived no alarm from the inhabitants of Manchester. Saw many women and children in the procession. ‘The ladies showed no fear; indeed I was astonished at the indifference of the towns-people to the meeting.’

Account

Download account

John Ratcliffe. —I live in Nether Lees, near Lees. I am a cotton-spinner by trade. I was at Manchester on the 16th of August. I was not upon business, but out of curiosity. I know Manchester well. Bu­siness seemed to be going on there as usual. There was no appearance of general alarm. I saw no shops shut up. The factories and foundries were all at work. I saw Peel and Williams's. That was also at work. I saw Mr. Peel come from his factory, to wait, as I understood, to see the procession. They showed no symptom of alarm at its approach. I saw the Rochdale procession come in, they had no offensive weapons. I was at the field. There were numbers of women and children in the processions; the women did not appear to be frightened. They were abroad in great numbers, many of them well dressed. No one offered to insult them. The ladies showed no fear; indeed I was astonished at the indifference of the towns-people to the meeting. I was standing on the north side of the hustings, between them and Mr. Buxton's house, when you arrived. I did not then see the line of constables, it was not until the cavalry came that I saw them. Your arrival was cheered. I saw the Yeomanry come, I first saw their swords drawn in a line in front of Mr. Buxton's house.

By the Court. —It might be from a dozen to twenty yards that I stood from the hustings. if resistance was made to them, I should have seen it, for they went directly between me and my friend. The crowd, as far as I saw made no opposition whatever. If there had, I should have seen it, from the place where I stood. I saw neither brickbats nor stones thrown at them. There were no sticks held up. I could see the whole show they made to the hustings. My eye was fixed upon them.

By Mr. Hunt—When I understood the cavalry were coming, Looked, but saw neither brickbats nor stones. They passed quite close to me. The people, so far from closing them in ran away.

Back to list