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John Tetlow Eyewitness Account
- Place: Rochdale
- Role: Spectator
- Occupation: Weaver
Gives evidence regarding drilling at Tandle Hill in August 1819,testifies to seeing Samuel Bamford leading the marchers.
Account
Download accountJohn Tetlow sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. Where do you live?
A. At Stake Hill.
Q. Are you a weaver?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you know a place called Tandle Hill?
A. Very well.
Q. How far is Tandle Hill from your residence?
A. About half a mile.
Q. Did you live at Stake Hill between July and August, 1819?
A. I did.
Q. Do you remember the day of the meeting at Manchester?
A. I do.
Q. Before that time, do you remember being at Tandle Hill when any drilling was going on?
A. Very well.
Q. Were you there oftener than once?
A. Five or six times.
Q. On what days were you there, and at what time; were they Sundays?
A. Sundays.
Q. All Sundays?
A. All Sundays.
Q. At what part of the day was it—morning?
A. Morning.
Q. At what hour might you go?
A. Between five and six.
Q. What is Tandle Hill—is it common or waste ground?
A. It is an uninclosed land; untilled land.
Q. What number might there be besides yourself?
A. About five hundred or six hundred.
Q. Was that the number each time?
A. Sometimes less.
Q. Were there, at any time, more?
A. I cannot justly say.
Q. In what way were the people who were there more or less employed, while they continued there?
A. They were marching.
Q. Marching in one body, or different parties?
A. Marching in different parties.
Q. What number might each party contain?
A. Between twenty and thirty.
Q. Were any words or orders given to each party?
A. There were.
Q. Do you know any of the persons by whom such orders were given?
A. I do.
Q. Were they given by men who had been in the army before that time?
A. I cannot justly say.
Q. Were the different bodies ever put together in one body?
A. In line.
Q. Was there any body had the command of the whole line?
A. Yes; a man gave the word.
Q. Do you know his name?
A. Yes.
Q. Who was he?
A. Samuel Bamford.
Q. When Samuel Bamford gave the word, did the whole line obey him?
A. Yes; they all moved.
Q. What was the word or words you heard Bamford give, when the party were in one line?
A. “March."
Q Did they do so?
A. Yes.
Q. When they stopped or ceased to march, what word was-given?
A. “Halt."
Q. State such words as you remember hearing Bamford give?
A. No; I cannot.
Q. You know a man of the name of Redford, do you?
A. Yes.
Q. Thomas Redford, the hatter?
A. Yes.
Q. Is he a journeyman hatter?
A. Yes.
Q. He resides in a cellar at Middleton.?
A. Yes; he lives in a cellar at Middleton.
Q. How long have you known Redford; did you know him previously to the time you are speaking of?
A. For about ten or a dozen years.
Q. Did you ever see Thomas Redford at Tandle Hill?
A. I did.
Q. When Bamford was there?
A. Yes.
Q. What was Redford doing?
A. He was marching along with the others.
Q. Did you ever see him marching in this great line, when all the squads were put together?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Did you ever see him in any of the subdivisions?
A. I did.
Q. Did you see him when the word was given; did he obey the word as the others did?
A. He did.
Q. How often can you speak to having seen Redford marching, in the way you have described, on the Tandle Hill?
A. On the 1st. and on the 8th. of August.
Q. Can you say whether he was there at any other time?
A. I cannot justly say.
Q. Do you remember the meeting at Manchester, on the 16th.?
A. I was not there.
Q. You remember that a meeting took place?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see the people setting off from Middleton that day?
A. I did not.
Q. Was the 8th. of August the last time you had seen him be-fore the meeting of the 16th.?
A. I saw him on the 8th.
Q. Was the 8th. the last time?
A. Yes.
Q. How soon after the meeting was it you saw Redford?
A. I think nearly three months.
Q. In what state as to health did he appear to be at that time?
A. I cannot say.
Q. Did he look as well as you ever saw him in your life?
A. I cannot say to that.
Q. You saw nothing that ailed him?
A. Not at all.
Q. What occasioned your visits to Tandle Hill—curiosity?
A. Yes.
Q. Had you ever any conversation with Redford while you was there?
A. No.
Q. Did any other persons notice you at any time?
A. They did.
Q The last time you was there?
A. I think it was the first.
Q. They had some conversation about your attendance'?
A. They had.
Cross-examined by Mr. Blackburne.
Q. How far is Stake Hill from Middleton?
A. They call it two miles.
Q. Have you a family?
A. I have.
Q. Will you tell me where the doctor comes from, when you are ill?
A. I never have any, I never am ill.
Q. You knew Dr. Lee of Middleton?
A. I cannot say but what I did.
Q. How long is it since he died?
A. I cannot justly say.
Q. Is it a year since?
A. More than that.
Q. Two years?
A. I cannot say; he left Middleton and went to Manchester.
Q. And he is since dead?
A. I believe he is.
Q. Is Dr. Lee's son dead since that?
A. I believe he is dead.
Q. You went from curiosity to these Tandle Hills?
A. Yes.
Q. What time of the day used you to go there?
A. Between five and six.
Q. Is there any high road from and to there?
A. To Stake Hill to High Crompton.
Q. How long did you stay?
A. Till nine o'clock.
Q. Two or three hours. Was you the only spectator?
A. I cannot say for that.
Q. Other people besides you were looking on?
A. Plenty.
Q. You was never drilled, you was not taught to march?
A. No.
Q. Why, you have seen this marching about the high road?
A. I cannot say I have.
Re-examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.
Q. Were you an acquaintance of the doctor at Middleton?
A. No.
Q. Did you ever see him but once?
A. Yes; two or three times.
Q. But you never had the advantage of his assistance?
A. No.
Q. Where did he live?
A. At Middleton.
Q. Is his widow alive?
A. The old man's—yes; his widow is alive.
Q. And she lives at Middleton?
A. She does.
Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—She could tell whether her husband was alive or not.