Mary Dowlan Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Char-Woman

Was a regular attendee at Manchester meetings. Was at St peter’s Field where she was saved from attack, by a soldier in the 15th Hussars who defended her with his sword. She saw numerous wounded and dressed the wounds of fourteen men at her house.

Account

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Mary Dowlan sworn: examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. Do you live in Lad-lane Manchester?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Were you at the meeting on the 16th. August 1819?

A. Yes, sir, I was.

Q, Of what did the meeting consist?

A. Men, women, and children.

Q. What hour did you get there?

A. Between nine and ten in the forenoon.

Q. Are you acquainted with Captain Birley?

A. Yes; I knew him many years ago: I worked at the factory.

Q. Did you see him on the ground that day?

A. Yes, sir; I did.

Q. Do you know Meagher the trumpeter?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. How was Mr. Birley dressed that day?

A. In his regimentals.

Q. Was he on horseback?

A. Yes, sir.

Q- Were there many men with him in regimentals?

A. Yes; there was the Cavalry.

Q. Did he appear to command them?

A. Yes, he did.

Mr. Serjeant Cross.—Appear to command!

Mr. Evans.—It is not worth disputing.

Q. How was Meagher dressed?

A. In regimentals.

Q. What is he, in the corps?

A. A tailor, sir, by trade.

Q. What is he, in the corps?

A. A trumpeter.

Q. Was he with Captain Birley, with the rest of the corps?

A. He was the first that I saw coming in.

Q. Was the meeting peaceable?

A. Very peaceable, sir; as peaceable as this court is at present, for any hurt.

Q. What did you see the Cavalry do?

A. Cutting the people as soon as they came in.

Q. Did you see any persons wounded?

A. Yes ; I did, sir. I dressed fourteen wounded men in my own house, and took them in.

Q. What part of the field were you in?

A. I was close to the hustings before the Manchester people came in; and I was drove back twelve or fourteen yards, as near as I can think, from the hustings.

Q. Did you see any stones thrown?

A. I did not, sir.

Q. Did you see any resistance made?

A. I did not, in the least.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Ask her whether she means between the hustings and Mr. Buxton's, or how?

Q. From what part of the field did you see them cutting; before they were cutting, when you were driven, where did you first stand?

A. The back of the hustings.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Was it between the hustings and the Windmill public house?

A. Yes, my Lord, it was.

Mr. Evans.—Your Lordship has taken that she said there was no resistance.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—She said, “nor any resistance of any kind."

 

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Cross.

Q. What are you?

A. I am a char-woman at present.

Q. You live in Manchester?

A. Yes.

Q. What country have you come from?

A. Denbigh, in Wales: I have resided in Manchester upwards of thirty-nine years.

Q. Whereabouts is your house?

A. I live in Bank Top at present. I lived in Lad-lane at that time.

Q. You took your station very early that day?

A. Yes.

Q. What time was it when you left?

A. When the Cavalry began a murdering and cutting the people, I left them: I thought it was time.

Q. They did not murder you?

A. No ; I have to thank one of the 15th. for saving me, else I must have been cut.

Q. Did you attend other meetings?

A. Yes; I had been at other meetings on the field, because I lived so near it.

Q. You have attended most of the meetings?

A. Yes; I went to look at them all.

Q. What was called "the Blanket meeting;'' you were at that?

A. Yes ; I saw that.

Q. You have rather a turn for that sort of thing?

A. I had a mind to see it, as well as other people, when I lived so near.

Q. How many of them do you think you have attended in all?

A. I cannot say, indeed; I did not keep an account of the meetings.

Q. You only kept an account of the patients?

A. I might very well; when my house was liker to a slaughterhouse, than to a christian's house, with human blood.

 

Re-examined by Mr. Blackburne.

Q. You were asked whether you was murdered: how was it prevented?

A. By one of the 15th. Hussars: he put up his sword against Tebbult, the tallow chandler, that was cutting at me, and he put his sword up to save me.

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