Robert Wood Eyewitness Account

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Chemist and Druggist

Watched from a window on Windmill Street with surgeon, Mr Earnshaw. Testifies to peacefulness of crowd and to difficulties due to crowd density.

Account

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Robert Wood sworn: examined by Mr. Blackburne.

Q. You are a chemist and Druggist, and live at New Cross in Manchester?

A. Yes.

Q. Did you observe the Oldham people coming down to New Cross?

A. I did, sir.

Q. About what time in the day was it?

A. I suppose it was near twelve.

Q. Did you see of about how many they consisted?

A. I could not form any idea.

Q. They were very numerous, I believe?

A. Yes.

Q. What was their demeanour and conduct, as you saw them then?

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—I think it immaterial.

Mr. Blackburne.—Then I will not ask it.

Q. You afterwards went with Mr. Earnshaw into the field?

A. I did.

Q. A surgeon at Oldham?

A. A surgeon near Oldham.

Q. Where did you go; did you go into a house?

A. We went into a house in the same line with the Windmill.

Q. In Windmill-street?

A. In Windmill-street, I believe.

Q. How far from the hustings?

A. About thirty yards.

Q. Had all the people assembled when you got there, or did some parties come up after?

A. There was a good many assembled when we got there; a many came up after.

Q. Did you observe a line of constables any where?

A. We did; a double line of constables from Mr. Buxton's house nearly to the hustings.

Q. Did they preserve an open space between them, as that a person could pass from Mr. Buxton's house to the hustings?

A. They did, sir.

Q. Did you know the Boroughreeve of Manchester, at that time?

A. I did not, sir, till he was pointed out to me.

Q. Did you see any person who was pointed out to you as Boroughreeve, in that line?

A. In that line.

Q. What was he doing?

A. He passed our place several times; him and Mr. Nadin, and several others.

Q. What space was there between the line of the constables?

A. I should suppose there was nearly a yard.

Q. Did you see Nadin, then, walking backwards and forwards in that space?

A. I saw him up, several times.

Q. Up where?

A. Opposite our window.

Q. Will you tell me where your window was?

A. It is a house detached from the line where the Windmill is.

Q. Was it opposite the hustings, or where?

A. It was nearer the Magistrates' house than the hustings.

Q. Did you observe the Yeomanry pass from the Magistrates’ house up to the hustings?

A. I did, sir.

Q. Observe them the whole way?

A. Yes.

Q. Did you see them get up to the hustings?

A. I did.

Q. In their passage from the house up to the hustings, did you see any resistance whatever offered to them?

A. I did not, sir.

Q. Did you take such notice, that, if that had happened you should have seen it?

A. I think I must have seen it.

Q. Had you a full view of every thing that took place?

A. Yes, apparently, I had.

Q. And you saw nothing of this kind pass?

A. Not any resistance made at all.

Q. At what speed did the Cavalry come up to the hustings?

A. They advanced at first very rapidly; but the crowd was so dense, they could not go fast after a while.

Q. Did you yourself see the plaintiff Redford after that?

A. I don't recollect; there was a person dressed at our shop. I did not see him that night; they had done dressing the people at our house, before I got home.

Q. You did not, to your knowledge, see the plaintiff Redford that night?

A. Not that night.

Q. When did you see him?

A. There was a person called when the inquest was held, to be dressed.

Q. Have you any reason now, to believe it was him?

A. No; I do not know.

Cross-examined by Mr. Starkie.

Q. Did you hear Hunt direct the mob to give three cheers to the Yeomanry?

A. No; I did not: I don't recollect that I did.

Q. Did not he appear to you to be motioning the mob; turning their attention to the Yeomanry?

A. He was addressing them. When he addressed the people towards the chapel I could not well hear him; when he addressed the other way I could.

Q. Did not you observe, when the Yeomanry were coming on the ground, the people were attempting to give way—retreating?

A. Yes; they had run off, many ran off.

Q. At the time that they were going, did it not appear, to you that Mr. Hunt was endeavouring to prevent them from going, and animating them against the Yeomanry?

A. It did not strike me in that way.

Q. Was not he addressing them?

A. He was addressing them, and they gave three cheers.

Q. That was at the time many of them were leaving the ground, the Yeomanry approaching?

A. Yes.

Q. Could you hear what Hunt said?

A. Sometimes, I could.

Q. I ask you, sir, did it not appear to you, when the people were going away, as if Mr. Hunt called out to them to cheer, when, the Yeomanry were approaching, in order that they might, remain?

A. I don't know what it was for; they did cheer: I don't know whether it was cheering the Cavalry.

Q. Did they not immediately cheer, at the time Hunt was addressing them?

A. They cheered when the Yeomen came on, and he was addressing them at that time, I believe.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.- When the Yeomanry came on to the ground, you mean?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. That was before they formed opposite Buxton's house?

A. Yes, my Lord; they were coming round the corner.

Q. Did not Hunt, at the time he was then addressing the people; point towards the Yeomanry, as they were then coming on the ground?

A. I do not know.

Q. You saw him on the hustings?

A. I did not look at Mr. Hunt at the time.

Q. You cannot undertake to say whether he did not point to the Yeomanry at the time?