Thomas Hopkins Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Carver,Gilder

Claims to have disapproved of the meeting. Saw no disturbance prior to the arrival and advance of the cavalry towards the hustings. They started cutting people and he struggled to get away due to all the injured people. He then saw people with stones and brickbats, but did not know what happened to them.

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Thomas Hopkins sworn: examined by Mr. Evans

Q. You are a carver and gilder in the town of Manchester?

A. Yes.

Q. Was you present at the meeting on the 16th. August, 1819?

A. I was.

Q. What hour did you go to the meeting?

A. I passed across the ground at about eleven o'clock, and returned about twelve.

Q. What was the conduct of the meeting, when you passed through at eleven?

A. There were numbers of people straggling through the ground, it hardly had the character of a meeting.

Q. What was it at twelve?

A. A much greater number at twelve; they were walking and talking to each other: a much greater number.

Q. At what part of the field was you at twelve?

A. Between the hustings and Peter-street, that goes across the middle of the area; but I took a station near to the hustings, when the crowd began to thicken, for the purpose of hearing what was said from the hustings.

Q. Was you there when Mr. Hunt arrived?

A. Yes; I was there from twelve o'clock till the time he arrived, about half past twelve.

Q. Was the meeting peaceable or otherwise, up to that time?

A. Perfectly peaceable, as far as I had any opportunity of observing.

Q. What caused the first disturbance you saw?

A. The first interruption to the orderly proceedings of the meeting, was by an irruption of the Cavalry into the crowd; there were cheers before.

Q. What Cavalry was it?

A. I believe it to be the Manchester Yeomanry; I had no doubt at the time on my mind.

Q. From what place did they come?

A. They advanced from those houses, one of which, I understood to be Mr. Buxton's.

Q. What did you see the Cavalry do?

A. They advanced at rather a quick trot at first; but as they approached the hustings, their progress appeared to be impeded.

Q. Go on?

A. They appeared to me to urge their hordes forward, in consequence of the crowd they had to get through; they some of them waved their swords to and fro', threatening rather than striking, to clear the way: when they arrived at the hustings, some of them appeared to surround them—to go round them; and I saw some striking there, at the persons or at the poles of a flag; but my attention was immediately afterwards drawn to a party of the same body of Cavalry, who were cutting at the people in the direction in which I stood.

Q. Well?

A. I saw the people, or some of them, raise their arms to ward off the blows from the swords; the swords struck their arms: I saw one of their heads struck with a sword. By this time the outer part of the crowd gave way, and enabled me to escape from the field: there were heaps of persons lying on the ground; I had some difficulty in getting over. I got to the top of Bootle-street, where I met some few, perhaps four or five, young men with brickbats and stones in their hands; I got into a small street called Roger's Row, and after some difficulty, I got admission into a house.

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—We have nothing to do with what took place there.

Witness.—I merely saw the Cavalry assemble again, and then wave their swords and cheer.

Q. The meeting I understand was very large?

A. Yes.

Q. Did you feel any alarm for your property?

A. Not from the people.

Q. Previous to the time you saw the Cavalry striking the people, did you see any stones or sticks thrown at them?

A. No.

Q. Did you see any resistance made to them whatever?

A. I saw no resistance, but what appeared to me to arise from the density of the people, that impeded the advance of the Cavalry.

 

Cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Cross.

Q. What took you to the field?

A. Curiosity.

Q. There seems to be a deal of that commodity at Manchester?

A. I suppose the same as in other places.

Q. And did you go for nothing else?

A. Only to observe what passed; I disapproved of the meeting, if that is what you mean.

Q. You did, did you; and was that the reason you went?

A. What because I disapproved of the meeting?—certainly not.

Q. You are not in the habit of attending meetings?

A. Sometimes; I have attended meetings of various sorts.

Q. I do not mean meetings of your carvers and gilders?

A. There are seldom any of them.

Q. Public meetings?

A. I have attended them; but I do not often.

Q. Political meetings?

A. I have attended meetings from a similar motive— curiosity: I went on the ground on the occasion of the blanketeer meeting; it was early.

Q. That was a meeting to go to London; you did not approve of that; I dare say you remonstrated with them?

A. I spoke to them.

Q. You had nothing to do with collecting this meeting?

A. Nothing whatever.

Q. You was in the midst of the crowd?

A. I certainly was.

Q. You made no resistance?

A. No.

Q. Nor received any blows?

A. No.

Q. You got clear off?

A. Yes.

Q. You took care of yourself?

A. Yes.

Q. What became of the young men with their brickbats and stones?

A. I escaped them.

Q. You do not know what became of the young men?

A. I was not likely to stop.

Q. Those who stopped with brickbats in their hands, I dare say, got blows from the Cavalry?

A. They were coming on, and I was getting off.

Q. Had they their hands full?

A. They had their arms up as if preparing to throw.

Q. Your curiosity was by this time satisfied?

A. Quite satisfied; at least as far as remaining on the ground.

Re-examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. Previous to your meeting with these young men with the brick bats, did you see wounds inflicted by the Cavalry?

Mr. Serjeant Cross.—I object to that question.

Mr. Evans.—I do not see what objection there is to the question; Mr. Serjeant Cross has examined as to these young men with the brick bats, and what was their object, and whether he did not get away from them; however I shall not press it.

Q. Was there any thing done, before you met these young men with the brick bats?

Mr. Serjeant Hullock.—His Lordship has got that already.

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