Thomas Whittenbury Ollivant Eyewitness Account

Place: Manchester
Role: Spectator
Occupation: Sliversmith

Testifies to slowing of trade on 16th August as felt the need to close up shop for fear of disturbance.

Account

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Thomas Whittenbury Ollivant sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock.

Q. You are a partner in the house of a silversmith at Manchester?

A. I am now, Sir.

Q. Were you at that time?

A. No, Sir; I was not.

Q. Were you in the shop at the time?

A. Yes, Sir.

Q. Who was the proprietor then?

A. It was carried on under the firm of John Ollivant and Co.; I came into partnership in October.

Q. Where is your shop situated; in what part of Manchester?

A. The corner of Exchange-street, and St. Mary's gate.

Q. Is that in a public part of Manchester?

A. It is exactly opposite the Exchange.

Q. Do you remember the day in question, the 16th. August, 1819?

A. Perfectly.

Q. Was you in the shop in the morning?

A. Yes.

Q. Do you remember the crowd, the parties, beginning to assemble, beginning to come into the town?

A. I do.

Q. Do you remember seeing Hunt come in?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Did you see him stop before the Exchange?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. With the whole of the people who were with him?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Did you hear any word given for their stopping there?

A. I did not.

Q. You only saw that they did stop, in fact?

A. Exactly.

Q. Whilst they were so standing, did any thing take place that you heard?

A. They shouted.

Q. Whilst they were shouting, did they direct their attention apparently towards the Exchange?

A. I thought so.

Q. Was you in a situation whence you could see the steps of the Exchange?

A. Yes, I could.

Q. Were there any gentlemen or any persons upon those steps?

A. There were some few.

Q. You could not see in the windows, whether there were any persons there or not?

A. I don't recollect.

Q. Did your shop continue open throughout the whole of the day?

A. No, sir.

Q. Were the windows closed, and at what time of the day?

A. We began to close them about eleven o'clock.

Q. What induced you to take that step?

A. The protection of our property.

Q. Was your stock at that time a valuable stock?

A. Yes, sir; I considered so.

Q. What induced you to suppose that your property was in any danger at the time?

A. Because we were apprehensive that some disturbance might take place?

Q. From whom did you apprehend the danger or risk?

A. From the crowds of people.

Q. Whom you had seen enter the place in the way you have described?

A. Yes, sir.

Q. Did you remain at home during the day?

A. I remained at the shop till the usual time in the evening.

Q. You had not many customers, as your windows were closed?

A. We had very few.

Q. Do you remember whether you had fewer customers that day than on the day before, or the day after?

A. The day but one before, we most certainly had more.

Q. That is the market day, probably?

A. Certainly.

Q. Do you know, in fact, whether business experienced any interruption in the course of the day of which we are speaking?

A. Certainly it did; it was a check to business.

Q. To what hour of the day did you continue your windows in the state that you have described—closed?

A. Until about three o'clock.

Q. Did you think the danger had ceased then, or were you advised?

A. We were advised.

Q. The danger being, as it was considered, over?

A. Yes.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You considered the danger over?

A. Yes, we were given to understand so?

Q. By the Magistrates?

A. By Mr. Hay, and Col. Silvester.

Q. And in consequence of the communication which you received from those gentlemen, your windows were reopened?

A. They were.

Q. You have stated that you closed your windows from an apprehension of danger to your own property, I ask you, whether, from what you saw and what you felt upon the occasion, you had reason to apprehend danger to the people in general of the town of Manchester?

A. Yes, sir; I should think so.

Q. In your judgment, was the peace of the town endangered by the number of people who came on that day?

A. I considered it was very likely that the peace, would be broken.

Cross-examined by Mr. Blackburne.

Q. You were not the proprietor of the shop, at that time?

A. I was not.

Q. Who was?

A. It was carried on under the firm of John Ollivant and Co.

Q. John Ollivant then was the proprietor?

A. He was—my mother was part proprietor.

Q. Was he at the shop at the time, did he superintend at all?

A. He did.