William Gould Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Spectator
• Occupation: Merchant

Testifies to there being great alarm in the area at the numbers of people gathering. He and his neighbours prepared to barricade their warehouses.

Account

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William Gould sworn: examined by Mr. Serjeant Cross.

Q. You was a merchant at Manchester, in the year 1819?

A. Yes, at that time.

Q. Had you a warehouse in the town at that time?

A. Yes.

Q. Was you attending your business, in the course of the morning of the 16th. August?

A. I was.

Q. Did you see any of these bodies of people march into the town?

A. I did.

Q. Did you apprehend any danger to the peace or safety of the town?

A. A very great.

Q. Any for your own property?

A. Certainly.

Q. Did you take any measures in consequence of those apprehensions?

A. We ordered the windows to be shut, the shutters to be closed?

Q. Of your warehouse?

A. Yes; and the doors ready to be barricaded at a moment's notice.

Q. Did any of your neighbours do the same?

A. I believe they did.

Q. Do you happen to know whether they did?

A. Several that I knew, shut up their warehouses.

Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. You say several did.

A. They did.

Q. And several did not?

A. I don't know any that did not.

Q. You know some did?

A. I don't know the rest did not?

Q. Do you know Mr. Greg of Manchester?

A. I do not. I saw him in the box the other day.

Q. Is he a merchant?

A. He is a merchant; I have no personal acquaintance with him.

Q. But you do know he is a merchant at Manchester?

A. Certainly.

Q. And a man of considerable property there?

A. Certainly.

Q. Mr. Sanderson, do you know him?

A. I saw him the other day.

Q. Do you know whether he is a person of property in Manchester?

A. I do not. I believe he has a warehouse at Manchester.

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