Manchester "Peterloo"

[searchr]

Hi,
I've been investigating a site called history extra, and came across a massacre that happened on the 16 Aug 1819 in Manchester, St. Peter's Fields. That will be 200 years this year! https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/peterloo-massacre-1819-protestors-struggle-democracy/

It says that there was a gathering of 60000 weavers, tradesmen and their families then. They were looking for reform, but coming on foot and peacefully, like a family day out. At least 18 people were killed and more than 600 injured. The local magistrates ordered the Manchester and Salford Yeomanry and the 15th Hussars to charge into the crowd.

What tradesmen do you think would have been involved? What occupations in general? Would it have extended to tailors and dressmakers?

How far afield do you think people could have come from?

Is there going to be any sort of commemoration?

Thanks.

[goldie61]

Hi,
I've been investigating a site called history extra, and came across a massacre that happened on the 16 Aug 2019 in Manchester, St. Peter's Fields. That will be 200 years this year! https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/peterloo-massacre-1819-protestors-struggle-democracy/

Oops. Bit of a typo there searchr.
I think you meant 1819, not 2019.

[goldie61]

HAve you read the Wikipedia entry? A lot of information.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterloo_Massacre

It tells you where they thought most of the people came from.

The crowd that gathered in St Peter's Field arrived in disciplined and organised contingents. Each village or chapelry was given a time and a place to meet, from where its members were to proceed to assembly points in the larger towns or townships, and from there on to Manchester.[40] Contingents were sent from all around the region, the largest and "best dressed"[26] of which was a group of 10,000 who had travelled from Oldham Green, comprising people from Oldham, Royton (which included a sizeable female section), Crompton, Lees, Saddleworth and Mossley.[26] Other sizeable contingents marched from Middleton and Rochdale (6,000 strong) and Stockport (1,500–5,000 strong).[27] Reports of the size of the crowd at the meeting vary substantially. Contemporaries estimated it from 30,000 to as many as 150,000; modern estimates are 60,000–80,000.[41] Scholar Joyce Marlow describes the event as "The most numerous meeting that ever took place in Great Britain" and elaborates that the generally accepted figure of 60,000 would have been six per cent of the population of Lancashire, or half the population of the immediate area around Manchester.[26]

There's a little chart too that gives some idea of how many thousands came from different places.

There's evidently a film of it.
The 2018 Mike Leigh film Peterloo (film) details the incident and the events surrounding

[goldie61]

From http://aboutmanchester.co.uk/peterloo-2019-commemorations-announce-181900-national-lottery-grant/


Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, a Heritage Lottery Fund grant will enable Manchester Histories and People’s History Museum will work in partnership with Manchester City Council, Historic England, University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University as well as a host of other partners and individuals across Greater Manchester to deliver the Peterloo 2019 project, which will commemorate one of the most significant episodes in the history of Britain’s struggle for universal suffrage.

Karen Shannon, CEO Manchester Histories, says, “The Peterloo Massacre plays a significant role in the history of Manchester. The fall-out from what followed was felt across the country and continues to be felt two hundred years later. We want to ensure that more people know about what happened at Peterloo and consider some of the parallels of what happened then and what is happening in today, not just in Manchester but also globally

And more........

(Google '1819 manchester peterloo commemoration 2019')

[pet50ite]

There was also a film released last year called Peterloo.

[pet50ite]

OOps. Didn't read to the end of the post

[searchr]

Thanks all. I've fixed the typo and will investigate the wiki and maybe somehow the film.
Do people know the occupations and places, or will that be revealed from the wiki and film?
I'm glad it's being commemorated.

[Skoosh]

Also radical activity in Yorkshire at the time, Huddersfield & Barnsley I think. The Scottish Insurrection of 1820 has a commemoration being held this weekend in Greenock where the militia fired on the crowd,


https://www.electricscotland.com/history/1820/appendix5.htm

Skoosh.

[Ray T]

The upcoming aniversary and last years film (now on DVD and available in Tesco for a tenner - other retailers may have it!) has resulted in a number of good books on the subject. Personally, I don’t think that the film gives the best impression of what happened.

The most comprehensive is titled “The Casualties of Peterloo” by Bush. It isn’t the most recent but, apart from describing the day’s events, it forensically examines the available information for every known casualty. In consequence, this will give you a good idea of where they came from and what they did for a living. Admittedly, the 600 or so casualties are not a particularly big sample of the tens of thousands who attended but it’s likely that this is the most accurate you’ll get.

The most recent I’ve read is “Peterloo - Voices, Sabres & Silence” by Graham Phythian which I wold recommend.