Peterloo Massacre 1819

I bet most of you have never heard of this massacre
which took place on the 16th August 1819.
Up to 60 to 80 thousand people walked from all over
parts of Lancashire to St Peters Square in Manchester.
They were making a peaceful and happy kind of
protest about the way Parliamentarians were elected.
MP's nowadays.
Then with no reason at all a army of over 1500 formed
to run through the crowd to stop the protest.
They were protesting about the poverty and lack of jobs
which had occurred since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
As 600 Hussars, several hundred infantrymen; an artillery unit with two six-pounder guns, 400 men of the Cheshire cavalry and 400 special constables waited in reserve, the local Yeomanry were given the task of arresting the speakers. With sabres drawn the Hussars galloped through
the crowd cutting down men, women and children, going
for the speakers of the protest.
Over 700 people were injured and over 20 were killed
including a woman and a child. The correct number of
casualties was never given as it would seem there were
much more than the 700. The listings don't give how
many died later from their injuries.
In those days the only people who could vote were Gentlemen of money.
By 2pm the field was left with fallen banners and dead bodies. Journalists were arrested and their notebooks
taken from them.
As if no one could remember such an awful thing.
No one was ever charged with the murder of these
innocent protesters. Shame on them I say.

""According to Nick Mansfield, director of the People’s History Museum in Salford, "Peterloo is a critical event not only because of the number of people killed and injured, but because ultimately it changed public opinion to influence the extension of the right to vote and give us the democracy we enjoy today. It was critical to our freedoms."

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

I am aware of it Sandy , not a glorious moment in our history...

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

I was not aware of it , i shall read more about it from the old newspapers on line .
Ive noticed how cheap and harsh life was back then from the stories ive already read..

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

Yes I have heard of it, I have seen a painting of it somewhere.

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

I think I learned more about history from folk music than I ever did at school


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ-SEFK_Bng

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

Thanks OG for the video which tells the story really well.
Brought a tear to my eyes.

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

There is another aspect of Peterloo which I want to put on record in the cause of historical accuracy.

The brutal suppression of the peaceful protestors was done for a reason although that reason was mistaken. The government of the day was keenly aware of what had happened in France following the successful revolution there. Think back to the Terror and many people who were beheaded. It was feared that even peaceful protest would inevitably lead to similar scenes than those witnessed in France in the 1790s. This abject fear put the lid on any meaningful reforms until as late as the 1830s when at last the Whig government led by Earl Grey finally put an end to many abuses including the final abolition of slavery.

Re: Peterloo Massacre 1819

Thanks for that Mr Magoo. I always thought a good cup of tea
would calm things down.