Chapter III: Part 3

I have to thank Mr. J. J. Phelps for calling my attention to two papers in a scrap-book at the Chetham Library which he conjectures to have been that of Mr. Francis Phillips, the protagonist on behalf of the magistrates, and the author of _An Exposure of the Calumnies, &c._ One of these is the actual subpoena which Mr. Phillips received, summoning him to give evidence in the trial at York: "there to testify the truth on our behalf against Henry Hunt and others for certain misdemeanours whereof they are indicted." (MS. B. 9. 41. 110. p. 43.).

The other paper is of some importance as it fixes the date of the embodiment of the Manchester Yeomanry. In _The Story of Peterloo_ (p. 13) some details are given in support of a conjecture that the corps was formed later than March in 1817. The scrap-book just quoted confirms this conjecture, for there appears a printed copy of a letter addressed to the Boroughreeves and Constables of Manchester and Salford, and bearing over a hundred signatures (that of Mr. Phillips coming second), asking that a meeting may be convened with the object of forming such a corps. In response to this appeal the Boroughreeves and Constables summoned a meeting for the purpose, in a letter dated Manchester, June the 16th, 1817. (MS B. 9. 41. 110. p. 22). With this date as a guide, it was easy to find in the advertisement columns of _Wheeler's Manchester Chronicle_ for Saturday, June the 21st, 1817, a copy of both letters, a list of the signatures, and the announcement that the proposed meeting was actually held on June the 19th, 1817, when it was resolved: "that under the present circumstances it is expedient to form a body of Yeomanry Cavalry in the Towns and neighbourhood of Manchester and Salford." Details follow as to Government allowances for uniform, etc., and as to the possibility of amalgamating with similar corps in the surrounding towns, should such be formed. Each man was to provide his own horse.

This information has an important bearing on the tragedy of Peterloo, and taken in conjunction with the Resolution of the Magistrates mentioned in _The Story of Peterloo_ (p. 13), leaves no doubt as to what was the nature of the "present circumstances" that called the corps into being.

4.--EXPLANATION OF THE CONTEMPORARY PLAN AND PICTURE OF PETERLOO.

(_a_) The Contemporary Plan of St. Peter's Field which appears on the following page was published in Farquharson's verbatim Report of the Trial in 1822. As the lettering is small, some explanation is necessary.

The shaded area in the centre represents the open space on which the tragedy was enacted. To the south of it is clearly seen the "raised ground" mentioned by Stanley, and shown also in his Plan. The windmill which stood near, and gave its name to Windmill Street, had disappeared some years before. The site of it is now occupied by the Central Station Approach.

On the shaded space are marked: "Hustings;" "Carriage" (_i.e._, Mr. Hunt's carriage, marked also on Stanley's Plan); the double line of "Constables;" and the "Manchester Yeomanry," drawn up in front of the row of houses in Mount Street, labelled: "Magistrates assembled here." The Friends' Meeting House is marked "Quaker's Meeting House," and the enclosing wall is stated to measure in height "3 ft. 7 in. on the inside" and "10 ft. 3 in. on the outside." These measurements would be inserted, probably, in connection with the statement that one of the Cavalry jumped his horse over this wall. Apparently a gate and posts cross Mount Street in front of the Meeting House, and lead into "St. Peter's Field," across which two dotted lines indicate the _projected_ line of Peter Street.

_Photo by R. H. Fletcher._]

The position of the Troops and the line of their approach to the Field are shown as follows: The "31st Infantry" are drawn up in Brazennose Street, the upper end of which is also blocked with a gate and posts; the "88th Infantry" are lined up in Dickinson Street; in Portland Street are the "Manchester Yeomanry," and their course is shown by a dotted line up Portland Street, along Nicholas Street, down Cooper Street, and then round the corner of Cooper's garden wall (now the site of the north-western corner of the Midland Hotel) into Mount Street; the Plan stating that "The Manchester Yeomanry came this way to the ground;" another troop of the "Manchester Yeomanry" is drawn up in front of St. John's Church, in Byrom Street; facing them, in the same street, are shown the "15th Hussars" in two sections, presumably representing the "two squadrons" mentioned by Lieutenant Jolliffe in his letter; lastly, the "Cheshire Yeomanry" are drawn up in St. John's Street, off Deansgate, and the line of approach of all these mounted troops is shown by a dotted line passing along Byrom Street, St. John's Street, southward down Deansgate, then along Fleet Street, up Lower Mosley Street, and along the "raised ground" already mentioned to St. Peter's Field, the inscription on the Plan reading: "The 15th Hussars, one troop of the Manchester and Cheshire Yeomanry came this way to the ground." The artillery are not shewn.

The scale of yards given on the Plan shows that Stanley's estimate of a hundred yards as the distance from Mr. Buxton's house to the Hustings was exactly correct.

(_b_) Wroe's Contemporary Picture of Peterloo, which is shewn on the following page, is perhaps the best of a number of sketches extant. The details are fairly accurate. In the background, on the extreme left, is seen (to quote Bamford) "the corner of a garden wall, round which the Manchester Yeomanry, in blue and white uniform, came trotting, sword in hand, to the front of a row of new houses." The "corner" is on the site of the north-western corner of the Midland Hotel. The "new houses" were on the site of the present Midland Buffet. Mr. Ewart's factory, in the distance, was just off Lower Mosley Street. The row of houses to the right of this, in the background, was on the upper side of Windmill Street. The Hustings are on the site of the south-eastern corner of the Free Trade Hall. Standing on them we may distinguish Mr. Hunt and the Leader of the Manchester Female Reformers. Around them are the Banners of the various contingents; we may even make out the legend "No Corn Laws" on the one in front. The Banner-poles are shaped to resemble caps of Liberty, as shown in another of our illustrations. The crowd are occupying the site of the Free Trade Hall, the Theatre Royal, the Y.M.C.A., the Gaiety, and a number of adjoining buildings.

_To face page 90_]

The moment seized by the artist for his picture is that in which the Manchester Yeomanry, many of whom are scattered and entangled among the crowd, have reached the Hustings, while in the distance the Hussars can just be seen lining up in Mount Street and charging to their relief. The crowd, consisting of men, women and children, are seen dispersing in all directions.

The view might be imagined to have been taken from the roof of a building which then occupied the site of the present Albert Hall, in Peter Street. Other contemporary prints include St. Peter's Church and the Friends' Meeting House in the picture.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] I met Mr. Buxton on the steps of his house, not at all aware till then that his _residence_ was at or near the place of meeting. I had been directed to his _shop_, considerably beyond the square, to which I was proceeding. I state this to prove that what I afterwards saw was purely accidental, and that I had no previous intention of witnessing in detail the transactions of the day. As I came from the bottom of Alport Street, on the Altrincham side of Manchester, my original directions were indeed to pass through St. Peter's field as the shortest line, but I had taken a circuitous route to avoid the meeting, which led me to the corner of it near Mr. Buxton's house.

[2] It has been stated, upon evidence which I should be unwilling to discredit, that the body of persons more immediately in contact with the hustings were of Hunt's party. My reasons for believing them at the time to be (as I was told) special constables, were because they resembled them in appearance, were connected in their lines, had their hats on, and staves of office occasionally appeared amongst them. Mr. Hay, in his official letter, says: "A body of special constables took their ground, about two hundred in number, close to the hustings, from whence there was a line of communication to the house where we were." This is precisely my view of the case; doubtless, had the communication been cut, he would have noticed it.

[3] Some, by being better mounted or rather in advance, might have been more moderate in their pace, but generally speaking it was very rapid, and I use the word gallop, as conveying the best idea of their approach.

[4] I am particular in mentioning these minute circumstances, because in this and some other points in which I could not be mistaken, I have been strongly contradicted.

[5] It has been often asked when and where the cavalry struck the people. I can only say that from the moment they began to force their way through the crowd towards the hustings swords were up and swords were down, but whether they fell with the sharp or flat side, of course I cannot pretend to give an opinion.

[6] On quitting the ground I for the first time observed that strong bodies of infantry were posted in the streets, on opposite sides of the square; their appearance might probably have increased the alarm and would certainly have impeded the progress of a mob wishing to retreat in either of those directions. When I saw them they were resting on their arms, and I believe they remained stationary, taking no part in the transaction.

[7] On entering Mosley Street at 12 o'clock I stopped to question some persons on the footway respecting the proceedings of the day. When about to proceed, I was recommended to move from the middle of the street to the path, as the mob were advancing. I declined, suspecting my advisers might be radicals, adding: "I am on the King's highway, and shall remain where I am." I mention this because I have heard it reported that I was insulted by the Ashton people, which may have originated from the above account.

[8] [In the copy of Farquharson's verbatim Report of the Trial, which is preserved at the Reference Library, Manchester, this "not" is omitted. The omission is, of course, due to a misprint, and someone has inserted "not" in pencil. Similarly, in my own copy of Farquharson's Report, someone has inserted the "not" in ink. McDonnell, in his "State Trials," inserted the "not." Mr. McKennell's evidence, as reported in Farquharson, is as follows (pp. 169, 170; he was cross-examined by Mr. Serjeant Hullock):--

By whom was the Riot Act read?

--I never heard it read.

You heard no such thing?

--I did not.

EDITOR.]

[9] [St. John Street or Byrom Street.--EDITOR.]

[10] [South-east would be more correct.--EDITOR.]

[11] [East would be more correct. The Cheshire Yeomanry filed along the south side. The arrows in Stanley's Plan make this clear.--EDITOR.]

<pre id="pg-footer">