The Peterloo Massacre - Manchester 16th August 1819
TRANSCRIPTION OF : 'NOTES & OBSERVATIONS, Critical & Explanatory, on the Papers Relative to OFFICIAL Gateshead, 13th October, 1819. My Lord, Your Lordship's humble servants, To Lord Sidmouth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copy of the Letter sent to the Lord Lieutenant. My Lord, (Signed) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Roby Castle, October 15, 1819. My Lord, I have the honour to be, . To Viscount Sidmouth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Westleigh, October 17, 1819. My Lord, The acerbation of temper amongst the weavers, or, as they stile themselves, the reformers, produced by severe privations, from the lowness of wages, and infuriated by seditious publications and cheap pamphlets, industriously circulated amongst them, has prepared them for the perpetration of the most atrocious crimes, and they openly declare their intention, by a simultaneous movement in the night, to seize property wherever they can find it, and destroy the possessors thereof; and it is added, that the period is not far distant. (o) I beg leave to state, that a single troop of horse would , in my humble opinion, be adequate to the purpose, provided it was stationary for a few months; as it would enable us to put the Watch and Ward Act in force, which, in the present state of things, I do not deem practicable. I have the honour to be, To Lord Sidmouth. Footnotes~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ County Palatine of Lancaster to wit. Who saith, that about a fortnight ago, he received orders from several persons, to make about twenty pikes, but this informant did not make them, nor does he know the persons who ordered them. That this informant believes he could have had orders for one hundred pikes, if he had chosen to accept the order. Sworn at Westleigh, in the said County, the day and year above written, before me, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ County Palatine of Lancaster, to wit. Sworn at Westleigh, in the said County, the day and year aforesaid, before me, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ County Palatine of Lancashire, to wit. Who saith, that some persons, about a week ago, called at this informant's house, who are of the class called Reformers; that as they were speaking seditiousty this in- formant pretended to fall asleep, when he heard the said persons say, that it was the intention to rise in the night, upon the 1st day of November next, and that it was to he done all through the country, and they would divide the property amongst them. That two other persons have said, in this informant's house, that the blacksmith at Pickley Green, in Westleigh, in the said county, was busy making pikes, and had hired a man to file them. That this informant did not know the said persons, but from their language he understood, that the pikes were to be used to kill the gentlemen, and to take their property. Sworn before me, at Hindley aforesaid, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ County Palatine of Lancashire, to wit. Who saith, That he has made various iron instruments, similar to the one he now produces, by order of different persons, but does not know their use; he has made about sixteen or eighteen, and has orders for twenty more for the Bedford side, to be ready by Saturday the 16th instant: believes he could have orders for one thousand if he could make them; they are made by order, with points and keyholes, to fasten into a staff, and the pattern and material is usually brought by the person ordering them. He has made one for ___, and one for ____; but does not know the names of any others. He was not aware that they were unlawful weapons, but has lately been told that they are. That this informant has no objection for any person to stand in his shop to see him make them, or to see who calls for them. Sworn at Westleigh aforesaid, the day and year above written, before me ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Newcastle, October 17 , 1819. My Lord, The Keelmen having on Tuesday morning last stopped the waggons and proceeded to other acts of insubordination, it was determined, that the Magistrates for Northumberland and Durham, accompanied by dragoons, should go down on the North and South sides of the river, and that l should go on the river. Four boats from His Majesty's ships met me about three miles from Shields. We effected all we wished: the ships loaded at the spouts, and I protected four keels to Shields: they moored to the ships; the owners said they only required some Constables left to protect them, and dismissed His Majesty's boats; and having discharged my duty, I went on shore, leaving the steam packet and Constables to protect the crews of the keels. There did not appear the least reason to suspect riot, or an attack upon the packet. I had not been twenty minutes on shore, where I had ordered some refreshment for myself, when I received a message from the packet to send them immediate assistance, as their lives were in imminent danger. I sent to Captain Montague requesting his boats, and made an immediate attempt to get to the packet: I found it absolutely impossible, without sacrificing my life to no purpose. Between three and four hundred of the mob were upon the quay, showering stones into the packet. In the course of a few minutes, I was informed His Majesty's boats were arrived; I made another attempt to get on board - it was impossible. At this time I marked one man, who appeared a leader; he threw stones, and as he retreated to seek more stones, and was stooping for that purpose, I seized him, and with the aid of another gentleman, took him prisoner: he is a shoemaker, has seven men employed under him, and was one of the Radicals who marched from Shields on the 11th. Within a few minutes I heard the report of two muskets and went out to know the cause, and was informed that they were fired from the shore; this was not the case; they were fired by marines, in the air: very soon two or three more were fired, and I heard a cry of murder; one man was killed. The mob immediately turned their fury to me, saying, I had ordered the firing. The room in which I was, was attacked with stones and brick bats; in a minute the glass sashes were demolished: the house, a very large one, belonging to the Duke of Northumberland, was surrounded; the windows demolished. I had at the beginning sent for two Magistrates at Shields; they could not come, and at this critical moment, when the mob broke open the door, and were rushing in to take me, the High Constable, Mr. Joshua Donkin, arrived, and assuring them that it was impossible that I could give the order, they became more quiet. I had previously gone to the door to make the same assurance, but was assaulted with a volley of stones, two of which took effect. They then demanded the prisoner: as he was well known, he was released, and hopes were entertained that they were satisfied. In three or four minutes the attack was renewed in front of the house; Mr. Donkin and myself went out at the back door at the moment the mob rushed into the front; we were not recognized, and got off: they searched every rooom, even chests for me. The Inquest is sitting: there is no doubt of a verdict of justifiable homicide. l am happy to say I have reason to believe the business between the Keelrnen and Owners Will be settled to-morrow; but, this will not render us secure, the reformers are now in a state of almost rebellion. I applied to Lord Darlington - the yeomanry are all under arms; four companies of the 40th marched here at four o'clock on Friday morning, and more come to-morrow. Post is going. I am, Lord Viscount Sidmouth, ***************************************************************
'NOTES & OBSERVATIONS, Critical & Explanatory, on the Papers Relative to the Internal State of the Country, Recently Presented to Parliament; to which is appended, a REPLY to Mr. Francis Philips's 'Exposure of the Calumnies circulated by the Enemies of Social Order ...' Transcribed by Sheila Goodyear 2019 LINK to full .pdf document of 'Notes & Observations ...'
on the Internet Archive website to read or download. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 Peterloo Project Pages on our companion website, |