Lord Mayor follows Peterloo trail

The Lord Mayor is to mark the anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre on 16 August by viewing some of the important items linking to this historical event.

He will view an historic document detailing the compensation paid to those injured, a truncheon taken from a policeman who attended, and a plaque honouring those killed.

The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Mark Hackett, will take part in a historic trail around the city tracing important items and documents relating to Peterloo. The trail has been organised to commemorate the 191st anniversary of what has become known as the Battle of Peterloo.  Fifteen people died and more than 600 people were injured when the cavalry charged into a group of men, women and children who were attending a peaceful meeting pressing for political and economic change.

The blue plaque, which pays tribute to the events of 1819 is located on the site of St Peter's Fields where the meeting was held (now the Radisson Edwardian Hotel) and this is the first location the Lord Mayor will go to pay his respects.

He will then visit John Rylands Library to view an important historical document, detailing the compensation paid to the victims of Peterloo. Unesco- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - has identified the document as a 'memory of the world', which should be preserved as part of a project to protect and promote significant archive material.

Jan Wilkinson, University Librarian and Director of the John Rylands Library said: "The Peterloo Relief Fund Account Book is a unique and irreplaceable manuscript. It provides vivid, first-hand evidence of the Peterloo Massacre.
 
"With its graphic descriptions of the injuries sustained, it captures the shocking nature of Peterloo, and helps to explain the political impact that the event had in the immediate aftermath and in subsequent decades."

The Lord Mayor's tour will then end at the People's History Museum, which tells the story of Britain's struggle for freedom and democracy over two centuries.

The story begins with the Peterloo Massacre, and it is this section of the story that the Lord Mayor is going particularly to visit.

Among items of interest on display is a truncheon taken from a Special Constable at Peterloo by the great-great grandfather of Thomas Stone Williams, a former Lord Mayor of the city. After taking the truncheon, Williams' ancestor is then said to have hidden in a public house in Factory Lane on the corner of Rochdale Road, Barnes Green. The truncheon was donated by the Williams family in 1999 and is now on display in the Peterloo section of the new museum.

The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Mark Hackett said: "The 16 August marks Manchester's proud history of fighting for democracy, freedom and justice and we should remember all those Mancunians who gave their lives for this cause.

"We must preserve this history in order that future generations can learn about the city's radical past and I am very much looking forward to following this historical tour around the city to commemorate such an important date in our history."

Plans are currently underway to create a permanent monument in the city to honour Peterloo, which will be located in St Peter's Square as part of the town hall transformation project.