On the 16th August 1819 innocent men, women and children were murdered and badly wounded when the Cavalry charged into them on horseback in St Peters Field, Manchester where they had gathered to here speeches by Orator Henry Hunt.
The People had had enough and were demanding the reform of parliamentary representation. Around 60,000 thousand had gathered, they had travelled from far and wide. The women were dressed in white (a sign of peace) and everyone was in their Sunday best. This was meant to be peaceful, they even brought their children.
Today we came together to remember the people who lost their lives that day, their names were read out, where they came from and how they died. Wreaths were laid at the memorial and after we proceeded a short distance to where a plaque was unveiled on a wall adjoining the friends meeting house which was the original wall from the time of the ‘Peterloo Massacre’ The wall where people tried to climb over to escape the cavalry. The people inside the friends meeting house would not let them in.
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