Peterloo Massacre, 200th anniversary

Today is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre; men, women and children mown down by soldiers whose sabres had been specially sharpened.

The gathering was asking to play a part in the so called democratic society. They also drew attention the appalling poverty in which working class people lived. On 16 August 1819, a crowd of some 60,000 people from Manchester and surrounding towns gathered in St Peter’s Fields to demand Parliamentary reform and an extension of voting rights. The meeting had been peaceful but the armed government militias charged upon the crowd - intent on causing disruption, dissuading protest, and arresting the leaders of the reform movement. As many as 15 people were killed and up to 700 wounded, although reports of casualty numbers are often disputed. The immediate effect of the massacre was a crackdown on reform, as the authorities feared the country was heading towards armed rebellion. The outcry led to the founding of the Manchester Guardian and played a significant role in the passage through Parliament of the Great Reform Act 13 years later. In essence, however, their protest initially brought nil response from government. There is a splendid graphic novel just published Peterloo; Witness to a Massacre which was made possible by crowd funding. Polyp, Schlunke, and Poole are the authors. The book is suitable for schools and young people. All three authors are active members of the The Peterloo Memorial Campaign. Follow the campaign on Twitter and Facebook.

Peterloo (2018) is a film by Mike Leigh, and is also a powerful way to address the historical events leading up to the Peterloo Massacre. Education and understanding is so essential in order to give people in the 21st century a real connection to the injustices and tragic events of the past. Comprehension and empathy hopefully prevents a return to such unjust, undemocratic, disgraceful, and harmful attitudes of elite privilege and disregard for the suffering of the poor and unrepresented masses. We need to respect the testimony and memories of those who sacrificed so much to give us the freedoms and lifestyles we enjoy today. We also need to recognise the importance of preserving democracy and equality for those who come after us. It is something we really need to bear at the forefront of our minds as we face current political and social crisis in the UK. — Keir Hardie's Cap