01 - Three Accounts of Peterloo by Francis Archibald Bruton

Dive into the tumultuous events of August 16, 1819, with Three Accounts of Peterloo, a compelling companion to F.A. Brutons The Story of Peterloo. This short collection features firsthand accounts from Bishop Stanley, Lord Hylton, and John Benjamin Smith, each accompanied by insightful introductions from the editor. These contemporary narratives offer diverse perspectives on the tragic day when a peaceful reform rally at St. Peters Fields, Manchester, was violently disrupted by a troop of Hussars and local Yeomanry, resulting in 18 deaths and over 700 injuries. (Summary by Phil Benson)

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Front Matter. An introduction of three accounts of Peterloo, edited
by FA Bruton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
to volunteer, please contact LibriVox dot org. Three Accounts of
Peterloo by FA Bruton Front Matter and introduction front Matter.

(00:28):
Three accounts of Peterloo by eye witnesses, Bishop Stanley, Lord Hilton,
John Benjamin Smith, with Bishop Stanley's evidence at the trial,
edited by FA Bruton, M. A. Litt D. Of the
Manchester Grammar School, Manchester, had the University Press, Longman's Green

(00:49):
and Company, London, New York, Bombay, et cetera. Nineteen twenty
one Publications of the University of Manchester, Number one hundred
and forty contents. Introduction Page v II, Bishop Stanley, Page one,
Stanley's account of Peterloo, Page ten. Stanley's evidence at the

(01:12):
trial in eighteen twenty two, Page twenty four, Sir William
Joliffe Afterwards, Lord Hilton, page forty five. Lieutenant Joliffe's account
of Peterloo Page forty eight. John Benjamin Smith page fifty nine.
Mister J. B. Smith's Account of Peterloo, Page sixty two.

(01:34):
Appendix A, page seventy five. Some relics of Peterloo. One
A banner carried at Peterloo. Two Bamford's cottage at Middleton,
three constable staves, four, head of flagstaff, five Hussar's plume.
Six A count book of the Relief Committee. Seven A

(01:57):
count book recording amounts raised for the relief of spe
special Constables and their families. Appendix B, page eighty one.
One Note on the casualties at Peterloo. Two Presence of
women and children at Peterloo. Three Some gleanings from the
scrap books. Four explanation of the contemporary plan and picture

(02:19):
of Peterloo. Illustrations. Portrait of Bishop Stanley, frontispiece, Stanley's Plan
of Peterloo, page eight Naden the Deputy Constable facing page
twenty one, or at a Hunt, facing page twenty seven.
Plan of Peterloo compiled from the contemporary plans and modern

(02:42):
street maps, facing page forty four. Portrait of mister John
Benjamin Smith facing page fifty nine. The Hunt Memorial at
the Manchester Reform Club, facing page sixty nine. The Peterloo Medal,
facing page seventy one. Carried at Peterloo, by the Middleton Contingent,

(03:03):
facing page seventy five. Samuel Bamford's cottage at Middleton, facing
page seventy six. Three relics picked up on the field
of Peterloo, facing page seventy seven. A page of the
Relief Committee's account book, page seventy nine. Plan of Peterloo,
published with the report of the trial in eighteen twenty two,

(03:24):
page eighty nine rose picture of Peterloo showing the Manchester
Yeoman re riding for the Hustings, facing page ninety. Introduction
of the three accounts of the Tragedy of Peterloo given
here Two the first and third, have never been published
before the second appeared in the Life of Lord Sidmouth

(03:46):
in eighteen forty seven. All three, written with care and
judgment by men who afterwards rose to eminence, form a
valuable contribution to the understanding of an event, the accounts
of which have been for the most part distorted and misleading. Moreover,
as each of the three writers deals with a different
phase of the day's happenings, the accounts compliment one another.

(04:10):
The editor had already arranged for the publication of the
first when he received the following letter from Lord Sheffield,
dated Penross, Holyhead, August twenty first, nineteen nineteen. It is
many years since I had the copy of the Reverend E.
Stanley's report, and no doubt it was one of the
lithographed copies you mention. I think it would be well

(04:31):
if it were published, along with the evidence to which
you refer. I also think the plan of which you
speak should be added, and the reports of Jolife and J. B. Smith.
Lord Sheffield supported his suggestion by enclosing a check towards
the cost of printing, and this made easier the publication
of the whole. Lord Sheffield also kindly lent the portrait

(04:52):
of Bishop Stanley, which appears as the frontispiece. Acknowledgments adue
besides one to misd Henry Guppy m A for permission
to use the blocks of Rose Picture of Peterloo and
the plan from the Story of Peterloo in the Bulletin
of the John Rylands Library for October nineteen nineteen, and
to copy a page of the account book of the

(05:13):
Relief Committee. Two to Lady Derning Lawrence, who with the
late mister C. W. Sutton m A. Gave permission to
print the extract from the reminiscences of mister J. B. Smith,
and to reproduce his portraits. Three to mister W. Marcroft
of Southport and Messrs Hurst and Rennie of Oldham for

(05:34):
the loan of the blocks of Orator Hunt, the Hunt
Memorial and the Peterloo Medal. Four to mister John Murray
for leave to reprint Lieutenant Joliffe's letter. Five to mister W. W.
Manfield for the loan of the three relics of Peterloo.
And six to mister R. H. Fletcher, amateur photographer of Eccles,

(05:55):
for photographing the relics et cetera fab end of section.