Bamford was a silk weaver and an active radical. He participated in the famous
demonstration at St. Peter's Fields, Manchester, in August 1819. At this demonstration,
troops moved in to break up the unarmed crowd. The "Peterloo Massacre" was
followed by ten years of very reaction government, with restrictions on the press and
other repressive legislation.
WITH the restoration of the Habeas Corpus Act, the agitation for reform was
renewed. A public meeting on the subject was held at Westminster, on the 28th of March and
in June [ 18191 Sir Francis Burdett's motion for reform was negatived in the House of
Commons.
Numerous meetings followed in various parts of the country; and Lancashire, and the
Stockport borders of Cheshire, were not the last to be concerned in public demonstrations
for reform. At one of these meetings, which took place at Lydgate, in Saddleworth, and at
which Bagguley, Drummond, Fitton, Haigh, and others were the principal speakers, I, in the
course of' an address, insisted on the right, and the propriety also, of females who were
present at such assemblages voting by a show of hand for or against the resolutions. This
was a new idea; and the women, who attended numerously on that bleak ridge, were mightily
pleased with it. The men being nothing dissentient, when the resolution was Put the women
held up their hands amid much laughter; and ever from that time females voted with the men
at the Radical meetings. I was not then aware that the new impulse thus given to political
movement would in a short time be applied to charitable and religious purposes. But it was
so; our females voted at every subsequent meeting; it became the practice, female
political unions were formed, with their chairwoman, committees, and other officials; and
from us the practice was soon borrowed, very judiciously no doubt, and applied in a
greater or less degree to the promotion of religious and charitable institutions.
Amongst the meetings for reform held in the early part of the summer of 1819 were the
one which took place on Spa Fields, London, at which Mr. Hunt was chairman, and another
held at Birmingham, at which Major Cartwright and Sir Charles Wolseley were elected to act
as legislatorial attornies for that town in Parliament.
It would seem that these movements in the country induced our friends at Manchester to
adopt a course similar to that at Birmingham, and it was accordingly arranged that a
meeting for that purpose should be held on St. Peter's Field on the 9th of August. But the
object of that meeting having been declared illegal by the authorities, it was
countermanded, and another was appointed to be held on the 16th of the same month....
By eight o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 16th of August, 1819, the whole town of
Middleton might be said to be on the alert: some to go to the meeting, and others to see
the procession, the like of which, for such a purpose, had never before taken place in
that neighbourhood.
First were selected twelve of the most comely and decent-looking youths, who were
placed in two rows of six each, with each a branch of laurel held presented in his hand,
as a token of amity and peace; then followed the men of several districts in fives; then
the band of music, an excellent one; then the colours: a blue one of silk, with
inscriptions in golden letters, "Unity and Strength," "Liberty and
Fraternity"; a green one of silk, with golden letters, "Parliaments
Annual," "Suffrage Universal"; and betwixt them, on a staff, a handsome cap
of crimson velvet with a tuft of laurel, and the cap tastefully braided, with the word "Libertas" in front. Next were placed the remainder of the men of the districts in fives.
Every hundred men had a leader, who was distinguished by a sprig of laurel in his hat;
others similarly distinguished were appointed over these, and the whole were to obey the
directions of a principal conductor, who took his place at the head of the column, with a
bugleman to sound his orders. Such were our dispositions on the ground at Barrowfields. At
the sound of the bugle not less than three thousand men formed a hollow square, with
probably as many people around them, and, an impressive silence having been obtained, I
reminded them that they were going to attend the most important meeting that had ever been
held for Parliamentary Reform, and I hoped their conduct would be marked by a steadiness
and seriousness befitting the occasion, and such as would cast shame upon their enemies,
who had always represented the reformers as a mob-like rabble; ... I requested they would
not leave their ranks, nor show carelessness, nor inattention to the order of their
leaders; but that they would walk comfortably and agreeably together. Not to offer any
insult or provocation by word or deed; nor to notice any persons who might do the same by
them, but to keep such persons as quiet as possible; for if they began to retaliate, the
least disturbance might serve as a pretext for dispersing the meeting. If the peace
officers should come to arrest myself or any other person, they were not to offer any
resistance, but suffer them to execute their office peaceably....
... I also said that, in conformity with a rule of the committee, no sticks, nor
weapons of any description, would be allowed to be carried in the ranks; and those who had
such were requested to put them aside, or leave them with some friend until their return.
In consequence of this order many sticks were left behind; and a few only of the oldest
and most infirm amongst us were allowed to carry their walking staves. I may say with
truth that we presented a most respectable assemblage of labouring men; all were decently,
though humbly attired; and I noticed not even one who did not exhibit a white Sunday's
shirt, a neck-cloth, and other apparel in the same clean, though homely condition....
From all that I had heard of the disposition of the authorities, I had scarcely
expected that we should be allowed to enter Manchester in a body. I had thought it not
improbable that they, or some of them, would meet us with a civil and military escort;
would read the Riot Act, if they thought proper, and warn us from proceeding, and that we
should then have nothing to do but turn back and hold a meeting in our town. I had even
fancied that they would most likely stop us at the then toll-gate, where the roads forked
towards Collyhurst and Newtown; but when I saw both those roads open, with only a horseman
or two prancing before us, I began to think that I had over-estimated the forethought of
the authorities, and I felt somewhat assured that we should be allowed to enter the town
quietly, when, of course, all probability of interruption would be at an end....
Having squeezed ourselves through the gully of a road below St. Michael's Church, we
traversed Blackley Street and Miller's Lane, and went along Swan Street and Oldham Street,
frequently hailed in our progress by the cheers of the townspeople. We learned that other
parties were on the field before us, and that the Lees and Saddleworth Union had been led
by Doctor Healey, walking before a pitch-black flag, with staring white letters, forming
the words, "Equal Representation or Death," "Love"-two handsjoined and
a heart; ...
... The meeting was indeed a tremendous one.... Mr. Hunt, stepping towards the front of
the stage, took off his white hat, and addressed the people.
Whilst he was doing so, I proposed to an acquaintance that, as the speeches and
resolutions were not likely to contain anything new to us, and as we could see them in the
papers, we should retire awhile and get some refreshment, of which I stood much in need,
being not in very robust health. He assented, and we had got to nearly the outside of the
crowd, when a noise and strange murmur arose towards the church. Some persons said it was
the Blackburn people coming, and I stood on tip-toe and looked in the direction whence the
noise proceeded, and saw a party of cavalry in blue and white uniform come trotting, sword
in hand, round the corner of a garden-wall, and to the front of a row of new houses, where
they reined up in a line.
"The soldiers are here," I said; "we must go back and see what this
means." "Oh," some one made reply, "they are only come to be ready if
there should be any disturbance in the meeting." "well, let us go back," I
said, and we forced our way towards the colours.
On the cavalry drawing up they were received with a shout of goodwill, as I understood
it. They shouted again, waving their sabres over their heads; and then, slackening rein,
and striking spur into their steeds, they dashed forward and began cutting the people....
On the breaking of the crowd the yeomanry wheeled, and, dashing whenever there was an
opening, they followed, pressing and wounding. Many females appeared as the crowd opened;
and striplings or mere youths also were found. Their cries were piteous and heart-rending,
and would, one might have supposed, have disarmed any human resentment: but here their
appeals were in vain. Women, white-vested maids, and tender youths, were indiscriminately
sabred or trampled; and we have reason for believing that few were the instances in which
that forbearance was vouchsafed which they so earnestly implored.
In ten minutes from the commencement of the havoc the field was an open and almost
deserted space.
