As a zillion events converge on Manchester and Salford related to the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre, the Working Class Movement Library is linking the relevance of the events of 16th August 1819 with the present day.
As everyone should know by now, on that day the cavalry charged thousands of unarmed peaceful democracy protesters, leaving 18 dead and hundreds injured in St Peter's Field, Manchester.
Until 19th September, the Library has an exhibition, Peterloo news, fake news and paranoia*, which explores in detail the historical context, the prevailing paranoia and the reactions of the establishment. It utilises the Library's unique and extensive Peterloo collection which includes eye-witness accounts in contemporary publications of the terrible events, and includes a report of the trial in 1820 of Henry Hunt, Samuel Bamford and eight other leaders of the Manchester rally.
This particular copy belonged to William Hulton, who was Chairman of the Manchester Magistrates on the day of the Peterloo Massacre. He was in the witness box for seven hours during the trial. The book has also been digitalised and can be read online at the Library's website click here.
Meanwhile, the final talk in the Library's Not Just Peterloo series happens this Wednesday, 17th July between 7pm and 8pm, when Joanna Gilmore, Lecturer in Law at the University of York and a founding member of the Northern Police Monitoring Project, gives a talk called Lessons from Orgreave: policing, protest and resistance...
Joanna will challenge claims of a progressive shift in the state's response to protest and dissent since the 1980s. Drawing on empirical research into the policing of anti-war, anti-fascist and anti-fracking protests, she will highlight the continuing relevance of Orgreave, and the policing of the 1984-5 miners' strike more generally, for contemporary policing practice.
Lessons from Orgreave: policing, protest and resistance
Wednesday 17th July 7pm-8pm
Working Class Movement Library
Admission free
For more details click here
* Peterloo news, fake news and paranoia
Until 19th September
Working Class Movement Library
Open Wednesday to Friday 1pm-5pm, and the first Saturday of the month 10am-4pm. Free.
For more details - click here
For full details of all the Peterloo events see the official website - click here
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