Not Waterloo but Peterloo!

England is not a country of frequent revolutions; some say it is because our weather is not conducive to outdoor marches and riots. However, weather or no weather, in the early 1800's, working men began to demonstrate on the streets and demand changes in their working lives. In March 1817, six hundred workers set off from the northern city of Manchester to march to London. These demonstrators became known the 'Blanketeers' as each carried a blanket. The blanket was carried for warmth during the long nights on the road. Only one 'Blanketeer' managed to reach London, as the leaders were imprisoned, and the 'rank and file' quickly dispersed. In the same year, Jeremiah Brandreth led two hundred Derbyshire labourers to Nottingham, in order he said, to take part in a general insurrection. This was not a success and three of the leaders were executed for treason. But in 1819 a more serious demonstration took place in Manchester at St. Peter's Fields. On that August day, the 16th, a large body of people carrying banners bearing slogans against the Corn Laws, and in favour of universal suffrage, held a meeting at St. Peter's Fields. The magistrates of the day became alarmed and ordered the arrest of the principal speakers. As the Yeomanry attempted to obey the order, they were surrounded by the horde of people and the Hussars were sent in to help them. In the general panic which followed, eleven people were killed and about five hundred injured. Manchester Yeomanry charge at Peterloo This became known as the 'Peterloo Massacre'  The 'massacre' aroused great public indignation, but the government of the day stood by the magistrates and passed a new law, called the Six Acts, in 1819, to control future agitation. The Six Acts were not popular; they consolidated the laws against further disturbances, which the magistrates at the time considered presaged revolution! The people viewed these Six Acts with alarm as they allowed that any house could be searched, without a warrant, on suspicion of containing firearms, and public meetings were virtually forbidden. Periodicals were taxed so severely that they were priced beyond the reach of the poorer classes, and the magistrates were given the power to seize any literature that was deemed seditious or blasphemous, and any meeting in a parish that contained more than fifty people was deemed illegal. The Six Acts gave rise to a desperate response, and a man called Arthur Thistlewood planned what was to become known as the Cato Street conspiracy ….the murder of several cabinet ministers at dinner. The conspiracy failed as one of the conspirators was a spy and informed his masters, the ministers, of the plot. Thislewood was caught, found guilty of high treason, and hanged in 1820. The trial and execution of Thistlewood constituted the final act of a long succession of confrontation between government and desperate protestors, but the general opinion was that the government had gone too far in applauding 'Peterloo' and passing the Six Acts. Eventually a more sober mood descended on the country and the revolutionary fever finally died out. So while the battle of Waterloo is remembered as a turning point in English history, 'Peterloo' is also remembered as a sign that the people of England have the ability to right 'wrongs' should the occasion warrant it! © E.P.C

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