MIDDLETON, ROCHDALE, ECCLES, BOLTON, STOCKPORT, SALFORD AND SMEDLEY REMEMBER PETERLOO
Saturday 16th August – Commemoration:
1pm. In front of the Red Plaque on the wall of the former Free Trade Hall, Manchester (now The Radisson Hotel)
There will be a short ceremony including the laying of a wreath and the reading of the names of the Victims of Peterloo.
Anyone is welcome to join Oldham Community Radio as they walk from New Cross -the site of the last fatalities on the evening of 16th August 1819 -to the site of the ceremony. (Meet at the Crown and Cushion, corner of Oldham Road and Swan Street at 12noon)
Sunday 17th August - Commemorations and Performances.
MIDDLETON - The now traditional ‘Walk in the Footsteps of Sam Bamford’ will take place as usual commencing at 9am prompt (please assemble for 8.45) starting from in front of the Peterloo Memorial Plaque. (corner of Clark Brow and Morton Street) There will be replica banners and new placards bearing the words ‘Middleton Remembers Peterloo’ (Itinerary attached)
SMEDLEY – Henry Hunt spent the night before Peterloo at Smedley Cottage and had lunch on the bowling green of the Temple Hotel the day after with some other prominent radicals. A group will start from Smedley Lane at 11.00am and join the Middleton walkers at Smedley Dip where the cottage stood.
This is an accurate representation of the events of August 16th 1819 when Henry Hunt sent a horseman to intercept Sam Bamford’s group and ‘request’ that they diverted to Smedley, in order to form a procession in front of him (Henry Hunt rode in a Barouche, he didn’t walk!) Bamford reluctantly agreed but, when they reached Miller Street, the two groups took different routes through Manchester.
Other groups have now been formed and they will be coming in to Manchester in time for a gathering at 12.30pm. These groups are:
BOLTON – (Itinerary attached)
ECCLES – Starting at 10am from Eccles Cross and meeting the Bolton contingent at Salford Crescent Station at approx. 11.20
SALFORD – A small group will start from Cobden Street, near Pendleton Church at 11am and join the Bolton and Eccles walkers to enter Manchester.
STOCKPORT – Commencing from The Market Square (Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt, -the main speaker at Peterloo - spoke to the crowds here from the upper window of The Bull’s Head) Time to be confirmed.
ANYONE WISHING TO JOIN ANY OF THESE WALKS SHOULD MAKE CONTACT VIA EMAIL OR PHONE FOR FULL DETAILS.
1pm. Short commemoration in front of GMex, led by the Peterloo Memorial Campaign Group. The names of the dead will be read and ‘Peterloo’ by Harvey Kershaw will be sung. There will be an opportunity for quiet reflection, and the offering of personal tributes.
3pm. Performance of ‘Peterloo – Soldiers On The Rampage’ by The Free Radicals at The People’s History Museum. This has now become an annual event and we hope to continue until at least the bicentenary in 2019. The performance lasts about an hour, with a short break in the middle and will be followed by an open forum opportunity to discuss the topic and ask questions.
8.30pm. Second performance of ‘Peterloo – Soldiers On The Rampage’ by The Free Radicals – this time at The Spread Eagle, Cheetham Street, Rochdale at approximately 8.30pm (time dependent on the arrival of one member of the group!)
PETERLOO TEE SHIRT - Throughout the day the new Peterloo Tee Shirt will be available to purchase. Price is £15 from which a donation to the Memorial Campaign Funds will be made.
DETAILS OF ALL the above can be obtained from Martin Gittins 0770 430 577 or email