Peterloo guided tour & archive open day
Carmel Smickersgill, Tours & Activities Editor
This year Manchester Cathedral and the People’s History Museum are teaming up to curate a week of activity commemorating the events of the Peterloo Massacre. Join Dr Bob Dinn from PHM to revisit this momentous occasion of civil unrest with a Peterloo Guided Tour. You’ll take a closer look at key artefacts in the main gallery such as a cane from the massacre itself, before delving deeper into the archive. Here, you’ll have access to resources which aren’t usually open to public display, including the newspapers that covered the trail of Henry Hunt. The events of this fateful day in British democracy have been well documented, as the archive will show you. Giving us an invaluable insight into the lives of both the victims and aggressors.
For those that aren’t aware, Peterloo was an event where thousands of workers had gathered to listen to Henry Hunt, a radical activist who advocated for basic human rights amongst the working classes (wow so radical). The crowd was charged at by sixty cavalry men defending the rights of the rich to exploit the workers. This inevitably led to many deaths and countless injuries among the protesters who’d travelled from all over the North West to be there. As with all politically complex situations though, there is a lot of nuance to be found within the dynamics that created such a blood bath. Nuance that can be explored in guided tour.
Remembering events like these and understanding the fallout is essential for being able to make sense of world events today. Although the sabres may have been swapped for tear gas and horses exchanged for tanks, it is not an uncommon sight to see peaceful protests escalated by those in a position of power resulting in devastating consequences. We remember and understand that this is not a new phenomenon so as to constantly strive for better in the future no matter what side of the fight you’re on.
The tour is suitable for ages 16+ and is available with BSL upon request. Discover more of the events over the course of this Peterloo week via the PHM website.
