'Story of Peterloo' Summary

On August 16th, 1819, a crowd of around 60,000 people gathered in St. Peter’s Fields, Manchester, to advocate for parliamentary reform. The peaceful gathering, intended to voice the grievances of the working class, turned tragic when authorities, including Hussars and yeomanry, attacked the assembled crowd with weapons. This brutal suppression resulted in the deaths of 18 people and over 700 injured, becoming known as the Peterloo Massacre. Francis Archibald Bruton, in his meticulously researched account, uses contemporary sources to reconstruct the events of the day, analyzing the political climate, the motivations of the participants, and the consequences of the massacre. His work goes beyond simply recounting the violence, offering a nuanced perspective on the significance of Peterloo as a turning point in the history of the British labour movement. The book explores the growing discontent with the existing political system, the role of working-class activism, and the brutal response of the authorities, providing a comprehensive understanding of this momentous event.