2009 Commemoration of the Peterloo Massacre
Sunday, August 16th 2009 marks the 190th anniversary of the “Peterloo Massacre” in Manchester. As a large number of the estimated 70,000 men, women and children present on the day were from the area now administered by Oldham MBC, Oldham Community Radio 99.7fm believe we should acknowledge and commemorate the significant contribution made by local people to this defining event from British and indeed world history.
On the Saturday evening (15th August) Oldham Community Radio 99.7fm broadcast the World Premier of “Peterloo” an original musical for radio by local musician and writer Ted Edwards.
However, Sunday morning, 16th August, our main contribution was our “Peterloo Commemorative Walk”. The intention is to re-enact the walk from the Oldham MBC area down into the ‘Peterloo’ district of Manchester (although on a much smaller scale and with a different outcome!).
On the Sunday morning (16th August 2009) several small groups of ‘walkers’ (6 to 10 individuals) started from various parts of the Oldham area. For example, the group from Lydgate Saddleworth (7.45am), walked via Lees (8.20am), being joined by other walkers en route and into Oldham town centre where they rest and wait to be joined by groups from some of the other starting points.
These ‘other groups’ started from various localities, for example, Moorside ( 8.10am), Shaw, Royton (8.05am) etc and meet up in Oldham town centre. The start times for these groups were arranged so that they arrive in Oldham, have a short rest, and then depart as a large group towards Manchester at 9am (as the protesters of 1819 did).
As they proceeded down Manchester Road they were joined by the group from Chadderton (start 9.15am) at the Chamber Road / Old Lane area.
The enlarged group continued to Failsworth Pole where it rest (3 miles from Oldham) and was joined by ‘the Failsworth contingent’ (as in 1819).
It then set off towards Manchester at 10.20am collecting ‘walkers’ as it proceeds. It arrived at the Manchester end of Oldham Road at 12 noon where there was be a short rest before crossing the city centre to the St Peters Fields area for 1pm (as in 1819). We were about 200 to 250 strong by the time we reached the city centre.
We then commemorated the occasion with a small event before dispersing (without the assistance of the military!) after a minutes silence, at 1-50pm (the time the original meeting was cleared).
It must be stressed that this event is a commemoration of ‘The Radical Reformers’ and the ‘politics of 1819’, not the politics of 2009! Thus we should celebrate the calls for ‘parliamentary reform’, ‘annual parliaments’, ‘universal suffrage’, ‘vote by secret ballot’ and even, ‘votes for women’!! (Don’t worry that last one will never catch on!!).