St. Peter's Field in Manchester

Now known as St. Peter’s Square, St. Peter’s Field was a public square in Manchester City Center. In 1819, the area around the square was the site of the Peterloo Massacre. Today, the square is bounded by the Manchester Central Library, Midland Hotel, and the Manchester Town Hall. Related BRANCH Article: James Chandler, “On Peterloo, 16 August 1819”

For more information on the Peterloo Massacre, visit this interactive exhibit produced for the 200th Anniversary of the events at St. Peter's Field.

Parent Map

Map to Accompany Road to Women's Suffrage Timeline
Romanticism: A Class Map
Map: Race, Gender, Class, Sex
Map: Race, Gender, Class, Sex

Coordinates

Latitude: 53.478153000000
Longitude: -2.243131000000

View on the COVE Master Map

Timeline of Events Associated with St. Peter's Field in Manchester

Date Event Manage
18 Jan 1819

St. Peter's Field meeting

On 18 January 1819, Henry Hunt presided at a meeting of 8,000 operatives on St. Peter’s Field in Manchester.

Articles

James Chandler, “On Peterloo, 16 August 1819″
16 Aug 1819

Peterloo massacre

print depicting the Peterloo MassacreOn 16 August 1819, at St. Peter’s Field, Manchester, more than 60,000 workers gathered to demonstrate in favor of an expansion of suffrage in England. In an attempt to disperse the crowd and arrest the organizers of the demonstration, local cavalry and members of the 15th Hussars and 88th Foot attacked the crowd, killing a dozen protestors and injuring as many as 600. Though Wellington was not involved, the incident was dubbed “Peterloo” because of his persistent opposition to reform in the House of Lords. Image: Richard Carlisle, To Henry Hunt, Esq., as chairman of the emeeting assembled in St. Peter's Field, Manchester, sixteenth day of August, 1819, and to the female Reformers of Manchester and the adjacent towns who were exposed to and suffered from the wanton and fiendish attack made on them by that brutal armed force, the Manchester and Cheshire Yeomanry Cavalry, this plate is dedicated by their fellow labourer, Richard Carlile: a coloured engraving that depicts the Peterloo Massacre (1 October 1819), Manchester Library Services. This image is in the public domain in the United States because its copyright has expired.

Related Articles

James Chandler, “On Peterloo, 16 August 1819″

Sean Grass, “On the Death of the Duke of Wellington, 14 September 1852″