From William Hulton at Peterloo to Mark Field MP, how the Tories deal with democratic protest

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From William Hulton at Peterloo to Mark Field MP, how the Tories deal with democratic protest

In Uncategorized on June 22, 2019 by kmflett

From William Hulton at Peterloo to Mark Field MP, how the Tories deal with democratic protest

Pickering, Henry; William Hulton with Gun-Dog and Shotgun; Lancashire County Museum Service; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/william-hulton-with-gun-dog-and-shotgun-151714

Mark Field a Tory MP has been suspended from his Ministerial role after forcibly ejecting a peaceful climate change protester from an event.

At least no permanent harm was done on this occasion but Field’s behaviour may be seen as part of a long tradition of how the Tories have dealt with democratic protest

The Magistrate who gave the order to send the Yeomanry in at Peterloo was William Hulton.

On the 150th anniversary of Peterloo in 1969 Robert Walmsley published a large volume on Peterloo that was at core an interesting biography of Hulton. EP Thompson’s review in the Times Literary Supplement was scathing and ended by pointing out that Hulton was a founding member of the South Lancashire Conservative Association, some years after Peterloo.

Hulton (1787-1864) was a landowner on whose land coal was mined and railways built in the area where Manchester touched on what is now part of Bolton. His connection with central Manchester seemed vague, hence the question as to why he was the leading Magistrate at Peterloo, but in fact he owned property in Deansgate.

Hulton came from a long line of Hultons from 1645 to 1940 all of whom were called William except one, Henry (1665-1737). His mother owned a successful race horse which she named ‘Church and King’ in case there were any doubt on where the Hulton dynasty stood on such matters.

Hulton came into his inheritance in 1808 aged 21 and married Maria who bore him 13 children.

Hulton was active as a magistrate before Peterloo and in 1812 at Westhougton 2 miles from his ancestral seat at Hulton Hall, Luddites burnt down a new power loom factory. Hulton despatched summary justice to some of those involved.

After Peterloo he was an active Tory often heckled in public with the cry of ‘Peterloo’. The labouring masses of Manchester knew well enough his role.

The Manchester Guardian, which had been founded in 1821 as a result of Peterloo consistently referred to Hulton as a ‘foolish country squire’. Some may see him as a vicious class warrior. The reality remains however that his important role in the formation of the Conservative Party in Lancashire may be one reason still even almost 200 years on why there has until this year been an official reluctance to mark Peterloo with more rather more than a small plaque

Below is a link to a BBC interview with Tory Peer Julian Fellowes who is descended from William Hulton

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-45563005

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