London Socialist Historians Group
Media Release 13th August
Contact Dr Keith Flett @kmflett
On 205th anniversary historians call on Tories to apologise for Peterloo
The London Socialist Historians Group, which convenes the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research, University of London has called on the Tory Party to apologise for Peterloo on the 205th anniversary.
Many thousands had come from surrounding towns and villages to hear speakers including Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt at a demonstration demanding the right to vote held on St Peters Field in central Manchester on 16th August 1819.
They were cut down by Yeomanry on horseback using sabres and numbers died or were injured.
Wlliam Hulton the Chair of the Magistrates on the day who gave the order to send in the Yeomanry, was a lifelong Conservative.
Before the 1832 Reform Act Hulton was part of the ‘blue party’. His family owned a horse called Church and King. When the Tories lost to the Whigs (Liberals) in South Lancashire in the Election of that year, Hulton was a founding member of the South Lancashire Conservative Association.
According to his biographer Robert Walmsley (Peterloo The Case Reopened 1969) Hulton did make an apology of sorts for Peterloo but this was lost on the reformers of Lancashire including The Guardian newspaper that perpetually referred to Hulton as a ‘foolish country squire’.
London Socialist Historians Convenor Dr Keith Flett said, Rishi Sunak remains Tory leader but he is on holiday in California. There are however six contenders to replace him as Tory leader currently touring England speaking at meetings. There is nothing to stop them apologising for Peterloo although if the campaign launch of Tom Tugendhat is anything to go by perhaps they will be celebrating it as a great moment in British history
Leave a Reply