Peterloo 1819: Democracy, Protest and Justice
26 July 2019 - 1 March 2020
National Portrait Galley, London
Room 18, Floor 2
Free

This display marks the bicentenary of the Peterloo Massacre, a tragic event which is part of the unfolding story of the development of civil rights and democracy. On 16 August 1819, 60,000 peaceful protestors gathered at St. Peter’s Field in Manchester to demand the right to vote for all men. The Yeoman cavalry were sent in to the throng to arrest the main speaker Henry Hunt. Drunk and reckless, the yeomanry hacked with sabres at the unarmed men, women and children, killing 15 and injuring over 700. The event was swiftly called ‘Peterloo’, drawing comparison to the recent Battle of Waterloo.

https://www.npg.org.uk/whatson/display/2019/peterloo-1819-democracy,-protest-and-justice