St Peters Field map

Download St Peters Field map files:

The St Peters Field map files contains two versions of the map: one with Braille labelling and the other with raised letter labelling. For each version a Word Document Key has been provided which details all information.

Both versions of the map are presented in four pieces, A, B, C, and D, which align left to right.

Map titled "A plan of St Peters Field with the Avenues leading thereto". The map shows streets and buildings surrounding St Peters field. Small dots represent the crowd in the square. The dots are especially dense surrounding the raised stage in the square. A red line shows the path of the yeomanry as they cut through the crowd towards the stage.

‘A plan of St Peter’s Field with the Avenues leading thereto’, with a key that shows the location of the magistrates assembled, constables near the hustings, Manchester Cavalry, hustings, Quakers’ Meeting House and reformers surrounding the hustings. Catalogue reference: TS 11/1056

This document is a map showing an event that happened at St Peter’s Fields on the 16th of March 1819 in Manchester. At this time, only rich people could vote and machines had begun to take away jobs for people in the cotton industry, leading to unemployment and poverty.

This event came to be known as the Peterloo Massacre. A crowd of 60,000 men, women and children had gathered to protest about political reform (change) and rights for poor people. Local magistrates (people who held positions of authority and helped keep order) thought that reformers would get violent. They said the meeting was illegal and warned people to stay away. Despite this, the meeting went ahead and started peacefully. However, when the main speaker Henry Hunt arrived, the Manchester Yeomanry (men who owned land and volunteered to keep the peace) were sent to arrest him. They slashed their way through the crowd, killing 11 people and resulting in 400 people being injured. After the event the government introduced new laws to prevent meetings about political change.

This model can be used alongside our themed collection Protest and democracy 1818 to 1820, part 2.

Questions:

  1. What is happening in the map?
  2. Can you find the protestors and the yeomanry in the field?
  3. How large is the gathering in the field?

Challenge questions:

  1. How does this map present the Peterloo massacre?
  2. What does the environment around the protest look like? How might this have affected the protest?
  3. What other documents might help you understand what happened at this event?

Images of the tactile model:

A tactile version of the map described above rendered in resin and painted cream. The buildings are rendered in black squares. The dots of the crowds are represented by raised dots. The yeomanry dots are distinguished by pointed tops.

Close-up of the raised dots representing the crowd in the square. The small stage is also visible.