Peterloo Cane

On 16 August 1819, blood ran in the streets of Manchester. 18 people were killed and hundreds injured attending a peaceful demonstration at St Peter’s Field, now the area around St Peter’s Square. 60,000 people had gathered to demand the vote. The massacre became known as Peterloo. A major event in Manchester’s history and a defining moment for Britain’s democracy.

The Peterloo Cane is one of the few items to have witnessed what took place in Manchester on 16 August 1819, when a protest by 60,000 working people for rights and representation turned into an event that saw loss of lives and the injury of hundreds. The Peterloo cane, whilst simple in design, is highly symbolic in significance.

The Peterloo cane has been donated by the family of Charles Worsley, who is known at the time of Peterloo to have lived in the Withington area of south Manchester and to have worked in the highly skilled trade of joinery, employing up to six people. It is believed that Charles Worsley was at Peterloo as a protestor and dressed, like so many others, in his Sunday best with the walking cane a part of his attire, as was the fashion of the time.

The Peterloo cane carries both inscriptions and inked drawings. Whilst some of the words are more difficult to decipher, quite clearly are the words “be brought to Justice” and a number of names, including “HUNT”. Also clearly distinguishable it says “I was one of the dreadfull (sic) bludgeons seen on the plains of PETERLOO”.

From the work carried out by People’s History Museum, which included magnification techniques and the use of ultra violet light, it is believed that whilst the writing was added after the events of 16 August 1819, the drawings were done ahead of the protest. Of those that particularly stand out, are two caps of liberty and a flag flying.

Part of the national commemorations marking 200 years since the Peterloo Massacre, this object featured in the Disrupt? Peterloo and Protest exhibition at People’s History Museum in 2019 to tell the story of Peterloo and highlights its relevance today.