Local town names will appear on new Peterloo Memorial to be unveiled at bicentenary commemoration

Imagery from the Peterloo massacre

The towns of Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton are to be included on a new memorial of the Peterloo Massacre, which will be unveiled at the forecourt of Manchester Central Conference Centre on the 200th anniversary of the atrocity.

The towns are mentioned, as are others across Greater Manchester, on the memorial by installation artist Jeremy Deller, for being known as places whence people marched on 16 August 1819, to take part in a 'peaceful assembly'.

Led by Samuel Bamford, 60,000 workers and reformers from north west towns and villages including Heywood, Rochdale and Middleton, travelled to hear political speeches at St. Peter’s Field.

The day became known as the Peterloo Massacre after 18 protestors were killed and nearly 700 injured after soldiers and special constables attacked the public protest calling for democratic representation.

Within days the slaughter was named ‘Peter-loo’, an ironic reference to the battleground of Waterloo.