Peterloo Massacre atrocities re-lived through poetry

Peterloo Massacre

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Rochdale’s local creative writing groups will deliver dramatic readings of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s The Mask of Anarchy in remembrance of those who suffered as a result of the Peterloo Massacre, 1819.

Performances and a writing workshop are being held on Saturday 17 August 2013 at various locations in the borough, in honour of the 194th anniversary of the public uprising and in the memory of those killed and injured there.

On 16 August 1819, 60,000 people from across Lancashire gathered at St Peter’s Field, Manchester, to campaign for parliamentary reform against a backdrop of poverty and squalid living conditions.

Men, women and children assembled to peacefully protest and hear Henry Hunt speak about better conditions for workers. Many were from Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood.

Magistrates sent in the cavalry to “disperse” the crowd and arrest the speakers - 15 were killed and hundreds were injured as the cavalry slashed at innocent people with their sabres.

Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley was so disgusted by these atrocities, that in response he penned his epic poem The Mask of Anarchy, which explores the plight of the British working classes in 1819.

Now the borough’s writing groups will give life to Shelley’s epic poem.

Councillor Peter Williams, cabinet member for Economic Development and Customer Services (including libraries) said: “This is a fitting tribute in remembrance of our ancestors, who marched to St Peter’s Fields from Rochdale, Middleton and Heywood and were joined by thousands from surrounding mill towns to fight for justice and equality; tragically many paid with their lives and through serious injury.

“It’s heartening to see a group of enthused individuals using this important historic event as an occasion to facilitate this community led event. It just goes to show that joining your local library can open up a world of possibilities; reading and writing groups provide local people with a chance to exercise their creativity, make friends and enjoy a passion for literature.”

The day will be a lead-in event, looking forward to the Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival taking place 25 – 27 October 2013. The dramatic readings will be filmed by Rochdale Movie Makers and the resulting work presented at a special screening during the festival.

It’s all possible thanks to the generous bequest legacy left to Rochdale Library by Frank and Annie Maskew. The Maskew Collection at Rochdale Central Library is a collection of classic literature and philosophy books, left by the Maskews to kindle a love of reading and thinking.

Details of performances are below:

12:15 - 12:45 First Performance: Middleton Library, Long Street, Middleton.

13:00 - 13:30 Second Performance: Heywood War Memorial, Church Street, Heywood.

15:00 - 16:00 Shelley Writing Workshop: The Pioneers’ Museum, Toad Lane, Rochdale.

16:30 - 18:00 Third Performance: St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane, Rochdale.

18:00 - 19:00 Martin Gittins’ Folk Band: The Baum pub, Toad Lane, Rochdale.

19:00 - 20:30 Poetry Open Mic: The Baum pub, Toad Lane, Rochdale.

Members of the public are warmly invited to attend any or all of the above sessions. All are free and no pre-booking is required.