Exhibition: Peterloo – News, Fake News and Paranoia at Working Class Movement Library

Salford’s Working Class Movement Library makes its contribution to the Peterloo bicentenary by hosting a new exhibition featuring eye-witness accounts of this infamous event taken from publications of the day. Peterloo – News, Fake News and Paranoia, is a free gallery that places its focus on historical context, prevailing paranoia and the reactions of the establishment following the events of 16 August 1819. A key part of this new collection are the 1820 trial reports of Henry Hunt, Samuel Bamford and eight other leaders of the Manchester rally, which have been newly digitised and made available to view online. This particular copy belonged to William Hulton, who was Chairman of the Manchester Magistrates on the day of the Peterloo Massacre and was in the witness box for seven hours during the trial. In addition to housing historical documents, the library will also be hosting four free talks focusing on state violence starting from Wed 26 Jun and continuing weekly alongside a free afternoon talk on 3 Jul about the ballad songs of Peterloo.

Working Class Movement Library, 31 May – 19 Sep, 51 Crescent, Salford M5 4WX, Tel: 0161 736 3601, Free, www.wcml.org.uk