Peterloo 2019 launches major summer events programme to mark 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre

Manchester Histories is an independent charity spun-out of The University of Manchester’s Department of History and is overseeing the set of events for Peterloo 2019.

There are over 150 events happening across Greater Manchester to mark this most significant moment in history. Exhibitions, screenings, performances, conversations, takeovers, dramatisations and much more feature as part of a programme that is full of opportunities for participation, interaction and reflection and is inspired by the themes of protest, democracy and freedom of speech.

The programme leads into the anniversary itself (16 August 2019) when 200 years ago 60,000 men, women and children gathered to peacefully demand parliamentary reform. When the troops were sent in to break up the crowd, 18 people were killed and around 700 were injured.

Michael Wood and David Olusoga will be hosting talks at Manchester Art Gallery and Manchester Central Library. In partnership with The Guardian and the University of Manchester there are also four debates exploring the roots of protest, gaps in representation, AI and the fourth industrial revolution and whether devolution is the way to a healthier democracy?

Karen Shannon, Chief Executive of Manchester Histories, says: “The city of Manchester that we know today carries the legacy of the Peterloo Massacre in many different ways; as a city of progress, as a change creator and as a city that will listen and speak out. This connection between the past and present flows throughout this exciting and powerful line up of events. The Peterloo 2019 summer events invite those that know nothing about this chapter of history to discover its powerful legacy and welcome those that live in, work in or are visiting Manchester to explore its contemporary relevance.”

David Olusoga OBE, Professor of Public History at the University of Manchester, says: ”Our local, national, global history is significant to us all. We all play our part. Often hidden histories like the Peterloo Massacre or the history of Black people in Britain are lost, forgotten or written out of the history books. The Peterloo 2019 programme led by Manchester Histories will give us the opportunity to change this, to shine a light on these stories, but more importantly to explore where we are today. I’m honoured to support such an innovative programme.”

For more information, the full programme of events and booking details visit Peterloo1819.co.uk which also features interactive story telling around the events of the Peterloo Massacre itself.

Download the full brochure for further information