MANCHESTER, Friday Morning.
By five o’clock the people again assembled in large masses in the Granby-row-fields, St. George’s-fields, New-cross, and other parts of the town, and crowds of from 200 to 400 paraded the town in a menacing attitude, soliciting alms, which were freely given to them by the shopkeepers. The magistrates commenced their sittings between five and six o’clock, and continued to be occupied until a late hour in swearing in special constables. Up to the present time of writing there are few short of 2500 specials appointed.
The first act of the rioters this morning was to attack some large silk-mills in Silver-street, which had again gone to work. These they compelled to stop, after which they visited several other factories. Notwithstanding the resolutions come to by the magistrates, and a deputation of the meeting yesterday, but few mills have returned to work this morning. It was decided by the magistrates, that on any mill returning to work, it should be protected by a certain number of the military and special constables. The conduct and behaviour of the mob appears very determined, and great fears are entertained that the day will not pass over without some collision. The troops and police marched this morning to their several stations soon after 4 o’clock. The organization of the people appears complete, but it has not exactly transpired under what leaders they are acting. At 9 o’clock a notice was given to the police, that a meeting of the leaders of the disturbance was to be held at the lead-mills of Messrs. Occleshaw, in Piccadilly. A strong detachment of constables, accompanied by a party of dragoons, immediately went to to the spot, and entering into the rear of the premises, succeeded in capturing ten prisoners, who were directly removed to the Town-hall. A notice was immediately afterwards issued, of which the following is a copy:—” All persons who have been sworn in as special constables, with the exception of those who are now on duty, are requested to assemble at the Town-hall forthwith.
“Town-hall, August 12, 7 o’clock a.m. W. NEILD, Mayor.”
Another meeting has been held at the Carpenters’-hall, for the purpose of appointing delegates to a meeting, to be held at 2 o’clock to-day. The affair is now assuming a more political aspect, as a series of resolutions have been published and circulated, avowing the principles of the people’s charter, expressing themselves determined to forward it at all hazards, and attributing in strong terms the present disastrous state of affairs to class legislation. Up to nearly the last moment of writing, the greatest assemblage of persons was at Bank-top, and crowds were assembled towards Oldham-road, and at Salford things were equally distressing.
Rochdale is in the same excited state, and acting upon the same system as Manchester. They have determined to move out to-day upon Tormorden and the various manufactories in that neighbourhood, to “force all out.” The Royston people are to move simultaneously into Rochdale, and do duty for their absent brother operatives, in keeping watch and ward over the mills and other works, so as to prevent any of the hands from going “in.”
SALFORD.—FIRING UPON THE MOB
An attack was made at 7 o’clock this morning upon the mills of Messrs. Gisborne, printers and bleachers, at the Adelphi works, which was resisted by the parties placed inside for their protection, who fired upon the mob, and wounded five persons.
APPROACH OF THE COLLIERS.
I open my parcel to state that the turn-out colliers have arrived at Pendleton, one mile from Manchester, on their march towards the town. They have attacked several mills. A detachment of the military has just been despatched to intercept their progress in that direction.
STOCKPORT, Friday Morning, 7 o’Clock.—At 5 o’clock this morning an immense assemblage of persons took place on the Waterloo-road, where resolutions were passed in favour of a repeal of the corn-laws, and in favour of the people’s charter. All the mills are turned out, and the mob have broken open and pillaged the workhouses of food and clothing. They are going about in mobs robbing the provision-shops. The Cheshire Yeomanry are out, but the applications for a military force from Manchester have been unsuccessful.
If you do not receive this parcel in time it will be in consequence of the mob having stopped the railway communication between here and London. I am informed by the clerk of the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, that the Sheffield line of rail was stopped this morning by the mob at the Hyde and Newton stations. This was said to be in consequence of a report prevailing that troops were expected to come by this line to the assistance of the authorities of Manchester. Several of the directors of the railway have gone off by the Stockport train on business connected with this awful state of things. On my way to the railway, passing the infirmary, a party were conveying a boy, about sixteen years of age, to the hospital, who had been shot; and a party of police, whom I also met in my way to the station, had 13 rioters in custody.
[ It is said that four companies of the Foot Guards were last night under orders to be in readiness to proceed to Manchester to-day by railway, if, from the accounts received last night, their presence should be required.— Morning Paper.]
The Illustrated London News, London, England, Week Ending August 13, 1842
