The Peterloo Massacre took place at St Peter's Field, Manchester, Lancashire, England on Monday 16 August 1819. Eighteen people died when cavalry charged into a crowd of around 60,000 people who had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation.

Why did the battle of Peterloo happen?

What was the Peterloo massacre? On 16 August 1819, up to 60,000 working class people from the towns and villages of what is now Greater Manchester marched to St Peter's Field in central Manchester to demand political representation at a time when only wealthy landowners could vote.

Is Peterloo a true story?

Turner and Topsy-Turvey—Peterloo is based on a true story. In Peterloo, Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful, The Imitation Game) stars as Henry Hunt, who was a radical British speaker in the early 19th century known for his working-class activism.