Peterloo Massacre Peterloo Massacre The Peterloo Massacre occurred at St Peter's Field, Manchester, England, on 16 August 1819, when cavalry charged into a crowd of 60,000–80,000 who had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation. The end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 had resulted in periods of famine and chronic unemployment, exacerbated by the introduction of the first of the Corn Laws. By the beginning of 1819, the pressure generated by poor economic conditions, coupled with the relative lack of suffrage in Northern England, had enhanced the appeal of political radicalism. In response, the Manchester Patriotic Union, a group agitating
Proposed flag of North West England West of England. Tony Wilson stated: "It's not about succession [sic], it's saying that there's this referendum about devolution", it was believed to highlight the issue of devolution in terms of regional identity by recalling the Manchester Peterloo Massacre in which the army charged a large political gathering and seized its flags. Following a no vote in the North East of England for a regional assembly, a referendum vote for the North West, which was due to take place in October 2004, did not take place. Proposed flag of North West England The Proposed Flag of North West England is