Hannah Quigley The Barlow RC High School

Hannah Quigley

The Barlow RC High School

Peterloo Massacre

All I can hear is deafening cries, people screaming and saying their goodbyes.

There are bodies lay all over the floor and suddenly I hear the sound of a slammed door, a voice shouts in my ear and goes to say, “Come on wake up, let’s start your day.”

That night I had the most fearful dream, one that would make the strongest scream.

I thought I would never have to see that again. Instead all I do is question when, when will I forget the things that took place that day?

Maybe there, things that could have gone a different way. But here I am telling my story, despite it being evil and gory.

And I will stand up for what I think is right, because I know it was wrong what happened that night…

I walk down the cobbled old road, laughing, chanting, singing a load.

My clothes may have been scruffy as always, but I didn’t mind.

Despite all the shouting we were still kind.

The condition we lived and worked in were just unbearable, but we still carried on. As if our hearts were untearable.

We all decided enough was enough, after all we were people too. Not just scruffs, so we started a peaceful protest, just so they could see what we were going through.

But who were they kidding? They don’t care about me nor you.

It was going great, it was such a happy day, but no one knew that it would turn out this way.

We were all sharing food and drinks happily, and then all of a sudden there were shouts of fear all around me.

The people started falling to the floor, there were babies crying, a whole uproar. Everyone tried to escape but no one could go anywhere. The whole thing was scarier than my worst nightmare.

The bad men on horses they really hurt my Mummy, and when I looked down there was blood all on her tummy.

So many people are either lay on the floor or being hurt, or even being thrown into the dirt.

Why were they doing this?

The protest, until they turned up was peaceful and kind. But most importantly why was Daddy leaving Mummy behind?

All I could hear was deafening cries, people screaming and saying their goodbyes.