A new website, Peterloo1819.co.uk,
has been launched today (18 March) that will interactively explore the events
and legacy of the Peterloo Massacre
200 years after this watershed moment in Britain’s democracy. Using detailed 3D imagery the user is placed in St Peter’s Field so that they can see how events unfolded when
60,000 people gathered in Manchester
on 16 August 1819 seeking rights and
representation.
Timelines
enable the user to navigate the months, days
and hours ahead of the tragic events that were to take place, in which 18
people would lose their lives and around 700 would be injured when troops,
including local yeomanry, charged the crowd.
Why did people gather in such numbers? Who
were the protestors? What actions did the authorities take? How did people lose
their lives? What happened afterwards? These are all questions that Peterloo1819.co.uk
helps the user to explore and understand.
The website is part of a project, Peterloo 2019, being delivered by Manchester Histories with the support
of The National Lottery Heritage Fund
to mark the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre.
Karen
Shannon, Chief Executive of Manchester Histories, says,
“There is a huge amount for us to learn from about the events that were to lead
to Peterloo; how a peaceful protest was to end in a day of bloodshed and the consequences
that were to follow. Yet awareness
levels of this milestone in our democracy are still relatively low, even within
Greater Manchester. The website that we’ve created will help to connect people
to this history and to understand why it has such relevance to our lives today.
“Peterloo1819.co.uk
delivers a highly visual and engaging experience thanks to the combined work of
brand and creative agency Dinosaur,
which has designed and built the site, animator Neil Millington, who has produced the 3D photospheres, and Professor Robert Poole, who has
provided all of the historical guidance and expertise.”
Historian Professor Robert
Poole says, "The website gives us for the first
time a view of what it would be like stood on St Peter's Field. Not only that, but we can explore this world
and the stories of those that were there on 16 August 1819 through the graphic
recreations, which are a revelation."
Peterloo1819.co.uk will
be the go-to place to find out about all the community, cultural and heritage events happening across Greater
Manchester as the 200th anniversary of Peterloo is marked with exhibitions, art
installations, walks, music events and much more. Users will also be able to
download the learning resources that
are being created for children of primary and secondary school age as part of
Peterloo 2019, in partnership with People’s History Museum and British Council. Alongside this there will be archive
materials, feature articles, blogs and links to social media channels.
Rich in resources, the website will not
only be invaluable way of accessing information relating to the 200th
anniversary, it will also be create an archive
of content and materials for future generations to use.
Frank
Fenten, Digital Director for Dinosaur,
says, “Our challenge was to make the events of 1819 relevant to an audience that
includes those raised on computer games and CGI-heavy films. To create a rich,
immersive, experience we drew heavily on gaming techniques, storytelling and interface
design to tell the story of what happened. Working alongside a historian and a
3D artist, we painstakingly reconstructed the events of the day and delivered
this as an interactive that works on several levels. On one level, it’s a
straight linear story, on another, you can dive into over a hundred hotspots to
explore in much greater detail.”
Peterloo 2019 features
public events, learning opportunities and creative exploration developed through
partnership work amongst cultural organisations and communities, led by
Manchester Histories and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Visit Peterloo1819.co.uk
for further information.
ENDS
A selection of images taken from Peterloo1819.co.uk can be found
here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xgocsambo2oeakb/AACxGlMvMSzL_cUP-MjELKMya?dl=0
For further information please contact Fido PR:
laura.sullivan@fidopr.co.uk
/ clare.short@fidopr.co.uk
0161 832 3588
The
Peterloo Massacre was a watershed moment that would mark Manchester as a
radical city like no other and become a defining moment for Britain’s
democracy. On Monday 16 August 1819, a
60,000-strong crowd walked to the meeting point at St Peter’s Field in Central
Manchester from as far afield as Wigan, Rochdale, Saddleworth and Altrincham to
call for parliamentary representation. Shortly after the meeting began and
whilst the orator Henry Hunt was making his address, local government forces
charged into the crowd on horseback and with swords drawn. Around 700 people were injured and 18 men,
women and children would lose their lives.
About Peterloo 2019
Peterloo
2019 is a project that is led by Manchester Histories and supported by The
National Lottery Heritage Fund. Working
with key cultural organisations and communities across Greater Manchester it is
delivering a programme of activity that combines public events, learning
opportunities and creative exploration.
For
further information: Peterloo1819.co.uk
About Manchester
Histories
Manchester
Histories is a growing and dynamic charity. We work collaboratively with
people, organisations and partners to reveal and celebrate the stories of the
people and places that make up Greater Manchester. We connect people together
to explore the past and shape the future through histories and heritage.
Manchester Histories runs a yearlong programme of work as well as the
magnificent Manchester Histories Festival.
For
further information: ManchesterHistories.co.uk
About
The National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF)
Thanks to National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund
(NLHF) invest money to help people across the UK explore, enjoy and protect the
heritage they care about – from the archaeology under our feet to the historic
parks and buildings we love, from precious memories and collections to rare
wildlife. heritagefund.org.uk. Follow NLHF
on Twitter, Facebook and
Instagram and use #NationalLotteryHeritageFund.
About Dinosaur
Owned
and led by chief creative officer, Mark Beaumont, Dinosaur is a brand
communications and creative agency in Manchester delivering data-led and
emotionally-driven thinking that fuels growth. The independently owned agency
has worked with retail giant Co-op Food for over a decade and counts BUPA, The
Co-operative Bank, Brother, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and
Metrolink among its clients. Notable campaigns include its award-winning work
for Adidas, Pets at Home and Wagamama.
For further information: dinosaur.co.uk/
