‘Peter’s Field’: The Feel Good Festival Sunday

Words and pics from Alan Dearling

This was day two of an open air event, a festival on The Esplanade in Rochdale centre. It’s right next door to recently restored and re-opened, magnificent Gothic, Rochdale Town Hall.

Rochdale is being boosted by support from the National Lottery and the Arts Council, supporting the aim of the local borough council to:

“…change perceptions…to become a renowned cultural destination, known for its creativity, diversity and vibrancy.”

I was interested in attending the premiere of ‘Peter’s Field’, a newly created story song-cycle about the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 (very much from the people of Lancashire’s perspective – 3,000 came from Rochdale to Manchester city centre to demonstrate for parliamentary reform). It has been written by Sean Cooney from the award winning, The Young ‘uns, folk group which has twice won the prestigious Radio 2 Folk Award for best group.

The show was performed by the trio with Sean alongside Sam Carter and Eliza Carthy featuring 15 original songs. Eliza Carthy MBE is the daughter of folk-singer, ‘Daddy’ Martin Carthy, and she has been twice nominated for the Mercury Prize. Sam Carter is also a highly-regarded instrumentalist, renowned by many as, “the finest English-style fingerpicking guitarist of his generation” (so says Jon Boden).

This was a powerful, accomplished and moving performance. The three musicians skillfully interweaving the narrative into songs and between song introductions. On the 16th August 1819, between 60,000 and perhaps even 150,000 working people gathered relatively peacefully in Manchester to listen to the popular radical, ‘Orator’ Henry Hunt.  This was the time of the rotten boroughs, much bribery and corruption, a time when most people could not vote.  There was widespread post-war unemployment, hunger and much resentment of the mill-owners, who were trying to depress wages.  

As the protest rally continued, 45 magistrates, many of whom were themselves rich industrial mill-owners made the decision to order the yeomanry cavalry to arrest the speakers and clear the field. The cavalry charged the demonstrators with sabres raised. At least 18 people were killed and hundreds injured in what became known as the Peterloo Massacre. This name ‘Peterloo’ was coined because the carnage was compared at the time with the battle of Waterloo, which took place four years earlier.

Sam Carter with guitar and song-writer, Sean Cooney

Here’s a brief peek into the live show, posted on the Rochdale Feel Good Festival site (Access to Facebook videos can be a problem, so you may need to view this directly from the Rochdale Feel Good Festival FB page): https://www.facebook.com/100032787651282/videos/1634890067357411/?locale=en_GB

Sean Cooney announced to the Feel Good festival audience that ‘Peter’s Field’ was being recorded at this premiere for potential release. A show to look out for!

 Before the Peter’s Field show, I watched and listened to the Seamus Og Trio perform some haunting new folk music. The event was MC-d by DJ Dave Sweetmore.

This next link is a useful, brief introduction to the ’why’ and ‘what’ happened at Peterloo – St Peter’s Field. Dr George Hay describes an engraving of the events at St Peter’s Field, Manchester in 1819:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6CfNi0zZhk

Here is Harvey Kershaw MBE, known for dialect poetry, performing his song, ‘Peterloo’ for the Oldham Tinkers, which John Howarth, a member of the group, had set to music.

The Oldham Tinkers – ‘Peterloo’:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpOnPenwiqQ

Seamus Og Trio. They are amongst the new international leaders in traditional Irish music. As the festival programme says: “Seamus brings storytelling and island life to this trio brimming with harmony and texture.”  Seamus exudes charisma. This intimate live performance offered a selection of highly accomplished singing and playing, featuring cello and double bass alongside vocal and guitar work from Seamus. Recently recorded, ‘Haul the pots’ is his third album and is due for release fairly soon. Website: https://www.seamusog.co.uk/