The Manchester Mercury was founded by Joseph Harrop
in 1752. Harrop was a printer, bookseller and publisher in Manchester.
The newspaper never sold in large numbers and Harrop had a reputation
for stealing articles from other newspapers. Joseph Harrop also published
books and in 1764 he gave away a free copy of the 778 page A New
History of England to every subscriber of the Manchester Mercury.
When Joseph Harrop died in 1804, his son James became the new owner
and editor of the newspaper. James, like his father, was a Tory who
strongly disapproved of parliamentary reform. It is believed that
Joseph Harrop wrote the account of the Peterloo
Massacre that appeared on 17th August, 1819. The Manchester
Mercury ceased publication in 1830.
(1)
Manchester Mercury (17th
August)
About twelve
o'clock, Mr. Clayton, the Boroughreeve, followed by, I should think,
four or five hundred special constables, came into the midst of the
multitude: at first, there was a considerable pressure upon them by
the crowd, but an admonitory cry of 'order, order!' having been raised
by some of the leaders, it speedily abated, and in a few minutes,
the special constables seemed no more an object of particular notice
than any other persons present. They formed themselves into two continuous
lines, which reached from the waggon outwards towards a gentleman's
house on the south side of St. Peter's Field, which commanded a view
of the whole scene, and in which, I was informed, the Magistrates
had taken up their station.
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