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The Peterloo Affair: A Tale of the St. Peter's Field Massacre
Young Joan Wright knows exactly what she wants. To escape from domestic drudgery in her poor Lancashire village with her friend Marcie, and to make their living through their healing skills. They have sworn to keep well away from men.
But when roving, magnetic Waterloo veteran Seàn McGilroy comes back to the village, Joan is drawn to him, for all his repuation as a philanderer and trifler.
Appalled by the poverty all about, McGilroy joins the Radicals in organising a protest march to St. Peter's Fields in Manchester.
Joan and Marcie meanwhile, organise a group of women to march along with them. Joan finds shemust choose between her growing feelings for McGilroy and her dreams of independence with Marcie.
Meanwhile, McGilroy has made powerful enemies who have the support of the government to destroy the Radicals....
But when roving, magnetic Waterloo veteran Seàn McGilroy comes back to the village, Joan is drawn to him, for all his repuation as a philanderer and trifler.
Appalled by the poverty all about, McGilroy joins the Radicals in organising a protest march to St. Peter's Fields in Manchester.
Joan and Marcie meanwhile, organise a group of women to march along with them. Joan finds shemust choose between her growing feelings for McGilroy and her dreams of independence with Marcie.
Meanwhile, McGilroy has made powerful enemies who have the support of the government to destroy the Radicals....
- GenresHistorical Fiction
206 pages, Paperback
Published November 6, 2018
2 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
About the author
Lucinda Elliot
9 books116 followersLucinda Elliot is a five times winner of the B.R.A.G medallion for outstanding fiction, for 'That Scoundrel Emile Dubois' 'Ravensdale, 'their sequel 'Where Worlds Meet' , another historical gothic spoof called, 'The Villainous Viscount Or the Curse of the Venns' and for her historical novel about the Peterloo Massare, 'The Peterloo Affair'.
She loves writing Gothic style stories, which isn't surprising because she was brought up in a series of great old isolated houses about England and Wales which her parents were refurbishing (it wasn't so fashionable back then). After that, she lived, studied and worked in London for many years and now lives in Mid Wales with her family.
She loves writing about strong women to complement gung ho males. She also likes to depict historical reality in her historical stories, with the rough and brutal side of life in the Georgian UK not edited out as in so many 'historical' romances.
Her interests include weight training, and she was once a champion Sportsfighter, but apart from that her interests are quite geeky. Reading classic novels, conservation, gardening, and even names and their meanings (bring on the carrot juice). She loves a laugh above anything.
She loves writing Gothic style stories, which isn't surprising because she was brought up in a series of great old isolated houses about England and Wales which her parents were refurbishing (it wasn't so fashionable back then). After that, she lived, studied and worked in London for many years and now lives in Mid Wales with her family.
She loves writing about strong women to complement gung ho males. She also likes to depict historical reality in her historical stories, with the rough and brutal side of life in the Georgian UK not edited out as in so many 'historical' romances.
Her interests include weight training, and she was once a champion Sportsfighter, but apart from that her interests are quite geeky. Reading classic novels, conservation, gardening, and even names and their meanings (bring on the carrot juice). She loves a laugh above anything.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 16, 2019
The Peterloo Affair is an inside view of the lead up to the Peterloo Massacre told through the eyes of a young woman, Joan. The heart of the story turns on the tensions generated within her as she chaffs at the restrictions placed on people of her age and gender, while at the same time feeling solidarity with her community and the hardships that are being imposed on them by a changing world. The mood of rebellion in the village is echoed by her own instinct for rebellion as she struggles to work out what place men should play in her life, one man in particular.
In the process, her story presents a close-up portrait of what life was like in a Lancashire village in the lead-up to the massacre, a time of economic downturn following the Napoleonic Wars when a lack of weaving work was exacerbated by wealthy landowners restricting people’s access to land for growing their own food. The resulting hardships and the petty politics of village life serve as a backdrop for Joan’s own story and give the book a richer texture as it builds to its inevitable conclusion.
This makes The Peterloo Affair a much grittier story than Lucinda Elliot’s other books, though while its passion is directed much more at real-world targets, it still contains all her trademark elements: notably a plucky heroine and a leading man who is something of a scoundrel, though with the protagonists being of YA age, this scoundrel is more of a rascal.
In the process, her story presents a close-up portrait of what life was like in a Lancashire village in the lead-up to the massacre, a time of economic downturn following the Napoleonic Wars when a lack of weaving work was exacerbated by wealthy landowners restricting people’s access to land for growing their own food. The resulting hardships and the petty politics of village life serve as a backdrop for Joan’s own story and give the book a richer texture as it builds to its inevitable conclusion.
This makes The Peterloo Affair a much grittier story than Lucinda Elliot’s other books, though while its passion is directed much more at real-world targets, it still contains all her trademark elements: notably a plucky heroine and a leading man who is something of a scoundrel, though with the protagonists being of YA age, this scoundrel is more of a rascal.
November 14, 2018
I should start this review with a rather shamefaced little admission: prior to reading this novel, I had only the vaguest notion of what the Peterloo Massacre was, how it came about, and what it signified. Such, arguably, is the nature of state education in Britain... After reading The Peterloo Affair, however, I finally did a little research which confirmed that, yes, the lack of attention paid to this historical event by the National Curriculum is, to say the least, a little odd. Peterloo was a defining moment in British history, and a milestone on the road to Parliamentary reform and universal suffrage. It also, incidentally, led to the foundation of the Manchester Guardian, the once-great newspaper that was respected even by its ideological opponents; today's Guardian, alas, is but a sorry shadow of its former self. Still, enough of my griping about school curricula and the newspaper industry. I'm here to review the novel, right?
Introducing us to the human side of Peterloo is our MC, Joan Wright, a young woman who dreams of escaping from the desperation and drudgery of her Lancashire village and heading out into the world. She and her friend Marcie long to live independently and taste all that the world has to offer. For a woman of her time and place, however, this is easier said than done – not least because, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, her village is crippled by famine and unemployment, and starvation is only ever a few steps away.
Added to this is the conundrum which has always faced women: to enjoy existence on your own terms is often incompatible with romantic entanglements and family life; and while men are generally able to take their pleasures freely, women who do so are subject to both censure and, occasionally, the unexpected strength of their own feelings ("Once a wench takes up with a lad, that's the end to her freedom.") Joan and Marcie have, therefore, vowed to forego romance. They just about manage to do so, as well – until, that is, the dashing but disreputable Sean McGilroy turns up in the village and Joan, against her better judgement, finds herself being drawn to him.
McGilroy is an interesting character. He has a reputation, largely deserved, as a philanderer, which dismays Joan. He has a great many virtues, too, and his deepening connection to Joan seems to draw them out. Yet McGilroy is being pursued by several demons of his own. He was a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars, enlisting at the age of fourteen for depressingly familiar reasons: "I was all fired up to be a hero, and win medals, and come home and tell fine tales." His enthusiasm for military life, however, came to an abrupt end when he found himself fighting at Waterloo and witnessing horrors there: "I'd asked for nothing better than to take part in a great battle, and here I was, and I couldn't see any glory, anywhere."
What McGilroy witnessed on the battlefield, however, also provides a foreshadowing of what is to come at Peterloo. During the long summer days, political radicalism seems to pass like a fever from one person to the next. People are desperate not just for food and jobs, but for fair political representation. A protest march on Manchester is planned, and Joan doesn't see why women should be excluded:
The idea came into Joan's head as perfect and as ready to see the world as a full term baby. It took her breath away, sending tingles through her.
"Marcie, we must get a group of lasses and women together, and march with the men to that great meeting on St Peter's Field."
What neither Joan nor anyone else is banking on, however, is the brutality that will meet the peaceful protestors in Manchester. By the time they arrive at St Peter's Field we know these characters and care about them, which brings this historical episode to vivid, terrifying life. We see the events of the day through Joan's eyes, and they are horrific.
All this makes for a grim tale, no doubt, but there are many leavening moments of humour and light-heartedness. It's a highly entertaining read, and also boasts some exceptional research. To enter a historical period completely and reproduce it on the page is never easy; authors often fall prey to either incomplete research or, just as bad, make a point of showing off just how much homework they've done, until the novel reads more like a PhD thesis than a work of fiction. Lucinda Elliot achieves the golden mean, however, and her impressive grasp of the period never stands in the way of the story.
All of which brings me back to the old fact/fiction dichotomy. If I hadn't read The Peterloo Affair, it's possible that I'd never have gained any further insight into the Peterloo Massacre. I now feel obliged to search out some non-fiction books about the era, the better to understand the curious dynamics of those troubled years. A huge credit to Lucinda Elliot, and a brilliant riposte to those who claim that fiction has no bearing on real life. Bravo!
Introducing us to the human side of Peterloo is our MC, Joan Wright, a young woman who dreams of escaping from the desperation and drudgery of her Lancashire village and heading out into the world. She and her friend Marcie long to live independently and taste all that the world has to offer. For a woman of her time and place, however, this is easier said than done – not least because, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, her village is crippled by famine and unemployment, and starvation is only ever a few steps away.
Added to this is the conundrum which has always faced women: to enjoy existence on your own terms is often incompatible with romantic entanglements and family life; and while men are generally able to take their pleasures freely, women who do so are subject to both censure and, occasionally, the unexpected strength of their own feelings ("Once a wench takes up with a lad, that's the end to her freedom.") Joan and Marcie have, therefore, vowed to forego romance. They just about manage to do so, as well – until, that is, the dashing but disreputable Sean McGilroy turns up in the village and Joan, against her better judgement, finds herself being drawn to him.
McGilroy is an interesting character. He has a reputation, largely deserved, as a philanderer, which dismays Joan. He has a great many virtues, too, and his deepening connection to Joan seems to draw them out. Yet McGilroy is being pursued by several demons of his own. He was a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars, enlisting at the age of fourteen for depressingly familiar reasons: "I was all fired up to be a hero, and win medals, and come home and tell fine tales." His enthusiasm for military life, however, came to an abrupt end when he found himself fighting at Waterloo and witnessing horrors there: "I'd asked for nothing better than to take part in a great battle, and here I was, and I couldn't see any glory, anywhere."
What McGilroy witnessed on the battlefield, however, also provides a foreshadowing of what is to come at Peterloo. During the long summer days, political radicalism seems to pass like a fever from one person to the next. People are desperate not just for food and jobs, but for fair political representation. A protest march on Manchester is planned, and Joan doesn't see why women should be excluded:
The idea came into Joan's head as perfect and as ready to see the world as a full term baby. It took her breath away, sending tingles through her.
"Marcie, we must get a group of lasses and women together, and march with the men to that great meeting on St Peter's Field."
What neither Joan nor anyone else is banking on, however, is the brutality that will meet the peaceful protestors in Manchester. By the time they arrive at St Peter's Field we know these characters and care about them, which brings this historical episode to vivid, terrifying life. We see the events of the day through Joan's eyes, and they are horrific.
All this makes for a grim tale, no doubt, but there are many leavening moments of humour and light-heartedness. It's a highly entertaining read, and also boasts some exceptional research. To enter a historical period completely and reproduce it on the page is never easy; authors often fall prey to either incomplete research or, just as bad, make a point of showing off just how much homework they've done, until the novel reads more like a PhD thesis than a work of fiction. Lucinda Elliot achieves the golden mean, however, and her impressive grasp of the period never stands in the way of the story.
All of which brings me back to the old fact/fiction dichotomy. If I hadn't read The Peterloo Affair, it's possible that I'd never have gained any further insight into the Peterloo Massacre. I now feel obliged to search out some non-fiction books about the era, the better to understand the curious dynamics of those troubled years. A huge credit to Lucinda Elliot, and a brilliant riposte to those who claim that fiction has no bearing on real life. Bravo!
March 26, 2021
With every new book I read by Lucinda Elliot, I am freshly impressed by her knowledge of the Regency period. The writing appears effortless, but I am sure she has studied for years and years to be able to make it look that way. Her dialogue especially seems natural, authentic, yet easy to follow. She tosses out little bon mots, details, and description with such easy, authentic flavor, the reader is completely immersed into the times. The voice of the period never fails.
In "The Peterloo Affair," she takes us into Lancashire, England, in the days and weeks before the Peterloo Massacre, which occurred in the summer of 1819. We are introduced to the slowly starving inhabitants of a Lancashire village and mostly see this microcosm through the eyes of Joan Wright, a pretty young woman just coming to marriageable age. Joan has no desire to get married, however. She and her best friend Marcie are determined to throw off the shackles of traditional "female-dom" and make their own adventurous way in the world, using their knowledge and abilities in the healing arts to pay their way and support themselves.
First, though, they have decided they want to effect a profound, unheard of change in their village by joining forces with the men, who are drilling and practicing military movements with the intent of joining a planned march on St. Peter’s Field, where political radicals of all kinds intend to protest and demonstrate, to demand the reform of parliamentary representation.
Women, joining an all-male military unit? Women, marching along with men? Unheard of! Possibly criminal! Certainly unladylike. But Joan and Marcie won’t be swayed, and they succeed in bringing the troops over to their way of thinking, using the argument that women are suffering every bit as much in this terrible time after Waterloo, with famine and unemployment rampant.
Most will know the outcome of that day at St. Peter’s Field. In Elliot’s book, the reader sees it all as it happens through the eyes of these desperate villagers.
Never fear: Elliot weaves many passages of lighthearted humor, sarcasm, quirkiness, and the pitting of wits into this grim tale. Jealous swains compete for the attention of pretty girls, and inventive young men plant a cache or two of potatoes and rabbits so the objects of their love can have a filling meal. Blossoming love tempts the protagonists away from their life goals, not entirely successfully.
The day of the march to St. Peter’s Field finally comes and the people the reader has grown to know and care about are put to the test.
I very much enjoyed this book, getting involved with the characters, following along with them in their adventures, fearing for them, hoping for them. This story is ripped carefully and accurately from true history. I highly recommend "The Peterloo Affair" to fans of Regency period novels.
In "The Peterloo Affair," she takes us into Lancashire, England, in the days and weeks before the Peterloo Massacre, which occurred in the summer of 1819. We are introduced to the slowly starving inhabitants of a Lancashire village and mostly see this microcosm through the eyes of Joan Wright, a pretty young woman just coming to marriageable age. Joan has no desire to get married, however. She and her best friend Marcie are determined to throw off the shackles of traditional "female-dom" and make their own adventurous way in the world, using their knowledge and abilities in the healing arts to pay their way and support themselves.
First, though, they have decided they want to effect a profound, unheard of change in their village by joining forces with the men, who are drilling and practicing military movements with the intent of joining a planned march on St. Peter’s Field, where political radicals of all kinds intend to protest and demonstrate, to demand the reform of parliamentary representation.
Women, joining an all-male military unit? Women, marching along with men? Unheard of! Possibly criminal! Certainly unladylike. But Joan and Marcie won’t be swayed, and they succeed in bringing the troops over to their way of thinking, using the argument that women are suffering every bit as much in this terrible time after Waterloo, with famine and unemployment rampant.
Most will know the outcome of that day at St. Peter’s Field. In Elliot’s book, the reader sees it all as it happens through the eyes of these desperate villagers.
Never fear: Elliot weaves many passages of lighthearted humor, sarcasm, quirkiness, and the pitting of wits into this grim tale. Jealous swains compete for the attention of pretty girls, and inventive young men plant a cache or two of potatoes and rabbits so the objects of their love can have a filling meal. Blossoming love tempts the protagonists away from their life goals, not entirely successfully.
The day of the march to St. Peter’s Field finally comes and the people the reader has grown to know and care about are put to the test.
I very much enjoyed this book, getting involved with the characters, following along with them in their adventures, fearing for them, hoping for them. This story is ripped carefully and accurately from true history. I highly recommend "The Peterloo Affair" to fans of Regency period novels.
November 13, 2018
A thoroughly researched romance leading up to the shameful attack on peaceful peasant protesters in St Peter’s Fields, Manchester.
I was fortunate to get an advance copy, and really enjoyed it. While the recent film is more sensationalist, The Peterloo Affair goes behind the scenes and views the whole debacle from the human side, through the eyes of Joan Wright, who falls in love with the rogue, Sean McGilroy, and then experiences the tragedy first hand.
The reader is transported back to August 1819, a Lancashire village where the work has dried up and people are scratching a living by searching the countryside for anything they can eat. The reality of the situation is vividly portrayed, including the discovery of an old woman, starved to death.
The novel is very readable, both as a romance and historical background to the atrocity, that did raise awareness of the need for political representation in all classes (sadly not for women at this time – it would be another century before that happened).
The real information woven into the tale is a joy in itself, with many footnotes and references, giving the reader a solid background as to who, what, where and why. It should be standard reading for anyone studying the subject, interested in history, or who simply likes a good historical romance.
I was fortunate to get an advance copy, and really enjoyed it. While the recent film is more sensationalist, The Peterloo Affair goes behind the scenes and views the whole debacle from the human side, through the eyes of Joan Wright, who falls in love with the rogue, Sean McGilroy, and then experiences the tragedy first hand.
The reader is transported back to August 1819, a Lancashire village where the work has dried up and people are scratching a living by searching the countryside for anything they can eat. The reality of the situation is vividly portrayed, including the discovery of an old woman, starved to death.
The novel is very readable, both as a romance and historical background to the atrocity, that did raise awareness of the need for political representation in all classes (sadly not for women at this time – it would be another century before that happened).
The real information woven into the tale is a joy in itself, with many footnotes and references, giving the reader a solid background as to who, what, where and why. It should be standard reading for anyone studying the subject, interested in history, or who simply likes a good historical romance.
July 5, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. It was a historically based book focusing in on the lives of the average/below wealthy families leading up to the Peterloo Massacre, mixed with a romance story. The author did a great job telling the story and letting the reader feel how difficult life could have been during those times. Although the "accent" of a few supporting characters, with the broken English, could be difficult to follow, I would definitely recommend this book a read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2019
THE PETERLOO AFFAIR: A TALE OF THE ST. PETER’S FIELD MASSACRE by Lucinda Elliot portrays this historical event through the eyes of a young girl as she and her family navigate the hardships of the period. Joan, desperate to escape the tedious life of textile production, dreams of becoming a doctor with her best friend Marcie. Her herbal skills prove sufficient for healing sick villagers. However, gender rules of a woman’s role in early 1800 Lancashire hang like a dark cloud upon her dream. Young love, too, threatens the girls’ future beyond their current lifestyle. Corn Laws imposed by Parliament have left most scavenging for food, leaving little to feed the multitude. Starvation is a real possibility. A protest march with neighboring villages against Parliament leads to the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, where 18 are killed and more than 400 innocent people are injured according to historical accounts.
Elliot brings to light a piece of history long forgotten. However, reading through the dialogue proved to be a challenge. I struggled, often re-reading the conversations between the characters to fully understand their meanings. The number of egregious grammatical and punctuation errors did not help. The beauty of the story is touching and still comes across despite the strain upon my brain to unravel the dialogue. The characters are not lacking in depth or purpose. Joan is thoughtful, compassionate, and head-strong. Her interactions with fellow villagers and her family ring true. Absolutely love her. The villagers’ struggle and hardships are felt throughout the reading, and the author has portrayed their unjust treatment by Parliament with ease. This story is exceptional! I believe it would be a best-seller were it not for the laborious wading through difficult dialogue.
With adequate revision, this novel has the potential of a 5-star rating.
Elliot brings to light a piece of history long forgotten. However, reading through the dialogue proved to be a challenge. I struggled, often re-reading the conversations between the characters to fully understand their meanings. The number of egregious grammatical and punctuation errors did not help. The beauty of the story is touching and still comes across despite the strain upon my brain to unravel the dialogue. The characters are not lacking in depth or purpose. Joan is thoughtful, compassionate, and head-strong. Her interactions with fellow villagers and her family ring true. Absolutely love her. The villagers’ struggle and hardships are felt throughout the reading, and the author has portrayed their unjust treatment by Parliament with ease. This story is exceptional! I believe it would be a best-seller were it not for the laborious wading through difficult dialogue.
With adequate revision, this novel has the potential of a 5-star rating.
May 31, 2023
I like Lucinda Elliot's books because, while they give me the same buzz as a romance, they are not nearly so formulaic as many other modern romance readers. While her romances are certainly modern in style, she gives me a variety similar to that of Georgette Heyer or Grace Livingston Hill, who wrote before editors and publishers cracked down so hard on romance writers and made them "stick to what works." Lucinda Elliot's romances work for me even though she doesn't stick to such narrow guidelines.
This book, however, pushes the envelope more than the others I have read, in that it is not just a historical romance; it is a historical romance that happens within a social group that is having a particularly hard time. This is a tricky thing to pull off, and one that a lot of romance writers who're dealing with Indian or black characters in the nineteenth century do not always succeed at, either just diving into pure fantasy, or not really pulling off a Happily Ever After ending. I think one reason historicals tend to hang out with the nobility or the super-rich is precisely because just about everyone else was living on the edge. Up until well into the twentieth century, unless someone was well up into the middle class, odds were darn good they'd be dealing with death and disease and disaster within the next decade or so.
Elliot faces these challenges straight on and refuses to abandon history, instead showing that life was a challenge for her hero and heroine, but also showing them to be strong people who learn to support each other and implying that the two of them as a team can face whatever comes. While fans of more fantasy-oriented historical romances probably won't like this book, fans who love some history with their romance will probably enjoy it a great deal. I did, at any rate.
This book, however, pushes the envelope more than the others I have read, in that it is not just a historical romance; it is a historical romance that happens within a social group that is having a particularly hard time. This is a tricky thing to pull off, and one that a lot of romance writers who're dealing with Indian or black characters in the nineteenth century do not always succeed at, either just diving into pure fantasy, or not really pulling off a Happily Ever After ending. I think one reason historicals tend to hang out with the nobility or the super-rich is precisely because just about everyone else was living on the edge. Up until well into the twentieth century, unless someone was well up into the middle class, odds were darn good they'd be dealing with death and disease and disaster within the next decade or so.
Elliot faces these challenges straight on and refuses to abandon history, instead showing that life was a challenge for her hero and heroine, but also showing them to be strong people who learn to support each other and implying that the two of them as a team can face whatever comes. While fans of more fantasy-oriented historical romances probably won't like this book, fans who love some history with their romance will probably enjoy it a great deal. I did, at any rate.
September 23, 2020
We are proud to announce that THE PETERLOO AFFAIR: A Tale of the St. Peter's Field Massacre by Lucinda Elliot is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
January 9, 2021
I won this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. It was a little difficult to read with the dialect, which kinda sucked. The story was interesting at times and at others I was just slightly bored.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews