A plaque which remembers two men from Oldham who died in the Peterloo Massacre has been unveiled in Chadderton.
The Chadderton pair, John Ashton, a 42-year-old weaver and Thomas Buckley, a 62-year-old gardener, were among those killed during the peaceful rally on August 16, 1819.
More than 80,000 pro-democracy and poverty protesters marched to demand political reform at St Peter's Field in Manchester.
Get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox by signing up to The Oldham Times’ morning and evening newsletters as well as our breaking news alerts
But Ashton and Buckley were two of 18 people who were killed when the cavalry were ordered to charge into the crowd to break up the protest.
It is believed Ashton, who lived at Cowhill, now known as Crossley, and Buckley from Bare Trees, set off to march from the Dog Inn.
Now, a plaque has been mounted at The Crossley Centre on Denton Lane, just around the corner from where the Oldham men joined thousands of others.
The memorial has been brought in collaboration with Great Places Housing Group and members of the Peterloo Memorial Society.
Paul Fitzgerald, the chair of the Peterloo Memorial Society, said: "The Peterloo Memorial Campaign are delighted to see these two brave local lads who lost their lives in the struggle for democracy being remembered and honoured in this way."
The Crossley Centre was chosen as the ideal spot as it celebrates the local community and brings people together, Ryan Smith, head of neighbourhoods at Great Places Housing Group said.
Mr Smith added: "Chadderton has a proud history and when we found out about the link to local people playing a role in the Peterloo rally, we felt we had to do something to highlight this for current and future generations.
"Several relatives of local members of the suffragettes attended the Peterloo rally, and there is a clear link to local people playing such an important role in working for universal freedom and suffrage – something that is even more prevalent in today’s society given the current social and political landscape.
"As a borough, we should continue to celebrate our rich historical tapestry actively and we hope that this plaque goes some way in doing just that.”
Cllr Peter Dean, cabinet member for communities and culture at the council, as well as the mayor of Oldham, Cllr Zahid Chauhan OBE, were also in attendance at the ceremony.
Cllr Dean said: “We have a proud history in Oldham of standing up for social justice.
"Peterloo might have been over 200 years ago, but we should never forget what happened, or the people who lost their lives.
“This plaque is a permanent reminder of the sacrifice made by Oldhamers to give us a fairer society and the democratic rights we have today.
"Their legacy should never be taken for granted.”
Cllr Chauhan added: “It’s a great honour to be here at The Crossley Centre to unveil the plaque, especially meeting all the key people involved and revisiting the history behind the Peterloo Massacre.”
If you have a story, I cover all things Oldham from food reviews and local business news to music and events, pubs, education, crime, property, health, community concerns and much more. Please email me at Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge with your news.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here