Even today, over 200 years after the event, controversy and debate continue over the shocking Peterloo massacre in Manchester, resulting in the deaths of 18 innocent people attending a peaceful meeting, with over 600 injured. There have been a few books on the events of that day but this is the first to examine the devastating effect it had on the life of the leading participant Henry Hunt and his time in jail. There are many extracts from the transcript of his trial, his prison diary, and his evidence before the Commons Commission set up to enquire into the controversial events at Ilchester jail, as well as some first-hand accounts of what life was like inside the prison during the 1820s.

Much original research has gone into tracing the life of William Bridle, Hunt's sworn enemy, covering his life both before and after his governorship of Ilchester jail. He was dismissed for running a harsh and brutal regime but may just have been the victim of political intrigue beyond his control. His rebirth as the tenant/manager of the magnificent pleasure grounds of Sydney Gardens in Bath is examined in some detail as is his final descent into destitution and despair.

Their lives are put into context by a brief history of the radical political movements of the time, the war with France, and Hunt's fractious relationship with William Cobbett and their social interaction, both personal and political.