A procession of reformers, activists and political movements had their genesis in Manchester and made an impact on the city, the UK and the wider world.

		The People's History Museum is a good starting point when exploring Manchester's radical tradition.

Developed in conjunction with the People’s History Museum, and utilising the extensive photographic collection of the Manchester Archives and Local Studies Collection held at the Central Library, the 24 Hour Museum’s trail starts by looking at the city’s role in the radical tradition of dissent that exploded across Britain in the wake of the French Revolution.

The Central Library, abutting the southern end of what was St Peter's Fields, holds an important collection of historical images and documents relating to Manchester and its radical tradition. © Manchester Libraries.

The story of the Peterloo Massacre is then explored through the locations, the plaques and the collections that throw light on one of the darkest days in British political history.

The trail then moves on to explore the activities of the Anti-Corn Law League and the Chartists, before looking at the influence of Engels and Marx and the Pankhursts' pivotal role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. You will learn how these people affected the political life of the city and how and where to discover the traces they left behind.

		A 'Peterloo pot' - one of the items held by the People's History Museum. © People's History Museum.

Featuring the collections of the People’s History Museum, The Pankhurst Centre, the collections of the Museum of the Manchesters, the Working Class Movement Library and Chetham’s Public Libraries, the Manchester Radical Politics Trail builds a fascinating picture of a city and its radical tradition.