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Shootings In Lune Street
The Preston Strike and Lune Street Riot, 1842
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,fl_progressive,q_auto,w_1024/6678854c6b5e18001de2ac62.jpg)
Introduction
This is a Pantoum inspired by this incredibly powerful statue in Lune Street, Preston where four strikers were killed and three injured by the military while protesting wage cuts.
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66788a6b188f7c001d7bcae5.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66788a6c188f7c001d7bcae6.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66788a6c188f7c001d7bcae7.jpg)
![](https://res.cloudinary.com/jerrick/image/upload/d_642250b563292b35f27461a7.png,f_jpg,q_auto,w_720/66788a6c188f7c001d7bcae8.jpg)
Here are details of the strike:
The four men who died were:
- John Mercer, aged 27 of Ribbleton Lane, a handloom weaver. Mercer had a ball shot through his right arm, through his fifth rib and through his chest and out of the left side of the spine.
- William Lancaster, aged 25 of Blackburn. He was wounded by a musket ball entering his chest and passing under the fourth rib on the left side.
- George Sowerbutts, aged 19 of Chandler Street, a weaver at Gardner's Mill. He died from his injuries on Sunday evening.
- Bernard McNamara, aged 17 of Birk Street, a cotton stripper employed at Oxendale's Mill, was shot through the right side of the belly, from which the bowels protruded to a great extent. He died on Monday afternoon at about 1.30pm.
Those injured included:
- William Pilling aged 21, a steam loom operator, was struck by a bullet in the knee and taken to the Dispensary on Fishergate where his leg was amputated.
- James Roberts, aged 20, a steam loom operator, was struck in the hand which was amputated.
- Bryan Hodgson a shoemaker from St Peter's Square, was shot in the back and had a bullet lodged in his spine. Despite this, he survived and lived until 1878.
I don't know if any songs have been written about this, by Dick Gaughan's "Pound A Week Rise" is appropriate.
Shootings In Lune Street
🖤☮️⚒️☠️⚔️☮️🖤
Four Men Are Dead, And Three Others Were Shot
Protesting For A Fair Wage And Treatment
But Those In Power Didn't Car A Jot
So They Took To The Streets, Desperate Men
⚒️☠️⚔️
Protesting For A Fair Wage And Treatment
They Only Looked For What Was Fair And Right
So They Took To The Streets, Desperate Men
Owners And Politicians Made Them Fight
⚒️☠️⚔️
They Only Looked For What Was Fair And Right
The Money Called In The Military
Owners And Politicians Made Them Fight,
Had Them Shot As The Rich Drank Their Sherry
⚒️☠️⚔️
The Money Called In The Military
Four Men Are Dead, And Three Others Were Shot
Had Them Shot As The Rich Drank Their Sherry
But Those In Power Didn't Car A Jot
🖤☮️⚒️☠️⚔️☮️🖤
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Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
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Arguments were carefully researched and presented
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives
Comments (6)
Did not know of this until I read your piece, so thank you!
So sad and those surnames are all so familiar to me from having worked in the area. I can almost put faces to the names of those in the tragedy. ❤️
Thanks for sharing the history and the photos they really set the stage and gave rich context to your well written pantoum! I’ve never tried the form but it’s one I need to add to my list!
This was so heartbreaking and they were all so young too 🥺
What a tragic page in history, Mike! Thanks for sharing.
Powerful performance poem!!! Heartbreaking history😭😭😭