Maxine Peake donation repaired to take centre stage at Peterloo exhibition

24 Apr 2019

Actor Maxine Peake, who is also Honorary Professor of Literature and Performance, has donated a key item to the Peterloo exhibition now open at The John Rylands Library

Maxine Peake, the actor and Honorary Professor of Literature and Performance at the University, has donated a key item to the Peterloo exhibition now open at The John Rylands Library.

A handbill that warned people to stay away from the 1819 protest was kept in four pieces in a sandwich bag before it was restored by Ilaria Camerini, a conservator at The John Rylands Library. The historic document, which was given to Maxine by the late actor Malcolm Tierney, now plays a key part in the exhibition.

You can watch Maxine’s reaction upon seeing the “extraordinary” restored handbill in her chat with Peterloo curator Dr. Janette Martin.

“It’s a piece of history,” Maxine said. “It brings people together and it’s a talking point. It’s something we should all know about and we should be very proud of.”

Peterloo: Manchester’s Fight for Freedom is at The John Rylands Library at 150 Deansgate until September and is free to enter. More information and digitised Peterloo exhibits can be found on the Library website.