Where was an executed person buried in Exeter?

[jannergray]

Hi everyone

I wonder if anyone can help me.

Im tracing the history of a man who was hung for murder at Heavitree, Exeter in 1760.

My question is where would he have been buried? And are there any burial registers???

All the best

Graham

[PaulineJ]

Is within the grounds of the prison not usual?

Pauline

[jannergray]

Hi Pauline

Im under the impression that the gallows were not in the grounds of the prison... but someone may prove me wrong!

Graham

[sleepybarb]

Hi Graham,not to sure of where they'd be buried.but the gallows were not far from where I live,some years back someone digging in the gardens on the old Honiton Road found various skeletons.they proved to be the bones of various executed 'witches'.The Heavitree History Society might know the answer,I'm busy for a couple of weeks ,but will look their phone no out for you.
                                           Barb

[terrymo]

Hi Graham

Just for interest have you seen this site?

http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/executed.php

Mo

[Hollander]

Hi Graham,

Depnding on the crime he was hung for, and a variety of other factors, he may well have been buried in consecrated ground; possibly in his home town or village.

I researched a similar case from a similar period some years ago, where a man had been executed for burglary and handling stolen goods. As his crime did not involve the taking of human life, his body was released to his family, and he was buried in the family grave, some 40 miles from the scene of his execution.

[Valda]

Hi

Since he was hung for murder after 1751 this website gives detailed information

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/hanging1.html


'The Murder Act 1751
The Murder Act included the provision "for better preventing the horrid crime of murder".... "that some further terror and peculiar mark of infamy be added to the punishment", and that "in no case whatsoever shall the body of any murderer be suffered to be buried",by mandating either public dissection or "hanging in chains" of the cadaver. The act also stipulated that a person found guilty of murder should be executed within 2 days of being found guilty unless the execution would happen of a Friday in which case the execution should take place on the Saturday.'

from Wikipedia

The Anatomy Act 1832 widened the use of bodies for dissection

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatomy_Act_1832


Regards

Valda

[jannergray]

Thanks everyone for your help and ideas.

I've got a feeling the guy that was hung (Edward Hingston) was local to the Plymouth area possibly Plymstock/Noss Mayo area...

He murdered Mordecai Solomon, a Jew. Trying to trace his burial I think will be even harder!

All the best

Graham

[nainmaddie]

Hi Graham

I know of two sites for Gallows in Exeter.  The first was at Livery Dole, Heavitree and the other is near Middlemoor at the beginning of the B3181 from the A 3015.  There is a plaque there .

Without further searching, those are the only 2 that I know of personally.

As for his burial,  I can't help you, sorry

If it was Mordecai's burial then I might be able to help.

Nainmaddie