Hangings and Cockfighting (New Q)

[Lee_T]

Hi all,

I'm just after a bit of advice and hopefully a point in the right direction with some examples.

I am after any examples or insight into the death penalty between 1700 and about 1850 in the UK, well, England really.

I have started a creative writing course and for my end project I have decided to concentrate on the last few days of someone in York Castle, awaiting his fate, "to be hung by the neck until dead".

I recently bought the "Tyburn Tales: The Criminal Chronology of York Castle " book http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyburn-Tales-Criminal-Chronology-Castle/dp/0752455370 which gives a summary of crimes and their executions and am going to focus on a character in there (actual person tbc).

So, I am just after any links to websites which will help me to 'flesh out' the process; the people, the hangmen, the prisons, the process.

Any help, gratefully recieved.

Thanks.

[FosseWay]

Have you been to the exhibition in York Castle? It describes the last days of a number of condemned criminals from a variety of backgrounds, including Dick Turpin, though the others aren't especially famous in their own right.

[stanmapstone]

There is this site  http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/contents.html
and a section on York http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/york.html
Stan

[Annie65115]

I've recently read temporaneous accounts of the last days and execution of the Cato St conspirators, in 1820. If you google it, you should find plenty of food for thought; if you go through Google Books, you'll find original accounts aplenty.

[Lee_T]

Thanks very much everyone, really appreciate it.

[Lee_T]

I've recently read temporaneous accounts of the last days and execution of the Cato St conspirators, in 1820. If you google it, you should find plenty of food for thought; if you go through Google Books, you'll find original accounts aplenty.

Sorry, could you provide a link for google books? not having much luck.

[stanmapstone]

Try http://www.google.co.uk/search?tbs=bks:1,bkv:f&tbo=p&q=executions&num=10 you can change the search term to what you want.

Stan

[Rol]

Assuming that you have now been able to get at the Google Books search screen,  and that you are interested in hangings beyond York,  you can find a lot of lurid tales about criminals hanged at Tyburn -- originally published near the time of executions although partially re-edited later -- by inserting the term Newgate Calendar into the search field (within quote marks).


Rol

[Lee_T]

Thanks so much for all the input so far,

Just one more thing, does anyone happen to know of any references to cockfighting in the period mentioned? I am very interested in the story of Tom Lee and Dr Petty.

Thanks again, very much.

Lee