A record of the Public executions in Chester from 1558 to 1900 by hanging, pressing or shooting.
Some startling stories are behind many of the people in this list, some sad and some shocking. Where the text mentions "hung in chains" this means the dead body being hung up in a gibbet after the execution, a common practise for especially foul deeds.
| Year | Details |
|---|---|
| 1554 | George Marsh burnt at Spital, Boughton |
| 1558 | Sept. 8th. A woman burnt at Boughton for poisoning her husband |
| 1559 | John Taylor – Gaoler of the Castle guilty of the murder of Mr. Hockenhaff, a Catholic prisoner in his custody for recusancy |
| 1592 | William Geaton – servant to the Bishop of Chester – his body hung on chains on Grappenhall Heath |
| 1601 | A woman named Candy was pressed to death at Chester Castle |
| 1602 | Arnet servant of Saltney Side hung |
| 1654 | Sir Timothy Featherstonhaugh shot in the Corn Market of Chester by order of Parliament. Sir Timothy was a Royalist |
| 1750 | Two Irishmen executed – gibbeted at Two Mills |
| 1768 | Three men hung for burglary |
| 1776 | May 4th Execution of James Knight for murder |
| 1776 | Sept 21st Christopher Lawless. Isaac Hutchinson, Alexander Solomon and Isaac Josephs executed for robbing the shop of Mr Pemberton, jeweller. They were buried behind the Rodney Cop opposite Overleigh |
| 1777 | April 10th S. Thorley executed for the murder of Ann Smith, a ballad singer near Congleton. He cut off her head and part of her he actually broiled and ate. He was hung in chains on the Heath |
| 1779 | April 16th William Ellis for burglary |
| 1779 | William Loom for discharging a loaded pistol at Charles Warren |
| 1779 | Oct 2nd Sarah Jones for stealing 28 yds of chintz |
| 1783 | Resolution Heap and Martha Brown for burglary |
| 1784 | Elizabeth Wood for poisoning |
| 1784 | May15th John Oakes hung for coining |
| 1786 | May 6th Execution of Peter Steens |
| 1786 | Oct 1st Execution of Edwart Holt |
| 1786 | October 6th Execution of Thomas Hyde aged 35yrs for horse stealing |
| 1786 | Execution of James Buckley for burglary in Newgate Street |
| 1786 | Execution of Thomas Buckley aged 20 yrs |
| 1789 | Thomas Hoate for the murder of John Parry a constable in Handbridge – on the gallows he charged his wife with infidelity (she was 70 yrs of age) |
| 1790 | John Dean for the murder of his wife who was 7 months pregnant |
| 1791 | April 21st Execution of Lowndes for robbing the Warrington Mail. He was hung in chains at Helsby Hill |
| 1796 | April 30th Thomas Brown and James Price for robbing the Warrington Mail. They were hung in chains at Trafford Green and remained there until 1820. In the skull of Price was found a robin’s nest. |
| 1798 | John Thornhill for the murder of his sweetheart |
| 1798 | October 4th Peter Martin for firing at a boat’s crew of the Actaeona in the Mersey employed in the impress service |
| 1800 | Thomas Bosworth for forgery |
| 1800 | Alexander Horton for felony |
| 1800 | Oct 12th Mary Lloyd for forgery |
| 1801 | May 9th Thompson, Morgan and Clare for burglary. |
| 1801 | Oct 3rd Aaron Gee and Thomas Gibson hung out of a temporary window way on the south side of the old Northgate. They were propelled from the window about 5 feet and dropped near 40 inches |
| 1809 | May 6th Execution of George Glover and William Proudlove in front of the House of Correction for shooting at an excise officer. The drop was used for the first time and the rope broke. New ropes were procured and the sentence carried out about 1 hour later |
| 1810 | May 2nd John Done was executed for the murder of Betty Eckersley, a woman of bad character. He denied the offence to his last moment. |
| 1810 | Oct 1st Smith and Clarke for burglary. They were buried in St Martins Churchyard |
| 1813 | Edith Morney for the murder of her husband. Immediately after conviction she pleaded pregnancy and a jury of matrons pronounced her quick with child. |
| 1813 | June 26th William Wilkinson. James Yarwood and William Burgess for a rape on Mary Porter near Weston Point |
| 1813 | Simeon Betson. William Berson and James Renshaw for burglary. |
| 1814 | May 28th William Wilson aged 70yrs for arson. The man caused a stir before and at the execution. |
| 1815 | April 22nd Griffith and Wood for burglary |
| 1817 | May 10th Joseph Allen for uttering Bank of England Notes |
| 1818 | Abraham Rostern and Isaac Moors for burglary |
| 1818 | Sept 26th John Moor for burglary |
| 1819 | May 8th Joseph Walker – highway robbery |
| 1819 | Sept 25th Samuel Hooley and Jon Johnson (a man of colour) for burglary |
| 1820 | Jacob McGhinnies for shooting Mr Birch |
| 1820 | Sept 16th Ralph Ellis for burglary and William Ricklington for setting fire to a rectory house at Coddington |
| 1821 | May 5th Samuel Healey for highway robbery at Stockport |
| 1822 | May 4th William Tongue for a rape on an infant |
| 1822 | George Groom for highway robbery |
| 1822 | Sept 14th Thomas Brierley for highway robbery |
| 1823 | April 14th Samuel Fallows for the murder of his sweetheart |
| 1823 | May 20th John Kragan for a rape on an infant |
| 1823 | Sept 13th Edward Clarke for highway robbery |
| 1824 | April 21st Joseph Dale for murder |
| 1824 | April 21st Joseph Dale for murder |
| 1826 | April 26th Philip McGowan for robbery and Abraham Stones for robbing Mr Marsden. A gentleman of upwards of 70yrs of age near Cow Lane Bridge. On this occasion the apparatus for execution was removed from the east to the west of the city gaol |
| 1826 | Aug 26th John Green for burglary |
| 1829 | May 9th John Proudlove for highway robbery |
| 1829 | John Levi for burglary |
| 1829 | Sept 26th Joseph Woodhouse for a rape on his own daughter |
| 1829 | Joseph Henshall for firing at gamekeepers |
| 1832 | Samuel Cumberledge for arson |
| 1834 | John Carr for felonious shooting |
| 1834 | James Mason for attempting to procure a miscarriage |
| 1841 | Bartholemew Mourray for murder |
| 1843 | James Ratcliffe for the murder of his wife at Stockport on the previous 22nd June. |
| 1844 | Mary Gallop for poisoning her father at Crewe |
| 1848 | William Bates for murder |
| 1856 | Dec 26th William Jackson native of Handbridge for the murder of his two children, Mary Jane aged 7 and John aged 6, by cutting their throats and afterwards burying their bodies in a pit in Richard Roger’s orchard. Old Wrexham Road. – |
| 1857 | John Blagg for the murder of John Bebbington a gamekeeper |
| 1861 | Martin Doyle for cutting and wounding (with intent to kill) Jane Brogine at Holmes Chapel |
| 1862 | Alice Hewitt for the murder of her mother, Mary Bailey, at Stockport |
| 1866 | April 23rd Samuel Griffiths for the murder of Isaac Newport at Dunham |
