Hanged in Lancashire

Book excerpt: “A detailed account of crime and capital punishment . . . from the days of the 1700s when felons were publically hanged outside the walls of Lancaster Castle.” —Friends of Real Lancashire This account of executions in Lancashire spans two centuries and begins in the era of the Bloody Code. In the closing years of the eighteenth century, there were over 200 capital crimes and the early chapters discuss those condemned to death for highway robbery, croft breaking, riot, and sodomy. As the nineteenth century progressed, crimes for which the death penalty could be imposed decreased, until—with the exception of treason and piracy—only murderers faced the noose. The author has selected chapters that discuss botched hangings and possible miscarriages of justice, and ends with a chapter devoted to the last two men to be executed in this country, in 1964. A compelling read for anyone interested in local and social history, written by an experienced criminal historian. “Using a wealth of research, illustrations from local papers, original photographs, letters and even a route plan from one of the crimes, Baggoley has unearthed some fascinating and gruesome cases.” —Lancashire Evening Post