Scotland 1800 – 1868 and 1869 - 1899.

 

273 people were publicly hanged in Scotland between 1800 and 1868, comprising 259 men and 14 women.
A further 207 were sentenced to death but reprieved or respited.

At least 39 men and 3 women received the death sentence for murder between 1869 and 1899.
Of these 16 men and 1 woman were subsequently hanged.


Scotland had a system of Assize courts in 4 circuits, one each for West, East, South & North.
The High Court of Justiciary sat in Edinburgh and was an independent court for that city.
It would also take difficult cases from other areas.
The King & Privy Council had to approve Scottish death sentences so there tended to be a greater time
between sentence and execution or reprieve than in England due to the communications difficulty.

 

The crimes for which these people were hanged break down as follows.

 

Murder

125

Housebreaking

55

Robbery

30

Highway robbery

13

Stouthrief

9

Forgery

8

Theft

8

Horse theft

7

Uttering

5

Rape

4

Treason

3

Hamesucken

3

Sheep stealing

2

Arson

1

Total

273

 

Stouthrief is a form robbery taking place in a dwelling house.
Hamesucken is “the seeking and invasion of a person in his dwelling house”.
Neither crime appears in English law.

 

1800

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, on the 27th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 12 March

Griffith Williams

Murder of Anne Wilson

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 22nd of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 11th June

Peter Greig

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, on the 20th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 3rd September

Samuel Bell

Utter forged notes

Edinburgh

 

The High Court of Justiciary tried Richard Broxup on the 29th of December and he was hanged in February 1801. 
Peter Anderson & Lauchlan Love were tried on the 30th of December, and both were reprieved.

 

1801

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 11th February

Richard Broxup

Theft

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh. John M’Neil & Michael M’Neil tried on the 19th of March for uttering forgery and both reprieved (07/08/01).

 

Jedburgh, tried 3rd of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 12th May

Robert Robison

Horse theft

Jedburgh

 

Perth, tried 16 April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 12th June

John Watt (West)

Housebreaking & theft

Dundee

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried 20 July

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 26th August

George Walker

Horse theft

Edinburgh

 

Aberdeen, tried on 16 October

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 11th December

John Young

Murder of James Davidson

Aberdeen

 

Perth, tried 23rd October

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 18th December

John Malloch

Housebreaking & theft

Perth

 

1802

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 4th of January

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 10th February

Andrew Lawrie

Stole from letter

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 1st of March

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th April

George Lindsay

Murder of John Allan

Edinburgh

 

Perth, tried 21st of April, James Fraser for shop breaking and theft.  Reprieved 28. 5.02

 

High Court of Justiciary tried on the 8th of November

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 15th December

Robert Brown & James Clarke

Mail robbery

Edinburgh

 

1803

Glasgow, tried on the 2nd of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 8th June

William Cunningham

Theft

Glasgow

 

Perth, tried on the 20th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 4th November

William Crighton

Sheep theft

Perth

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 28th November John Cowie.  Hanged 1804.

 

1804

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 19th January

John Cowie

Murder of wife 

Edinburgh

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 24th of April. Penelope M’Kenzie for theft.  Reprieved  1. 5.04

 

Dumfries, tried on the 15th of September. John Cook for rape.  Reprieved 31. 5.05

 

Inverary, tried on the 17th of September. 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 31st October

Duncan M’Arthur

Murder of wife 

Crinan Canal

 

1805 (Parliamentary Papers {PP} state that 3 out of 5 death sentences were carried out)

 

Glasgow, tried on the 1st of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 5th June

David Scott &
Hugh Adamson

Forgery

Glasgow

 

Edinburgh, tried on the 24th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 28th August

James Allen

Housebreaking & theft

Edinburgh

 

 

1806 (Parliamentary Papers state that 4 out of 8 death sentences were carried out)

 

Perth, sentenced on the 6th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 21st June

John Westwater

Murder of John Orr

Kinghorn

Friday 11th July

Donald M’Graw

Murder of Euphemia Compar

Perth

 

Margaret Cunningham was convicted husband murder and her case referred to the High Court of Justiciary

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh.

Tried on the 17th of July, Robert Johnston for shop breaking. Reprieved  7. 8.06

 

Tried on the 31st of July, Janet Hamilton & James Campbell for arson. Reprieved  9. 8.06

 

Tried on the 5th of November. John Thomson & John Nilson for forgery and uttering.  Reprieved 29.11.06

 

Tried on the 20th of November.  Margaret Cunningham for the murder of her husband. Hanged 1807.

 

Tried on the 8th of December Thomas Smith & George Stevenson for horse theft. Hanged 1807

 

1807 (PP - state that 5 out of 6 death sentences carried out)

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th January

Margaret Cunningham

Murder of her husband

Edinburgh

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 21st January

Thomas Smith & George Stevenson

Horse theft

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary Edinburgh, tried 2nd of February

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 11th March

Matthew Smith

Murder infant girl

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 5th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 10th June

Adam Cox

Murder son

Glasgow

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 11th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 21st October

Maitland Smith

Murder of Alex Williamson

Dumfries

 

Inverary, tried on the 21st of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 28th November

Peter M’Dougal

Murder of wife

Inverary

 

Tried at Perth on the 5th of October.  David Peter for the murder of George Shepherd. Reprieved 6.11.07

 

1808 (PP - state that 3 out of 6 death sentences carried out)

High Court of Justiciary tried on the 4th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 10th February

Barbara Malcolm

Murder daughter, Margaret

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 27th of April: Thomas Howard for housebreaking and theft. Reprieved 30. 5.08.

James Gilchrist for the murder of his wife, case referred to High Court of Justiciary and tried on the 13th of June.

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 20th July

James Gilchrist

Murder of wife

Glasgow

 

Dumfries, tried on the 29th of September, Hugh Dallas for forging a receipt. Reprieved 15. 3.09

 

1809 (PP - states that 5 out of 13 death sentences carried out)

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 16th of January.

Robert Stewart, Andrew Stewart & John M’Intyre for housebreaking. Andrew Stewart & M’Intyre reprieved 29. 2.09.

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 22nd February

Robert Stewart

Housebreaking

Edinburgh

 

Tried on the 25th of January -  Rachel Wright for stealing a child. Reprieved 27. 2.09

 

Ayr, tried on the 19th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 26th May

Robert Smith &
William Dornan

Housebreaking

Ayr

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 24th of April. James Duffy for forgery. Reprieved 27. 6.09

 

Tried at Jedburgh on the 4th of September.  Charles Mercer & Andrew Watherston for rape and murder. 
Andrew Watherston was reprieved 7. 6.10.

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 10th October

Charles Mercer

Rape

Jedburgh

 

Glasgow, tried on the 28th of  September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 8th November

John G M’Intosh &
George Stewart

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh tried on the 11 of December - John Armstrong for housebreaking and theft.

And on the 18th of December, Alexander Campbell for robbery (sentenced 7/2/1810) Reprieved  7. 4.10

 

1810 (PP - states that 3 out of 5 death sentences carried out)

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 8th of January. James Kelly for theft. Reprieved 24. 2.10

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 17th January

John Armstrong

Housebreaking and theft

Edinburgh

 

Ayr, tried on the 19th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 25th May

John M’Millan

Murder Barbara Mackinnel

Ayr

 

Glasgow, tried on the 21st of April. George Miller for theft.  Reprieved 30. 5.10

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 24th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 15th June

Andrew Hossack

Robbery

Aberdeen

 

Glasgow tried on the 12th of September. Peter Ogilvie for murder.  Reprieved 21. 3.11

 

Inverness, tried on the 27th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 14th November

Alexander Gillan

Murder of Elspet Lamb (10)

Fochabers

Hanged in chains after execution.

 

1811 (PP - states that 6 out of 8 death sentences carried out)

Tried at Edinburgh on the 3rd of January

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 27th March

Adam Lyall

Highway robbery

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Inverary on the 18th of April.  Thomas Stewart for horse theft. Reprieved  6. 6.11

 

Tried at Ayr on the 2nd of May. George Watson for horse theft.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 7th June

George Watson

Horse theft

Ayr

 

Perth, tried on the 6th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 28th June

Hans Regelson (Danish seaman)

Rape

Perth

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 23rd of August.  William Mitchell for theft and forgery. Reprieved 23. 9.11

 

Stirling, tried 9th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 11th October

Robert B Anderson & James Menzies

Housebreaking and theft

Stirling

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 19th of November.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 26th December

Thomas M’Nair

Robbery

Falkirk

 

1812 (PP - states that 7 out of 12 death sentences were carried out)

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 13th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 21st February

Alexander Cain

Robbery

Stirling

 

Tried on the 2nd of March, John Skelton for robbery. Reprieved 6. 4.12.

Tried on the 20th of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 22nd April

Hugh M’Intosh
Hugh M’Donald &
Neil Sutherland

Murder of Dugald Campbell
Robbery
Robbery

Edinburgh

 

Glasgow, tried on the 27th of April. Moses M’Donald & Thomas Stewart for housebreaking.
Stewart was reprieved 12. 6.12.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 5th June

Moses M’Donald

Housebreaking

Greenock

 

Inverness, tried on the 15th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 13th November

Robert Ferguson

Murder

Inverness

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 6th of October : Peter Drummond for housebreaking and James Stewart &
William M’Arthur for breaking into a church. All reprieved 18.11.12.

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh on the 14th of December Joseph Gibson, executed in 1813.

 

1813 (PP - states  that 9 out of 10 death sentences carried out)

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 13th January

Joseph Gibson

Highway robbery

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow 21st April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 26th May

James Ferguson

Robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried at Ayr on the 26th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 11th June

James Sloan (Merry)

Forgery

Ayr

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 7th of June.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 14th July

John M’Donald &
James Black

Highway robbery & murder of Mr. Muirhead

Edinburgh

 

Inverness, tried 16th of September

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 29th October

Andrew Cullen

Murder

Inverness

 

Tried at Perth on the 27th of September. Robert M’Laren for housebreaking  (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved 21.10.13

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 12th of October.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 17th November

William Muir & William Moodie

Robbery

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 19th of November.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th December

Christina Sinclair

Child murder

Edinburgh

Christina Sinclair had been convicted of poisoning her 8 month old niece with arsenic in the parish of St Ola on Kirkwall. 
She had to carried to the gallows on a chair and her body was afterwards sent for dissection. The hangman was John High of Edinburgh.

 

1814 (PP - say that 10 out of 12 death sentences were carried out)

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 31st of January : Nathaniel Blair for uttering.  Committed suicide in prison.

 

Jedburgh, tried on the 8th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 12th May

John Gibson

Murder of his wife

Hawick

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 13th of April, William Wright for horse theft.  Reprieved 17. 5.14

 

Ayr, tried on the 18th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 27th May

John M’Manus & Robert Gibson

Murder

Ayr

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 4th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 10th August

James M’Dougal

Forgery

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 13th of September.  John Thomson for assault/robbery.  Reprieved 22.10.14

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 19th October

William Higgins & Thomas Harrold

Robbery

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried 19th December. Thomas Kelly and Henry O’Neill. 

 

1815

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 25th January

Thomas Kelly & Henry O’Neill

Highway robbery

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh - tried on the 9th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 15th February

Thomas Pennycock & Alexander Knight

Highway robbery

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh - tried on the 16th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 17th February

John Worthington

Robbery

Ayr

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh - tried on the 20th of February.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th March

John Murdoch

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 27th of September. John Sherry and Robert White. 
White was convicted of shop breaking and reprieved 1.10.15.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 1st November

. John Sherry

Highway robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary in Edinburgh on the 26th December -  William Honeyman and John Smith for housebreaking.
Both reprieved 31.1.16.

 

1816

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 5th of February.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 13th March

David Thomson

Housebreaking and theft

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 11th of March. Susan Tinny for arson. Reprieved 30. 3.16

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 16th of April.  Helen Reid for murder.  Reprieved 20. 5.16

 

Ayr, tried 25th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 31st May

William Evans

Forgery

Ayr

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 30th of April.  Charles Clephane and John Grindlay for housebreaking. 
Both reprieved 4. 6.16

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 16th of September.  Andrew Donald for theft.  Reprieved 23.10.16

 

Glasgow

Tried at Glasgow on the 25th of September.  Robert Dougherty for assault and robbery. Reprieved 23.10.16

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 4th of November

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 11th December

John Black

Assault and robbery

Edinburgh

 

1817

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, George Stanfield tried on the 6th of January for rape. Reprieved 20. 2.17

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 27th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 28th February

John Larg &
James Mitchell

Housebreaking

Perth

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 22nd of April - John Robertson for housebreaking. Reprieved 27. 5.17

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 23rd of April. John Smith & William Pringle for theft.  Reprieved 27. 5.17

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 28th May

William M’Kay

Utter forgery

Glasgow

 

Tried at Inverness on the 29th of April - Barbara Mackay for housebreaking.  Reprieved 30. 8.17

 

High Court of Justiciary tried on the 5th of September

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 10th October

Bernard M’Ilvogue,
Hugh M’Ilvogue & Patrick M’Crystal

Housebreaking

Greenock

 

High Court of Justiciary tried on the 8th of September. Janet Douglas for stealing a child.  Reprieved  4.10.17

 

Tried at Ayr on the 11th of September - William Hamilton for theft. Reprieved 20.10.17.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 17th October

William Robertson,
Joseph Cairns &
Margaret Crossan

Robbery and theft
Robbery and theft
Arson

Ayr

 

Perth, tried on the 17th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 31st October

George Wylie & Malcolm Clark

Housebreaking

Perth

 

Glasgow, tried 23rd of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th October

FreebairnWhitehall William M’Kechnie James M’Cormick

Robbery and theft
Housebreaking and theft
Housebreaking and theft

Glasgow

 

At the High Court of Justiciary on the 27th of January, Alexander Steel who been charged with Larg and Mitchell,

(see above) did not appear and was outlawed.

 

1818

At the High Court of Justiciary on the 25th of March. Patrick Main & George Aitcheson were convicted of
housebreaking and both reprieved 4. 3.18.

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 21st of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 5th June

James Ritchie

Sheep theft

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 27th of April, John Blackwood, for highway robbery. Reprieved 10. 6.18.

 

Glasgow, tried on the 28th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 3rd June

William Baird & Walter Blair

Assault & robbery

Glasgow

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 24th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 6th November

John Barnett

Theft

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 30th of September.

James Boyd for housebreaking, Mary Kennedy for forgery. Both reprieved 31.10.18, plus :

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 4th November

Matthew Clydesdale

Simon Ross

Murder
Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 23rd of November.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 30th December

Robert Johnstone

Robbery

Edinburgh

 

1819

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the1st of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th April

Alexander Robertson

Housebreaking & theft

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 8th of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 14th April

George Warden

Stole from letter

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 17th of April.  Robert M’Kinlay & William Donald convicted of housebreaking and
John Killan for highway robbery.  All reprieved 28. 5.19

 

Ayr, tried on the 23rd of April Joseph M’Neil (Boag) for housebreaking.  Reprieved 28. 5.19, and :

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 28th May

John M’Neil (Boag)

Housebreaking

Ayr

 

Tried at Perth on the 26th of April, James Fraser for housebreaking and theft. Reprieved 28. 5.19

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 14th of June. Peter Bowers for murder (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved 10. 8.19.

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 14th of July

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th August

James Whiteford

Hamesucken

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 19th of July

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 27th August

Ralph Woodness

Housebreaking

Linlithgow

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 21st of September. Robert Laird for uttering forgeries. (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved 21.10.19.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

 

Wednesday 3rd November

Robert M’Kinlay, William Buchanan, Hunter Guthrie & Alexander Forbes


Housebreaking & theft

 

Glasgow

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 21st of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 17th November

John Buchanan

Murder

Glasgow

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 27th of September. Andrew Mathews for housebreaking. Reprieved 29.10.19.

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 29th of November Bryce Judd & Thomas Clapperton.

 

1820

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 5th January

Bryce Judd & Thomas Clapperton

Hamesucken

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 7th of February.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 10th March

William M’Gheer & Charles Britton

Stouthrief

Ayr

 

Glasgow, tried on the 26th of April.  Joseph Park & John M’Guize for housebreaking. Reprieved 12. 6.20

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 31st May

Richard Smith

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

Tried at Perth on the 6th of May, Alexander Reid for sheep theft (recommended to mercy) Reprieved 12. 6.20

And Alexander Thompson for forgery (recommended to mercy) Reprieved  5. 6.20.

 

Tried at High Court of Justiciary on the 19th of June, James Maccoul for robbery.  Reprieved 21. 8.20.

 

Tried at High Court of Justiciary on the 12th of July, John Sharp for wounding.  Reprieved 8. 8.20.

 

22 men were tried at Stirling on the 13th & 14th of July for High Treason. 
All received the death sentence on the 4th of August.  Hardie and Baird pleaded guilty at trial.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 8th September

Andrew Hardie & John Baird

High Treason

Stirling

After hanging half an hour their bodies were cut down and placed in their coffins.  Their heads were then cut off
and shown to the crowd. Andrew Hardie and John Baird (both weavers) were the leaders the “1820 Rising”,
a group of radicals campaigning for universal male suffrage, better working conditions and a Scottish parliament. 
They had attempted to seize Carron Ironworks, near Falkirk but were captured by the British army at Bonnymuirtried.
They were all tried and convicted of high treason and sedition. 
On the gallows, Hardie told the spectators, 'I die a martyr to the cause of truth and injustice'.

 

The other 20 were reprieved, being : Thomas M’Culloch, Benjamin Moir, Alex Latimer, Alex Johnstone,
Andrew White, David Thomson, James Wright, William Clackson, Thomas Pink, Alex Hart, John Barr,
William Smith, Thomas M’Farlane, John Anderson, John M’Millan, Andrew Dawson, Allen Murchie,
Robert Gray, William Crawford & James Cleland.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 20th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 30th August

James Wilson

High Treason

Glasgow

 

Tried at Ayr on the 9th of August. Thomas M’Kay for high Treason. Reprieved 23. 8.20

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 11th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th October

Edward M’Rory

Assault and robbery

Dumfries

 

Tried at Perth on the 27th of September. William Wighton for forgery. Respited for 3 weeks and reprieved 2.11.20.

27 September

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 6th of October.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

 

Wednesday 8th November

Daniel Grant,
Peter Crosbie,
John Connor & Thomas M’Colgan


Housebreaking & theft

 

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh. Tried on the 6th of November, John Dempsey & Robert Surrage
for murder. Surrage was reprieved 6.12.20.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 13th December

John Dempsey

Murder

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh. Tried on the 11th of December, Samuel Maxwell &
Alex. Hamilton for robbery.  Hamilton was reprieved 15. 1.21.

 

1821

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 17th January

Samuel Maxwell

Robbery

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Stirling on the 7th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 11th May

John Fleming

Forgery

Stirling

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 11th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 16th May

William Swan

Forgery

Glasgow

And William Muir for shop breaking. (recommended to mercy). Reprieved 12. 6.21

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 19th of April - William Grant for housebreaking (recommended to mercy). Reprieved 12. 6.21

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 30th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 6th June

James Gordon

Murder

Dumfries

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried 11th of June.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th July

David Haggart

Murder

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried 16th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 22nd August

John Rennie & William Sutherland

Housebreaking

Edinburgh

 

Glasgow, tried on the 19th of September.

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 24th October

Malcolm M’Intyre,
William Paterson & William Dyer

Housebreaking

Glasgow

And Ann Wilson for uttering forgery. Reprieved  8.10.21

 

Tried at Perth on the 19th of September

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 7th December

Margaret Tindell

Murder husband

Montrose

 

Ayr, tried on the 25th of September - Allan Carsewell for uttering forgery, (recommended to mercy).
Reprieved  8.10.21

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 3rd of October

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 16th November

George Thom

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried by the High Court of Admiralty on the 26th of November Peter Heaman and Francis Gautiez.
Executed 1822.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 19th of November - Donald Rankin for robbery.
Reprieved  7. 1.22

 

1822

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 9th January

Peter Heaman & Francis Gautiez

Murder & piracy

Leith

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 21st of January - Alexander Cunningham for housebreaking.
Reprieved  4. 2.22

 

Aberdeen, tried 15th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 31st May

William Gordon & Robert Mackintosh

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 18th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th May

William Campbell

Housebreaking

Glasgow

Wednesday 5th June

Thomas Donachy

Housebreaking

Glasgow

And Donald Davidson for forgery and David Rankine for housebreaking. Both reprieved 15. 2.22

 

Jedburgh, tried on the 22nd of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 28th May

William Robertson

Housebreaking

Jedburgh

 

Tried at Perth on the 13th of September - William Robertson for rape. Reprieved 25.11.22

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 16th of September James Campbell for housebreaking and Daniel Tucker for theft.

Both reprieved 31.10.22

 

Tried at Ayr on the 20th of September - James Burtnay for rape - case referred to the High Court of Justiciary
and heard on the 18th of November.

 

High Court of Justiciary

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 20th December

James Burtnay

Rape

Ayr

 

1823

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 10th of January. James Robertson and
Robert Simpson for assault and robbery. Charles M’Laren, James M’Ewan and
Thomas Grierson for housebreaking. All reprieved 28. 1.23

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 20th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 26th February

William M’Intyre

Housebreaking

Edinburgh

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 15th of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 16th April

Mary M’Kinnon

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 18th of March. John Wright for housebreaking. Reprieved 17. 5.23

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 9th of April. John M’Kana, Joseph Richardson & William Richardson
for uttering forgeries. Richardson was reprieved 17. 5.23

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 14th May

John M’Kana & Joseph Richardson

Uttering forgeries

Dumfries

 

Aberdeen, tried on the 10th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 23rd May

Thomas Donaldson, William Buchanan & William M’Leod

Stouthrief

Aberdeen

Also Peter Scott for murder who was recommended to mercy and reprieved 17. 5.23

(stouthrief is a form robbery taking place in a dwelling house) 

 

Tried at Ayr on the 18th of April - David Earl for uttering forgery (recommended to mercy). Reprieved 17. 5.23

 

Glasgow, tried on the 25th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 4th June

John M’Donald & James Wilson

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

Tried at Perth on the 6th of September, Walter Graham for uttering forgery. Reprieved 24.10.23

 

Tried at Jedburgh on the16th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th October

Robert Scott

Murder

Fan’s Farm

 

Glasgow, tried on the 23rd of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th October

Francis Cain & George Laidlaw

Housebreaking

Glasgow

Also Edward M’Caffir for highway robbery and William Johnston for housebreaking. Both reprieved.

And

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 12th November

David Wylie

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 3rd of November.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 10th December
Friday 12th December

Thomas Black
James Anderson & David Glen

Housebreaking
Murder
Murder

Edinburgh
Ayr

John Reid was convicted of housebreaking and was reprieved 9.12.23.

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 22nd of  December - John Wilson & Duncan Fraser for housebreaking.

Tried by the same court on the 24th of December, John Douglas for highway robbery. Reprieved  5. 2.24

 

1824

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 28th January

John Wilson & Duncan Fraser

Housebreaking

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, tried on the 1st of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th April

Robert M’Leod

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Stirling, tried on the 9th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 14th May

John Campbell

Housebreaking

Stirling

 

Glasgow, tried 14th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 19th May

William M’Teague

Utter forgery

Glasgow

 

Glasgow, tried 15th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 2nd June

John M’Creevie

Housebreaking

Glasgow

 

Tried at Perth on the 20th of April, James Fairley & William Wood for housebreaking. Reprieved 29. 6.24

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 14th of June.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 21st July

William Devan

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 21st of June - Daniel Elphinstone for murder. Reprieved 24. 7.24

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 12th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 27th August

Alexander Martin

Stouthrief

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Perth on the 17th of September - James Milne for stouthrief. Reprieved 22.12.24

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 30th of September - Thomas Davies for robbery. Reprieved 25.11.24

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 8th of November - William Tutton & John M’Kinley for housebreaking.
Reprieved 16.12.24

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of December - James Campbell for housebreaking and theft.
Reprieved  4. 2.25

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 23rd of December - Alex Mackay (age 15) for housebreaking and theft.
Reprieved 21. 2.25

 

1825

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary at Dunfermline on the 24th of January - William Balleny and James Macneil. 
Both reprieved 7.3.25.

 

Perth, tried on the 21st of April - Alexander Adams for assault and robbery. Reprieved 30. 5.25.

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 25th of April - Richard Lester and William Davis for housebreaking. Reprieved 30. 5.25.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 28th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 1st June

James Stevenson

Highway robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 11th of July - James Mitchell and John Sharp for robbery (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved 29. 7.25

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 27th of December - William Allen for murder. Executed 1826.

 

1826

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 10th February

William Allen

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of February - William Pollock for the murder of his wife.
Committed suicide Monday 20th of March.

 

Tried at Stirling on the 20th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 26th May

John M’Graddy

Robbery

Stirling

 

Tried at Perth on the 20th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 2nd June

David Balfour

Murder

Dundee

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 26th of April - Thomas M’Kenna & Dennis Murphy for housebreaking. Reprieved 14. 6.26

And John Dollan for robbery.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th June

John Dollan

Robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 27th of April - Charles Bowman for housebreaking. Reprieved 14. 6.26

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 26th of June.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 28th July

Peter Moffit

Murder

Stirling

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 16th August

Andrew Fullerton

Assault/robbery

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 14th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th October

James M’Manus

Assault/robbery

Dumfries

 

Tried at Perth on the 20 September -Duncan Clark for the murder of his infant daughter.  Reprieved 31.10.26

& Robert Lockey for housebreaking and theft. Reprieved 31.10.26

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 29th of September.

Edward Kelly, John White & Andrew Stewart for assault and robbery.  Edward Kelly was reprieved 26.10.26.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 1st November

Edward Kelly
Andrew Stewart

Assault/robbery

Robbery

Glasgow

 

1827

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 22nd of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 1st March

William Thomson

Highway robbery 

Dalkeith

James Thomson & John Fram were tried for the same offence but recommended to mercy and reprieved 21. 2.27

 

Tried at Ayr on the 19th of April -James Austin (Hopson) for uttering forgery. Reprieved 28. 5.27

 

Tried at Perth on the 14th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 16th June

Margaret Wishart

Murder

Forfar

 

Glasgow, tried 4th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 6th June

John Kerr

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 9th & 12th of July

Peter Oliver for sheep theft. Reprieved 17. 7.27 and James Sim for theft/housebreaking.  Reprieved 30. 7.27

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 11th of September - William Stewart for housebreaking.    Reprieved 31.10.27

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 15th of September - Edward Caine & John Collester for horse theft. Reprieved 31.10.27

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 28th of September

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 16th November

Malcolm Gillespie

Forgery

Aberdeen

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 10th of November

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 12th December

James Glenn

Murder

Glasgow

 

1828

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 11th of February - Andrew Ewart for murder, (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved 29. 2.28

 

Tried at Stirling on the 5th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 8th May

Francis Cockburn

Murder

Falkirk

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 9th of June - Peter Henderson for stealing from letter. Reprieved  7. 7.28.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 15th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 22nd October

Thomas Connor & Bell M’Menemy

Assault/robbery

Glasgow

 

Jedburgh, tried on the 19th of September - David Brown for assault.  (recommended to mercy) Reprieved  5.11.28.

 

Glasgow, tried on the 23rd of December - John Tweddal for horse theft. Reprieved 19. 1.29.

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 24th of December - William Burke for multiple murder and body snatching.
Burke’s hanging was attended by a crowd estimated at between 32 and 40,000 people.

 

1829

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 28th January

William Burke

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 10th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 20th May

Edward Moore

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 19th August

John Stewart  & Catherine Wright

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 17th of July - Jacob Laird for housebreaking and theft. Reprieved 31. 8.29

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 21st of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 29th October

John Craig &
James Brown

Stouthrief

Paisley

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 23rd of November - William M’Kinlay & Alex. Spence Gordon for stouthrief.

Both recommended to mercy and reprieved 21.12.29.

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 30th of December William Adams for murder.

 

1830

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 6th January

William Adams

Robbery

Edinburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary tried on the 8th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 17th March

Robert Edmond

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 7th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 12th May

William Porter & John Hill

Assault/robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 12th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th August

John Thomson & David Dobbie

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 7th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 29th September

William M’Fest

Murder

Glasgow

 

Perth, tried on the 8th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 30th September

John Henderson

Murder

Cupar

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 17th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 8th October

Catherine Davidson

Murder

Aberdeen

 

1831

Tried at Glasgow on the 6th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 27th January

David Little

Stouthrief

Glasgow

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 25th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 16th May

James Campbell

Housebreaking

Glasgow

Co-accused Thomas Fisher was reprieved 16. 5.31

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh on the 11th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 3rd August

George Gilchrist

Coach robbery

Edinburgh

This execution is also reported to have taken place on Thursday the 11th of August in Glasgow.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 12th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 6th October

James Bryce &
Mary Steel

Murder

Glasgow

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 20th October

William Heath

Bank robbery

Glasgow

 

Tried at Inverness on the 26th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 24th October

Hector M’Leod

Murder

Inverness

 

Tried at Jedburgh on the 28th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 19th October

James (Thomas) Rogers

Murder

Jedburgh

 

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh.  James Gow tried 11th of November, Thomas Beveridge tried 14th of November
& John M’Court tried on the 28th November.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 2nd December

James Gow &
Thomas Beveridge

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 19th December

John M’Court

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 27th of December - William Lindsay for murder.  Executed 1832.
Robert Stirrat also for murder. Reprieved 23. 1.32

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 28th of December, Samuel Waugh for murder. Executed 1832.

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 31st of December, John Howison for murder. Executed 1832.

 

1832 (PP - 2 out of 6 death sentences carried out)

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th January

William Lindsay

Murder

Glasgow

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 19th January

Samuel Waugh

Murder

Ayr

 

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 21st January

John Howison

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 27th of September - George Matheson for murder (recommended to mercy). 
Reprieved 11.10.32

 

Tried at Perth on the 3rd of October John Chisholm & Janet Stewart both for murder. 
Janet Stewart reprieved 30.11.32

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 31st October

John Chisholm

Murder

Perth

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 16th of October

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 7th November

George Doffey

Murder of wife

Glasgow

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 26th of December. Henry Burnett for murder. Executed 1833. Robert Ward for robbery.
Reprieved 16. 1.33

 

1833 (PP - 3 out of 10 death sentences carried out)

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 1st February

Henry Burnett

Murder

Glasgow

 

 Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 21st of January - Michael M’Cabe for robbery. Reprieved  8. 2.33.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 14th of March - William Grieve for rape. Reprieved  9. 4.33.

 

Tried at Perth on the 17th of April - John Stewart for murder. Reprieved 12. 8.33.

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 20th of April - William Denn for housebreaking. Reprieved 8. 5.33.

 

Tried at Inverness on the 27th of April - James Newlands for rape. Reprieved 18. 5.33.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 20th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 14th May

John Barclay
Philip Cornie

Murder
Rape

Glasgow

 

Tried at Stirling on the 10th of September

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 2nd October

Robert Tennant

Murder

Stirling

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 11th of September  -Christian King for the murder of a child, (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved  5.10.33

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 26th of December. Hugh Kennedy for throwing vitriol (acid). Executed 1834

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 27th of December - John Robertson for “shooting at”. Reprieved 31.12.33

 

1834 (PP - 3 out of 6 death sentences carried out)

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 20th January

Hugh Kennedy

Throwing vitriol

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 27th of January - Mary Braid for the murder of her incestuous bastard child.
Reprieved 13. 2.34.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 12th of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 2nd April

Mannus Swinney

Assault/robbery

Greenlaw

 

Tried at Inverness on the 5th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 31st May

William Noble

Murder

Elgin

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 16th of September. John Boyd for murder and Richard Hill for hamesucken and rape. 
Hill reprieved 22.10.34

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 23rd October

John Boyd

Murder

Greenock

 

1835 (No PP report)

Tried at Perth on the 1st of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 30th May

Mark Devlin

Rape

Dundee

 

Tried at Edinburgh on the 22nd of June.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 13th July

James Bell

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Edinburgh on the 13th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 3rd August

Elizabeth M’Neil (Banks)

Murder of husband by poisoning

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 8th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 29th September

George Campbell

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at Inverness on the 18th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 16th October

John Adams

Murder

Inverness

 

Tried at Perth on the 28th of September - Alexander Marshall for the murder of his wife. Reprieved  7.11.35

 

1836

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh on the 14th of March

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 4th April

Charles Donaldson

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Inverness on the 16th of September - John Mackintosh for murder (recommended to mercy)
Reprieved  5.10.36.

 

1837

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 18th of March 18 March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 8th April

Alexander Miller

Murder

Stirling

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 25th of September - William Pirrie and Ann Semple for murder.  Semple reprieved 19.10.37

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 18th October

William Pirrie

Murder

Paisley

 

1838 (PP - 1 out of 3 death sentences carried out)

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 30th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 21st May

Elizabeth Nicholson (Jeffrey)

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at Inverness on the 14th of April Malcolm Macleod for murder. Respited and then committed to an asylum.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 16th of July - Joseph Allison for murder. Reprieved 11. 8.38

 

1839 (No PP report)

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 25th of February.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 25th March

Arthur Wood

Murder

Dundee

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 2nd of May - Alexander Johnston for murder. (recommended to mercy) Reprieved 23. 5.39

 

1840

High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh, tried on the 16th March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 16th April

James Wemyss

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Glasgow, tried on the 6th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 27th May

Thomas Templeton

Murder wife

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of May - James Dalrymple for murder. Reprieved 21. 5.40

 

1841 (PP - 2 out of 5 death sentences carried out)

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary at Inverness on the 7th of January - Alexander Macrae for rape. Reprieved 1. 2.41

 

Glasgow, tried on the 22nd of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 14th May

Denis Doolan & Patrick Reeding

Murder

Glasgow (Bishopbriggs)

Doolan, Reeding & James Hickie were convicted of the murder of John Green.  James Hickie was reprieved 14. 5.41

 

Tried at Perth in April - Catherine Symons for murder. Reprieved 14. 5.41

 

1842

No death sentences.

 

1843

Glasgow, tried on the 28th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 18th May

Charles M’Kay

Murder wife

Glasgow

 

Tried at Stirling on the 13th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 4th October

Allen Mair

Murder

Stirling

 

1844

High Court of Justiciary, tried 12th of March.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 3rd April

James Bryce

Murder

Edinburgh

 

1845 and 1846

No death sentences.

 

1847 (PP - 1 out of 2 death sentences carried out)

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 20th of March - Elizabeth Yates for murder. Reprieved 11. 6.47

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 1st of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 5th October

Thomas Leith

Murder wife

Dundee

 

1848 (PP - 2 out of 4 death sentences carried out)

 

Tried at Perth on the 22nd of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 19th May

James Robertson

Murder

Forfar

 

Tried at Ayr on the 4th of October.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 26th October

James M’Wheelan

Murder and robbery

Ayr

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 26th of September - John M’Lusky for murder. (recommended to mercy) Reprieved 12.10.48

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 4th of December - John Thompson for shooting at. Reprieved  2. 2.49

 

1849

Tried at Aberdeen on the 24th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 22nd May

James Burnett

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Perth on the 30th of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 29th May

John Kellocher

Murder

Perth

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 18th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 16th October

James Robb

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Jedburgh on the 4th October, John Wilson & John Brady for murder.  John Brady was reprieved 14.10.49

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 25th October

John Wilson

Murder

Jedburgh

 

1850

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 9th of January

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 31st January

Margaret Hamilton

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at Jedburgh on the 18th of April - William Deary for murder. Reprieved

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 26th of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 16th August

William Bennison

Murder

Edinburgh

 

1851

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 2nd of October.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 24th October

Archibald Hare

Murder

Glasgow

 

1852

 

Tried at Perth on the 28th of April - Charles Fancut for murder.  Reprieved

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 14th of June

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 5th July

Michael Scanlan & Peter Scanlan

Murder

Cupar

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 23rd of December - George Christie for murder.  Hanged 1853.

 

1853

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 13th January

George Christie

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 5th of January - Margaret Bell for the murder of a child & James Scott for murder.
Both reprieved.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 21st of February.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 14th March

John Williams

Murder

Greenlaw

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 18th of May - James Magorran for murder.  Reprieved

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 21st of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 11th August

Hans M’Farlane & Helen Blackwood

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 19th of December - William Cumming for murder.  Hanged in 1854.

 

1854

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 25th January

William Cumming

Murder

Edinburgh

 

Tried at Ayr on the 19th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 11th May

Alex Cunningham

Murder

Ayr

 

1855

Tried at Glasgow on the 2nd of May - William Kelso (a.k.a. Alex. Stewart) for murder.
(Recommended to mercy)

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 23rd May

William Kelso

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at Perth on the 2nd of October - Elizabeth M’Intosh for the murder of her child.  Respited

 

1856

Tried at Glasgow on the 1st of May - Robert Gordon for the murder of William Guthrie. Reprieved

Tried at Glasgow on the 2nd of October - James M’Manus for the murder of Henry Lavey. Reprieved

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 8th of November - Mary Wood for murder.  Reprieved

 

1857

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary on the 12th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 2nd February

Peter M’Lean

Murder

Linlithgow

 

Tried at Aberdeen on the 24th of September.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 21st October

John Booth

Murder

Aberdeen

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 23rd of December - John Thomas for murder.  Hanged 1858.

 

1858 and 1859

No death sentences

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Thursday 14th January

John Thomas

Murder

Paisley

 

1860

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 13th of February - Edwin Salt for the murder of his wife. Reprieved

 

Tried at Perth on the 11th of April - Bridget Kiernan for murder. Reprieved.

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary, Stranraer on the 24th of December - Margaret Hannah
for the murder of her bastard. Reprieved.

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 28th of December.  Patrick Lunnay & John M’Fadyen for murder. 
John M’Fadyen was reprieved.

 

1861

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Saturday 18th January

Patrick Lunnay

Murder

Dumbarton

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 24th of April   Ellen Walsh for the murder of her bastard son.  Reprieved

 

Tried at Perth on the 25th of April  - Alexander Hutchison for murder. Reprieved

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 20th of September - David Fraser for the murder of Patrick M’Kenney.  Reprieved

 

1862

 

Tried at Dumfries on the 8th April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 29th April

Mary Timney

Murder

Dumfries

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 17th of September - Jessie M’Intosh for the murder of Jessie M’Pherson.  Reprieved

 

1863

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh on the 9th of February - Alexander Milne for murder.  Reprieved

 

1864

Tried at Glasgow on the 23rd of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Monday 16th May

John Reilly

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at the High Court of Justiciary, Edinburgh on the 30th of May.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 21st June

George Bryce

Murder

Edinburgh

 

1865

Tried at Aberdeen on the 18th of April - George Stephen for murder - reprieved

 

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 3rd of July.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Friday 28th July

Edward Pritchard

Murder

Glasgow

 

Tried at Glasgow on the 27th of December - John Jamieson for murder - reprieved

 

1866

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 8th of January.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Wednesday 31st January

Andrew Brown

Murder

Montrose

 

Tried at Perth on the 24th of April.

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 22nd May

Joseph Bell

Murder

Perth

 

1867

Tried by the High Court of Justiciary on the 17th of December - Charles M’Donald for murder - reprieved

 

1868

Tried at Dumfries on the 21st of April

Date of execution

Name

Crime

Place

Tuesday 12th May

Robert Smith

Murder

Dumfries

 

1868 – 1899. (private executions)

At least 39 men and 3 women received the death sentence for murder during this period.
Of these 16 men and 1 woman were subsequently hanged.

 

Trial date

Name

Age

Hanged at/reprieved

Crime/Victim

March 1870

William Cunningham

 

Reprieved

Murder

April 1870

John Kelly

 

Reprieved

Murder

04/09/1870

George Chalmers

45

Perth 04/10/1870

Murder

Sept 1872

John McGinlay

 

Reprieved

Murder

April 1873

Henry Reid

 

Reprieved

Murder

8/04/1873

Thomas Scobbie

36

Reprieved 08/04/1873

George Spalding

June 1874

Martin Gilboy

 

Reprieved

Murder

Sept 1874

George McCallum

 

Reprieved 09/1874

Murder

Oct 1874

George Neillan

 

Reprieved

Murder

9/10/1874

Archibald Miller

 

Reprieved 09/10/1874

Wife murder

14/09/1875

Patrick Docherty

19

Glasgow 5/10/1875

John Miller

16/09/1875

John Middleby

 

Reprieved

Murder

28/09/1875

David Wardlaw

 

Dumbarton 19/10/1875

Wife, Mary

10/05/1876

Thomas Barr

34

Glasgow 31/05/1876

Wife & mother in law

March 1878

John Bell

 

Reprieved

Murder

31/05/1878

Eugene Marie Chantrelle

44

Edinburgh 31/05/1878

Wife, Elizabeth

04/09/1878

Isabella Thomson

 

Reprieved 20/09/1878

Husband

07/09/1878

William M'Donald

 

Cupar 03/10/1878

Wife, Helen

28/12/1881

Thomas Ferguson

 

Reprieved 28/12/1881

Wife

26/04/1883

Henry Mullen &
Martin Scott

50
34

Glasgow 23/05/1883 (Duke Street prison)

Gamekeepers Robert Fyfe &
David McCaughtrie

19/02/1883

James Smith

 

Reprieved

Murder

10/03/1884

Robert Vickers & William Innes

 

Edinburgh 31/03/1884

John Fortune & John McDairmid (gamekeepers)

Oct 1888

Mary Boyd

 

Reprieved ??/10/1888

Murder

05/02/1889

Hector M'Donald

 

Reprieved 05/02/1889

Murder

18/02/1889

Jessie King (f)

27

Edinburgh 11/03/1889

Baby farmer

Feb 1889

John Curran

 

Reprieved ??/02/1889

Murder

25/03/1889

William Bury

29

Dundee 24/04/1889

Wife, Ellen

09/11/1889

John Laurie

28

Reprieved 04/11/1889

Robert Rose

May 1890

John Findley

 

Reprieved ??/05/1890

Murder

11/08/1890

John McDonald

 

Reprieved 11/08/1890

Wife & lodger

02/09/1890

Henry Devlin

45

Glasgow 23/09/1890

Wife

03/09/1890

Thomas Gribbins

 

Reprieved 19/09/1890

Landlord

29/12/1890

Lorretto Polambo

 

Reprieved & deported

Murder

21/12/1891

Frederick Storey

54

Greenock 11/01/1892

Elizabeth Harmstone

09/05/1892

Alexander Robertson

 

Reprieved

Murder

28/12/1892

David Forrester

 

Reprieved

Wife

28/12/1892

William M'Keown

 

Glasgow 18/01/1893

Elizabeth Connagher

17/05/1897

George Paterson

31

Glasgow 07/06/1897

Mary Ann McGuire

21/02/1898

John Heardman

52

Edinburgh 14/03/1898

Jane Calder

 

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