Background and the Attack in Artillery Passage
Alexander Arthur Mackay became the second person to be executed in private in Britain and the very first at Newgate.
18-year-old Mackay was employed by George Grossmith as a waiter and general servant at his eating house at No. 11 Artillery Passage, London.
Mackay had an argument with George’s wife, 45-year-old Emma, on the morning of Friday, the 8th of May 1868, after George had left the shop, as a result of which he attacked her with a rolling pin, an iron bar and items of crockery in the kitchen.
She died nine days later from her head injuries but on the first day recovered consciousness sufficiently to make a statement to the police.
Arrest and Identification in Maidstone
Mackay was able to escape from London and was arrested in Maidstone some five weeks later on an unrelated charge, going under the name of George Jackson.
He was identified by Henry Ratcliff, a sharp-eyed warder at Maidstone prison who, having seen a picture of Mackay, realised that the prisoner Jackson bore a strong resemblance to him.
He was brought before the governor on the 28th of June for questioning and as a result returned to the capital and housed in Newgate to await trial.
The Trial at the Old Bailey
Court Proceedings
He appeared at the Old Bailey before Mr. Justice Lush on the 17th of August and had the benefit of two defence counsel, Messrs Ribton and Cunningham.
Some of the Grossmith’s neighbours gave evidence of hearing a commotion around 9.30 a.m. and of hearing Emma cry out “Oh don’t,” and another gave evidence of a bloodied Mackay escaping.
Surgeon John Jackson, who had attended Emma, gave evidence of the crime scene and her horrific injuries.
Verdict and Sentencing
Mackay was convicted of murder, but the jury recommended him to mercy on account of his age, eighteen at the time of the crime. His 19th birthday occurred between the times of the crime and his execution.
The Home Secretary, Earl Cranbrook, saw no reason for a reprieve and Tuesday the 8th of September 1868 was the date set for execution.
The Execution at Newgate Prison
The Gallows in Chapel Yard
Newgate’s gallows was erected in a corner of the enclosed Chapel yard and was described as consisting of two vertical beams some 12–14 feet high with a cross beam from which an iron chain was suspended.
Beneath this was a scaffold concealed by sheeting and reached by a few steps. It was the same gallows that had been used for the last public hanging, that of Michael Barrett, some four months earlier.
Final Moments on the Scaffold
The hanging was attended by the Governor, Mr. Jonas, the Ordinary, the Rev. Mr. Jones, Mr. Gibson the prison surgeon, the sheriff and two under sheriffs, and representatives of the press.
A little before 9.00 a.m., Mackay was led from the condemned cell through a passage that opened into the yard, supported by the Ordinary, and ascended the steps up onto the platform where he joined in with Mr. Jones’ prayers.
Only he, Mr. Jones, and William Calcraft were present on the drop, there being no warders to support Mackay. Mackay’s last words were:
“Oh Lord God have mercy upon me.”
When the preparations were completed, Calcraft descended from the scaffold and withdrew the bolt, causing Mackay to drop the customary 12–18 inches.
After several convulsive struggles lasting some two minutes, his body became still, according to contemporary newspaper reports. The black flag was raised over the prison after the drop had fallen and the bell of St. Sepulchre’s Church tolled.
His body was left hanging for an hour before being taken down and prepared for the formal inquest, which took place that afternoon. It was noted that his face bore a calm expression which, as a warder noted, was not usual.
Inquest and Burial
At 2.00 p.m. the formal inquest was held by Deputy Coroner, Mr. W. H. Payne, sitting with 21 jurors from the City of London to enquire into whether Mackay had died from lawful hanging.
Mr. Jonas, the governor of Newgate, gave evidence of identification of the body and produced Mackay’s death warrant. Mr. Gibson testified that the cause of death was judicial hanging.
Mackay was then buried in an unmarked grave within the prison. By the following Saturday, a waxwork of Mackay was on display in The Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud’s Waxworks.
You may also be interested in Thomas Wells, Britain’s first private hanging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Alexander Arthur Mackay?
Alexander Arthur Mackay was an 18-year-old eating-house servant who brutally assaulted and murdered his employer’s wife, Emma Grossmith, with a rolling pin and iron bar in Norton Folgate, London, in May 1868.
Why is Alexander Mackay’s execution historically significant?
Mackay was the second person executed in private in Britain following the passage of the Capital Punishment Amendment Act 1868, and the very first person hanged behind closed prison walls at Newgate Prison.
How was Mackay recaptured after fleeing London?
Mackay went on the run for five weeks and was arrested in Maidstone, Kent, under the alias “George Jackson” on an unrelated charge. A prison warder recognized his facial likeness from published illustrations and notified the prison governor.
Who carried out Mackay’s hanging?
He was hanged on 8 September 1868 by veteran executioner William Calcraft, using the short drop method on the same gallows structure that had hosted Britain’s final public hanging four months earlier.
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