Executions in Norfolk 1735-1799

446 death sentences led to 114 executions. A further 55 death sentences were passed at the City of Norwich Assizes leading to 13 executions. Executions took place at Castle Hill, Norwich or Gallows Hill, Thetford for the county and Castle Ditches for the City Assizes, unless otherwise specified.

Assize dateNameCrimeExecution date
1735 – 3 executions 
Th. 13 MarchJoseph Pearce            Housebreaking        Unknown
Hanged at Thetford
Tu. 29 July (city)Timothy Wood             Housebreaking          S 16 August
“John Mann                Housebreaking          S 16 August
1736 – 2 executions 
Th. 18 MarchJohn Gilbert             Housebreaking        Unknown
“Henry BartonBurglary    Unknown
Both hanged at Thetford
1737 – 4 executions 
Th. 10 MarchJohn Painter        Horse theft               M 21 March
“John Johnson        Horse theft              M 21 March
“William Wright           Highway robbery          M 21 March
M 8 AugustCharles Glimmer          Horse theft                  S 27 August
1738 – 1 execution 
M 31 JulyWilliam Cutts            Horse theft                  S 19 August
1739 – No executions 
1740 – 6 executions 
Th. 20 MarchWilliam Cross            Horse theft                  S 5 April
“Robert Smith             Horse theft                  S 5 April
“John Robinson            Highway robbery          S 5 April
All hanged at Thetford
Th. 20 MarchRobert Blake             Horse theft                  S 12 April
M 28 JulyAndrew Lister            RiotS 23 August
“Robert Bessey            RiotS 23 August
1741 – 6 executions 
S 14 MarchJonathan Mattox  &HousebreakingW 8 April
“Benjamin Smith       ”              W 8 April
“Peter Latten             Horse theft            W 8 April
“Robert Smith             Housebreaking             W 8 April
“Samuel Prior             Burglary                W 8 April
“Bridges Heffer           Burglary                W 8 April
Last 3 hanged at Thetford
1742 – 1 execution 
Th. 18 MarchRobert Carleton          Murder of Mary FrostM 5 April
Hanged at Diss, afterwards in chains there
1743 – 1 execution 
Th. 10 MarchJohn Codlin              Murder of Simon Potts            Th. 7 April
Hanged at Bunwell, afterwards in chains there
1744 – 1 execution 
M 23 JulyRobert Capps             Murder of Joseph Laughter   W 8 August
1745 – No executions 
1746 – 1 execution 
Th. 13 MarchJeremiah Pratt           Horse theft            S 12 April
1747 – 1 execution 
S 15 AugustFrancis Cooper (18)      Rape of 10 year old girlS  5 September
1748 – 1 execution 
Th. 10 MarchWilliam Salter           Murder of Christopher King     Ex Tu. 12 April
Hanged at Holt afterwards in chains there
“
1749 – 2 executions 
S 18 MarchJohn Ambrose             Robbery in dwelling houseS 8 April
“John Jarvis              Burglary                S 8 April
1750 – 1 execution 
F 10 August (city)Thomas Clarke            Murder of John Banning     S 1 September
1751 – 1 execution 
Th. 14 MarchWilliam Cann             Highway robbery          W 10 April
Hanged in chains after execution
1752 – 1 execution 
Tu. 28 July (city)Daniel Wilson            Stole from the “Star Inn”   S 15 April
1753 – 1 execution 
Tu. 14 AugustJames Palmer             Sheep theftS 8 September
1754 – 1 execution 
Tu. 13 August (city)Samuel Agar              Burglary        S 31 August
1755 – 1 execution 
F 21 MarchJohn Hall                Horse theft                   W 16 April
1756 – No executions 
1757 – 1 execution 
Tu. 30 AugustRichard Taylor           Burglary          F 30 September
1758 – 1 execution 
Th. 16 MarchAmbrose Towler           Housebreaking          W 26 April
1759 to 1763 – No executions 
1764 –  3 executions
M 13 AugustSamuel CreasbyHighway robbery S 1 September
“John Carman              At largeS 1 September
“John Holloway            At largeS 20 October
1765 – No executions 
1766 –  2 executions
DecemberDaniel Long &          RiotS 10 January 1767
Special Commission  John Hall                RiotS 10 January 1767
1767 –  2 executions
Th. 12 MarchJohn Jermy               HousebreakingS 4 April
“George WoodbineHousebreakingS 4 April
1768 –  2 executions
Th. 10 MarchGibbon HoughtonSheep theft                  W 20 April
M 25 JulyJohn Sherwood            Arson & horse theftS 13 August
1769 – 1 execution 
M 17 JulyCornelius GreenHousebreakingS 5 August
1770 – No executions 
1771 – 1 execution 
F 15 MarchJoseph Barber            Highway robbery Ex S 6 April
1772 – 1 execution 
Tu. 18 August (city)Edward Plumb             Highway robbery          S 12 September
1773 – 1 execution 
Tu. 3 August (city)Jacob Cooper             Burglary                S 28 August
1774 –  2 executions
Th. 17 MarchJames Jex (Jaques) &         HousebreakingS 16 April
“Henry Jex (Jaques)HousebreakingS 16 April
1775 – 1 execution 
F 17 MarchThomas Green             Burglary                W 12 April
1776 – No executions 
1777 –  2 executions
Th. 13 MarchJohn Rye                 Murder of Joseph Snelling W 19 March
“John Manning             Burglary                       S 12 April
1778 – No executions 
1779 –  5 executions
Th. 11 MarchThomas Bell              Shot atS  3 April
“Thomas Boddy             Burglary                S  3 April
“Miles Bridges            Burglary                S  3 April
“Thomas Partridge         Burglary                S  3 April
“John Griffen             Burglary                S  3 April
1780 – No executions 
1781 –  4 executions
Th. 15 MarchMichael Moore            Highway robbery S 7 April
“William Smith            Highway robbery S 7 April
“John Love                Highway robbery S 7 April
M 6 AugustSamuel Creasy            Robbery & rape of Mary Gage S 8 September
1782 – No executions 
1783 –  3 executions
Th. 14 MarchAbraham Carman      Burglary                S 5 April
“Henry Cabell, seniorBurglary                S 5 April
M 18 AugustRobert Fox               Highway robbery  S 6 September
Hanged at Kings Lynn
1784 –  3 executions
F 19 MarchWilliam Green            Burglary                S 10 April
“James Trundle            Burglary                S 10 April
W 4 AugustSimon Tuffs, sr.   Horse theftS 4 September
1785 –  9 executions
Th. 17 MarchJames Cliffen            Murder of Peter Seaman Th. 24 March
Hanged in chains at Dereham
“Robert Randall           Shot atS 2 April
“Robert Cadamy            Sheep theftS 2 April
“John Ferrett             Burglary                S 2 April
“William Newland          ForgeryS 2 April
M 18 JulyPeter Bullard            Horse theftS 6 August
“Joseph Loads             Burglary                S 6 August
M 18 July (city)Francis Vandergoose    Murder of his wife           F 22 July
“William Westropp        Burglary                S 13 August
1786 –  5 executions
F 17 MarchJohn Shilling            Murder of John Raven     S 25 March
Hanged in chains at Burnham Thorpe
“Edward Land              Burglary                S 8 April
M 7 AugustJoseph Moore   Horse theftS 26 August
“Robert Sutton Horse theftS 26 August
“Henry Cross              Horse theftS 26 August
1787 –  8 executions
Th. 22 MarchWilliam Hawke &Murder of Henry SearleF 30 March
“Thomas MayhewMurder of Henry SearleF 30 March
“Benjamin Pearcey         Highway robbery S 16 April
“Benjamin Tungare        Highway robbery S 16 April
“John Camp                Highway robbery S 16 April
“John Teasdale            broke into shopS 16 April
M 30 JulyJohn Clarke     At largeS 18 August
M 30 July (city)John Crome               Highway robbery          S 25 August
1788 –  6 executions
F 14 MarchJoseph Wakefield         Murder of Thomas Thwaites Th. 20 March
“Henry Sell               Murder of Elizabeth ClarkTh. 20 March
“Richard YoungHighway robbery S 5 April
“John Jacob               Horse theftS 5 April
“Richard Greenwood Burglary                S 5 April
M 14 July (city)Thomas Harder            Murder of John Aggus        S 26 July
1789 –  5 executions
Th. 19 MarchChristopher Galloway  Burglary                S 11 April
“Ralph Dawson             Burglary                S 11 April
“Daniel Goose             Burglary                S 11 April
“James Ayers              Burglary                S 11 April
M 3 AugustJames Banks, senior    HousebreakingS 22 August
1790 –  3 executions
F 12 MarchJohn Beckett             Murder of Edward Allen         F 19 March
“Thomas Jackson           Mail robberyS 3 April
Hanged in chains on Methwold Common
M 26 July (city)Aaron Fakenham           Murder of his wife           S 31 July
1791 –  4 executions
F 18 MarchRobert Mullinger         Burglary                S 9 April
“Mary Adams               ArsonS 9 April
M 15 AugustWilliam Bates            Horse theftS 3 September
“John Turner              Burglary                S 3 September
1792 –  1 execution
F 16 MarchWilliam Anthony          Murder of Sarah Cusher   S 24 March
Hanged in chains on Kettlestone Common
1793 –  No executions
1794 –  1 execution
M 11 August (city)Cook March               Highway robbery          S 6 September
1795 –  2 executions, both at Thetford.
F 20 MarchStephen WatsonMurder of his wife, Elizabeth W 25 March
Hanged in chains at West Bradenham
“Henry Bennington         Murder            W 25 March
Hanged in chains at West Dereham
1796 –  2 executions, both at Thetford
F 11 MarchSamuel Hindry &Highway robbery             S 2 April
John HindryHighway robbery             S 2 April
1797 –  5 executions
F 17 MarchWilliam Suffolk          Murder of Mary Beck       F 24 March
Hanged at Thetford and afterwards in chains at North Walsham
“Robert Scot              Cattle theftS 15 April
S 5 AugustJohn Witham &Burglary                S 26 August
“Jonathan Green Burglary                S 26 August
S 5 August (city)Rebecca Howard          Murder of her male bastard     W 9 August
1798 –  1 execution at Thetford
F 16 MarchJohn Nobbs               Forgery           S 7 April
1799 –  3 executions
F 15 MarchJames Fleming &Rape of Rebecca Brighton S 3 August
“Samuel Windham     Rape of Rebecca Brighton S 3 August
“Thomas DexterHighway robbery             M 1 April
Dexter hanged at Thetford


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