Executions in Somerset 1735-1799

675 death sentences led to 179 executions, plus another 28 probable executions. Executions were carried out at Gallows Field, Ilchester unless otherwise stated.

Assize DateNameCrime Execution Date
1735 – 1 execution
M 17 March   Humphrey Holling       Housebreaking          ??/April
1736 – 4 executions
M 29 March   Thomas Frankling        Highway robbery    ??/April
Tu. 24 August   Richard Hawkins          Housebreaking         ??/August
“William Crawford   Highway robbery                 ??/August
“Jeptha Langman      Highway robbery                 ??/August
1737 – 3 executions
M 28 March   William Spurrier         Housebreaking                  W  13 April
Tu. 16 August   John Johnson          Arson               W  14 September
“William Allford          Horse theft               W  31 August
1738 – 3 executions
M 27 March   Nathaniel Whayman   P/T murder of Richard Trott F  21 April
Hanged on the Stone Gallows at Taunton
“George Philips         Horse theft               W  19 April
“Richard Hobbs            Horse theft               W  19 April
1739 – 3 executions
W 29 August   Thomas Limpons          Highway robbery               F  21 September
“Thomas Jones            Pickpocket          F  21 September
“William Stirling         Murder of daughter, Sarah   ??/September
Hanged at Stone Gallows Taunton.
1740 – 6 confirmed executions, plus 5 probable ones
M 31 March   Elizabeth Branch &Murder of Jane ButterworthS   3 May
“Betty Branch    their appenticeS   3 May
W 13 August   John Millard      Highway robbery                Th.  4 September
Hanged in chains on Bedminster Down 
“Cornelius York   Highway robbery                Th.  4 September
Hanged in chains on Brislington Common
“George Masters         Highway robbery                Th.  4 September
“William Derrick        Highway robbery                 Th.  4 September
“John Caswell          Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
“Edward Taylor          H/T counterfeiting No reprieve traced
“William Holliday         Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
“Edward Hicks           Horse theft              No reprieve traced
“David Curtis          Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
1741 – No confirmed executions
Tu. 2 April   Hosea Bishop        Stole off rack        No reprieve traced
Thomas Vidler           Stole in dwelling house    No reprieve traced
James Millard         Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
John Edmunds          Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
“William Norton           Stole off rack        No reprieve traced
“William Hawkins          Highway robbery                No reprieve traced
“John Walls            Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
“Peter Battle        Sheep theft              No reprieve traced
“Sarah Holcombe      Murder of her male bastard  No reprieve traced
1742 – No confirmed executions
M 5 April   Charles Pim              Murder of William CollardNo reprieve traced
“Samuel Barns           Sheep theft              No reprieve traced
Tu. 24 August   Thomas Pope             Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
1743 – No confirmed executions
Tu. 29 March   John Walker            Sheep theft              No reprieve traced
“Ananias Webber      Housebreaking                 No reprieve traced
“Nicholas Adams           Horse theft              No reprieve traced
“Edward Pery            Murder of his wife, Jane No reprieve traced
1744 – No confirmed executions
Tu. 27 March   John Cleft            Horse theft              No reprieve traced
“John Spark            Horse theft              No reprieve traced
Tu. 31 July   William Knight           Horse theft              No reprieve traced
1745 – 1 execution
M 1 April   Simon Kingman       Stole in shop          ??/April
1746 – 4 executions
M 31 March   John Moore            Burglary            M  14 April
“John Bright           Horse theft               M  14 April
Tu. 2 September   Marey John Galway     Murder of Ann Pool  ??/September
Hanged in chains on Chiluton Heath
“Francis Wilkins          Murder of Jane Wilkins??/September
Hanged in chains on Black Down
1747 – 3 executions
M 20 April   George Cox             Robbery in dwelling house    W   6 May
“John Bailey           Murder of Thomas KnightTu.   5 May
Hanged at Taunton
“Susanna Way           Murder of her male bastard  W   6 May
1748 – 2 confirmed executions
M 28 March   William Myer             Burglary           No reprieve traced
Tu. 23 August   Joseph Mendoza         Murder of François Dubois  W  21 September
“Richard Biggs            Murder his wife, Ruth   W  14 September
Hanged in chains at Three Holes Down, Bath
1749 – No executions
1750 – 2 confirmed executions
S 31 March   John Perryman     Riot Th. 19 April
“Thomas Roach  Riot Th. 19 April
Tu. 21 August   James Rogers          Murder his wife, HannahNo reprieve traced
1751 – 2 confirmed executions
M 1 April   William Furze            Burglary           No reprieve traced
Tu. 13 August   Jancos Lombard  Rape of Mary Isill                Unknown
“John Baricos      Rape of Mary Isill                Unknown
1752 – No executions
1753 – 6 executions
S 7 April   William Bailey snr.        HousebreakingApril/May
“Robert Yeandell   HousebreakingApril/May
“Edward Bonton  HousebreakingApril/May
Tu. 28 August   John Poulter          HousebreakingTu. 26 February ’54
“Elizabeth Gammin          At large            ??/September
“Susan Bruford        Murder of her husband John M   3 September
Burned at the stake at Wells
1754 – 6 executions
M 1 April   Ambrose Mitchell        Housebreaking                  April/May
“Mary Ashford &   Murder of Robert Bacon     Th. 11 April
“Robert Ashford    Murder of Robert Bacon     Th. 11 April
Tu. 20 August   John Living           Murder    M  26 August
“William Herman           Burglary            ??/September
“Elizabeth Barmstable     Housebreaking                  ??/September
1755 – 6 executions
Tu. 12 August   George Wilkinson       Shot at             W  27 August
“Edward Norman          Horse theft               W  27 August
“James Wallis          Forgery             W  27 August
“John Pepperwell   Forgery             W  27 August
“George Pepperwell  Sheep theft               W  27 August
“William Milton       Sheep theft               W  27 August
1756 – 5 executions
M 5 April   Samuel Morey Housebreaking                  April/May
“George Webber    Stole in dwelling house   April/May
“William Stork            Horse theft               April/May
Tu. 24 August   John Rowley           Housebreaking                  April/May
“John Dollis           Murder of his wife, Ann       M  30 August
1757 – 2 executions
M 28 March   Esau Davis          Murder of his wife, DorothyM   4 April
Tu. 16 August   Silas Stower        Forgery             W 21 September
1758 – 5 executions
M 27 March   Morgan Miles &  Murder of Elizabeth Cooper3/4April
“John Cheeter      Murder of Elizabeth Cooper3/4April
“Jacob Ward          Stole in dwelling house   W  12 April
“George Palmer          Housebreaking                  W  12 April
“William Spratt           At large            W  12 April
1759 – 4 executions
M 9 April  Sarah Evill         Murder of her male bastard  M  16 April
“Peter Davenport     Highway robbery               W  25 April
“Benjamin Alton Highway robbery          W  25 April
“James Noble       Highway robbery          W  25 April
1760 – No executions
1761 – 2 executions
Tu. 31 March   Jean Blave          Burglary            ??/May
S 25 July   Edmund Martin          Privately stealing               ??/August
1762 – 1 execution
Tu. 17 August   John Ham              Horse theft             Unknown
Hanged at Taunton
1763 – No executions
1764 – 1 execution
S 25 AugustJohn Tozier           Highway robbery                 W  12 September
1765 – 1 execution
S 6 April   Mary Norwood        P/T murder of her husband    W   8 May
Burned at the stake
1766 – 1 execution, plus possibly 1 more unconfirmed
S 29 MarchJohn JeffrreySheep theftUnconfirmed
Tu. 5 August   Thomas Greenland        Rape of Mary Taylor            Th. 20 August
1767 – No executions
1768 – 1 execution
S 26 March   Ephraim Phhilpot    Murder of his father      S  2 April
1769 – 2 executions
S 25 March   Richard Gulliver         Murder of his wife, Sarah S   1 April
M 31 July  John Kingdom          Burglary            W 16 August
1770 – 4 executions
M 23 April   Nehemiah Webber &Murder of William Gough     M  30 April
“Stephen Scudder  Murder of William Gough     M  30 April
Probably hanged at Taunton
“Charles Sparks           Highway robbery                 W   9 May
W 22 August   George Shepherd        Burglary            M  10 September
1771 – 2 executions
M 12 August   Lewis Balch     Burglary            W  28 August
“John Pinions         Burglary            W  28 August
1772 – 2 executions
Th. 26 March   John Lavington       Uttering              W  15 April
M 24 August  Elizabeth Mansfield      Murder of her male bastard  S  29 August
1773 – No executions
1774 – 1 execution
S 26 March   Walter Thatcher      Sheep theft               W 20 April
1775 – 2 executions
M 21 August   Reginald Tucker          Murder of his wife, Martha    M  28 August
William Baker            Murder of Parfitt MaggsF  17 November
1776 – 3 executions
S 30 March   William Beer             Highway robbery                 ??/ April
“Thomas Scott            Burglary            ??/ April
“George Bird            Murder of Mary Bees           S   6 April
1777 – No executions
1778 – 2 executions
M 24 August   John Stock            Burglary            W  16 September
David Davis     Highway robbery                 W  16 September
1779 – No executions
1780 – 3 executions
M 21 August  Joseph Barton          Rape of Elizabeth House     W  6 September 
“Joshua Hodges       Murder of James Coles  S  26 August
“John Butler           Riot                M 28 August
1781 – 2 executions
S 18 August  Martha Wills        Murder of her female bastardF  24 August
Hanged at Hemp Green, Bridgwater 
“James Sage           Shot at Richard Perry    W   5 September
1782 – No executions
1783 – 8 executions
Th. 27 March   William LattimoreHighway robbery                 Th. 17 April
Hanged at Taunton
“John Wharton      Highway robbery                 W  16 April
“Joseph Edkins          H/T coining          W  16 April
S 23 August   John Wotton       Burglary            W  3 or F 5 September
“Samuel Wotton     Burglary            W  3 or F 5 September
“John Hickman      Housebreaking                  W  3 or F 5 September
John Powell       Housebreaking                  W  3 or F 5 September
George Gaynes            Stole from bleachcroft      W  10 September
Hanged at Bedminster Down 
1784 – 6 executions
Th. 25 March   Richard Rendall          Highway robbery                Th.  8 April
Hanged at Totterdown, afterwards in chains on the same gallows
“John Jones            Highway robbery                W   7 April
“John Smith           Burglary            W   7 April
“John Chanell      Burglary            W   7 April
S 14 August   Thomas Phillips         Highway robbery                W   1 September
“Thomas Reynock          Horse theft               W   1 September
1785 – 7 executions
S 30 July   John Williams     Highway robbery                W  10 August
“James Johnston    Highway robbery                W  10 August
“Thomas Winton           At large            W  10 August
“James Prig            Highway robbery                W  10 August
“Thomas Gummer           Stole from bleachcroft      W  10 August
“Thomas Woodham          Highway robbery                W  10 August
“William Stiles           Murder of Richard Hole     F   5 August
Hanged at Hemp Green, Bridgwater 
1786 – 11 executions
Th. 30 March   John Gooding      Highway robbery                W  19 April
“William Cozens  Highway robbery                W  19 April
“John Ramsden          Highway robbery        W  19 April
“William Norman           Housebreaking                  W  19 April
“John Smith            Housebreaking                  W  19 April
“John Jenkins          Highway robbery      W  19 April
“Thomas Frosser          Housebreaking                  W  19 April
“John Clements         Horse theft               W  19 April
“William WilliamsSacrilegeW  19 April
“Edward Wyatt            Sheep theft               W  19 April
S 19 August  James Silverthorn     Highway robbery                 W  30 August
1787 – 9 executions
Th. 29 MarchWilliam Lockyer          Cattle theft               W  11 April
“John Small            Horse theft               W  11 April
“Robert Hamlyn         Highway robbery                 W  11 April
“Richard Dean             Sheep theft               W  11 April
“William PemburyHousebreaking W  11 April
“John Harding      Housebreaking W  11 April
S 11 August   John Cary             Highway robbery                 W  22 August
“Edmund Connell         Burglary            W  22 August
Grace Bootle    Burglary            W  22 August
1788 – 5 executions
Th. 27 March   John Lewis            Horse theft               W  9 April
“Samuel Yendall         Burglary            Th. 10 April
Hanged at Dodwell Green, Kingston St Mary 
M 28 July   Jeremiah Mead         Burglary               W  13 August
“Bartholomew Harman     Highway robbery                 W  13 August
“William Ensell           Horse theft               W  13 August
1789 – 8 executions
F 27 MarchIsaac Purnell       Burglary            M 8 April
S 15 August   John Walford          Murder his wife, Jane   Th. 20 August
Hanged at Doddington Green, afterwards in chains on the same gallows
“George Partlett        Horse theft               W  26 August
“John Gould            Horse theft               W  26 August
“John Hellier          Horse theft               W  26 August
“John Day              Horse theft               W  26 August
“John BartramHorse theft               W  26 August
“Samuel Bartram  Horse theft               W  26 August
1790 – 4 executions
Th. 25 March   Elias Perch     Housebreaking                  W   7 April
“Robert DallamontHousebreaking                  W   7 April
M 9 August   Alexander Pearce         Arson               W  25 August
“George Taylor          Burglary                  W  25 August
1791 – 3 executions
S 26 March   Thomas Butler           Horse theft               W  13 April
“Samuel Rearce          Horse theft               W  13 April
“James Cowerd          Burglary            W  13 April
1792 – 2 executions
Th. 29 March   Job Bawden          Murder of Elizabeth Bawden  M   2 April
S 11 August   Joseph Newman          Burglary            W  29 August
1793 – 2 executions
Th. 28 March   Joan Tattel         Murder of her female bastardW   3 April
Hanged at Taunton
“Jenkin Jones        Burglary                  W  10 April
1794 – 2 executions
Th. 27 March   Thomas Withys           Murder of his wife Mary   M  31 March
S 23 August   James Stanley         Horse theft               W 17 September
1795 – 1 execution
S 8 August   William White            Murder of Maria Bailey Th. 13 August
Hanged at Bridgwater
1796 – 2 executions
Th. 24 March   Edward Taylor          Sheep theft         W   6 April
“Barzillai Hallett   Arson               W   6 April
Hanged at North Perrot
1797 – 1 execution
Th. 30 March   Edward Moore           Highway robbery                 W  12 April
1798 – 3 executions
Th. 29 March   John Isaacs           Murder of John Wilmot        W   4 April
Hanged at Taunton
“John Thornbutton      Sheep theft               W  11 April
“Thomas Clark            Horse theft               W  11 April
1799 – 7 executions
Th. 28 March   William Pearce           Burglary                  W  10 April
“John Hewlett          Shot at             W  10 April
“Richard Williams         Murder of Thomas Laver   M   1 April
Hanged at Ilton near Ilminster and afterwards to be hanged in chains there
“Thomas Bright           At large            W  10 April
S 27 August   Abraham Isles Burglary                  W  7 August
“Abraham Scull  Burglary                  W  7 August
“William Parfitt          Burglary                 W  7 August


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