[EXECUTION BROADSIDES] TWO 19TH CENTURY DERBYSHIRE-PRINTED BROADSIDES RELATING TO THE EXECUTIONS OF

[EXECUTION BROADSIDES] TWO 19TH CENTURY DERBYSHIRE-PRINTED BROADSIDES RELATING TO THE EXECUTIONS OF ANTHONY TURNER (ON 26TH MARCH 1852) AND GEORGE SMITH (ON 16TH AUGUST 1861), BOTH EXECUTED IN PUBLIC AT THE DERBY GAOL, VERNON STREET. Both folio and loosely mounted, the first (Turner) printed in 4 columns with a large woodcut depiction of the hanging and with printed verse to either side, printed by Richards of Derby [1852], professionally laid-down, a little browned. The second (Smith) printed in 3 columns by John Wombell of Ilkeston on the day of the execution, 1861, professionally laid-down, some foxing spots. On Friday the 26th of March 1852, 49 year old Anthony Turner was hanged by William Calcraft for the murder of his employer, Mrs. Phoebe Barnes at Belper. She had written to him dismissing him from the post of her rent collector. Turner borrowed a large carving knife (used for cutting bacon) from a local shop, forced his way into her house, and slit her throat. An estimated 15-20,000 people witnessed the execution. At noon on the 16th of August 1861, 20 year old George Smith was hanged by Calcraft for shooting and killing his father in Ilkeston on the 1st of May. The Gaol at Vernon Street Derby saw only 8 public executions, between 1833 and 1862, and the last (that of Richard Thorley on 11th April 1862) was the last public execution in Derby. The executions of Turner and Smith, which immediately preceded that of Thorley, were therefore the ante-penultimate and penultimate public executions (2)