And another thing Geoff, it only lists executions, not all the crimes that occurred. Sheila Crocheters are to be given all the time and stash they require, other's are to pick up the slack these noble people cannot get too. copyright.....by me...the crocheter -----Original Message----- From: Geoff Nicholson via Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2014 1:33 AM To: doreenwelch@yahoo.ca ; northumbria@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NMB] Execution Records Doreen: I would say the opposite. In the late 18th and early 19th century there was always the threat of hanging if one committed a serious crime, but in fact very few of those who did really were hanged. Some 30 years ago (guess) John Smith published a paper in the Bulletin of Durham County LHS in which he followed up all cases in that period in Durham where someone had been indicted of a capital offence. Some were never brought to court ("no bill"). Others were tried and found not guilty. Others were found guilty of a capital offence but not sentenced to capital punishment - mostly transported. Of those sentenced to death, most were reprieved, either upon appeal or at the last minute before execution. Only about 4% (another guess) of those capitally indicted are known to have been executed. Of course the real proportion may have been higher than that as some cases could not be followed right through and we don't know what happened top the people concerned. However, there were enough cases to be statistically impressive and the result was a number around the 4% I have quoted. It is no doubt worthwhile asking ourselves why the general impression is that hanging was used more often then it really was. I would suggest that some of the answer may be that, in the days of public execution, a hanging was the occasion for a large crowd to gather and effectively a "party" would be held. That is the sort of thing one doesn't forget. It is interesting that, later on, it was Miners' Galas which produced scenes in the streets of Durham which had previously been found only at executions. Hangings were also the occasion for the publication of large amounts of handbills and other ephemera by the opportunist printers of Durham (or Newcastle, wherever the execution was to be). Everything from the prisoners' confession to poems describing his (or her) crime, would be hawked around the crowds for a penny or two. Although intended to serve on that day alone, some of them would be taken home and kept as a souvenir of the great day out, especially by those who could actually read, and understand, them. That would keep the memory of the execution alive until the handbill finally fell to pieces. Geoff Nicholson