8th July 1812: Further ten day respite awarded to the condemned men at Chester Castle

On Wednesday 8th July 1812, the three remaining prisoners condemned to death at the Chester Special Commission - Richard Lowndes, William Greenhough & John Heywood - were again given another temporary respite of their sentences

3rd July 1812: The remaining convicts from the Chester Special Commission leave Chester Castle

On Friday 3rd July 1812, the remaining prisoners convicted at the Chester Special Commission were removed from Chester Castle and sent to the Prison Hulks at Woolwich, viz: Richard Wood, James Tomlinson, William Thompson, James Torkington, John Henshall, Edward Redfern, James Ratcliffe and William Walker.

28th June 1812: Further ten day respite for the three condemned convicts at Chester Castle

The Lancaster Gazette of 4th July reported that on Sunday 28th June, the three remaining prisoners who were condemned to death at the Chester Special Commission in May - Richard Lowndes, William Greenhough & John Heywood - were reprieved for 10 days for a second time. The paper posited a theory as to why this had happened:

It appears, from the very limited period of each suspension of the sentence, to be the intention of Government to make the deluded and disaffected answerable for the lives of the unfortunate men; or in other words, to render them hostages for the tranquillity of the county, in the eventual preservation of which, their lives may be spared.

19th June 1812: Judge Dallas asks the Home Secretary's advice on the respited prisoners at Chester Castle

My Lord

I feel that I am going quite out of my province — but a Letter from the Constable of the Castle of Chester, expressed some anxiety, as to what is to be done with the three Convicts who were respited for ten days from the 15th should he not hear further – Your Lordship will excuse an excess of caution in my mentioning the circumstance

I have [etc]
Robt Dallas

Bedford Square
June 19th 1812

Will your Lordship have the goodness to direct the receipt of this note to be acknowledged by a line directed to me here?

Sidmouth replied the next day:

Whitehall 20 June 1812

My dear Sir,

Many thanks to you for your intimation — a further Respite for ten days of the three Convicts at Chester was sent by last night Post, and I have ordered that a duplicate Respite should be sent by that of tonight.—Let me beg the favour of you to make a Communication to this Effect to the Constable of the Castle of Chester.

I am
&c
Sidmouth

Robert Dallas Esqr
Bedford Square

15th June 1812: The execution of Joseph Thompson & John Temples at Chester Castle

On Monday, 15th June 1812, the prisoners Joseph Thompson and John Temples, convicted and sentenced to death at the Chester Special Commission were executed at Chester Castle. Three other prisoners who were also sentenced to death - Richard Lowndes, William Greenhough, and John Heywood - were reprieved temporarily.

Below are 2 accounts of the executions from contemporary newspapers. When one reads the accounts of executions, one has to bear in mind context and the intended message: the accounts generally paint a portrait of individuals expressing remorse, often admonishing others not do as they have done. For the authorities and the media, this was an important part of the legal and judicial process - punishment as an awful spectacle and as a warning. It is very hard to take these accounts seriously.

The first is from the Leeds Mercury of 20th June 1812 (also, Chester Courant of 16th June 1812):

EXECUTION OF RIOTERS.

On Monday, Joseph Thompson, and John Temples, found guilty at the Special Commission, held for the county of Chester, on the 25th ult. for the trial of the rioters, were executed pursuant their sentences at the New Drop, behind the City Gaol, the crime for which the former of these unhappy men suffered, was, according to the indictment, for “having on the 14th day of April last, feloniously entered the dwelling-house of John Goodair, of Edgeley in that county, and stolen thereout one silver soup laddle, a quantity of silver spoons and other articles; and also with having set fire to the said dwelling-house ,” the latter for “having in the night of Saturday the 9th day of May, in company with a number of others, burgalariously broke and entered the dwelling-house of Samuel Wagstaffe, at Adlington in this county, and feloniously stolen therein five silver tea spoons, and a great variety of wearing apparel.”

About half-past twelve o'clock they left the Castle; when the solemn procession, escorted by a party of the Oxford Blues, and accompanied by the proper offices, proceeded through the city to the New Gaol, followed by an immense crowd of people. On their arrival at the latter place they were conducted to the chapel, where they very devoutly joined the clergyman in prayer, to that Being into whose presence they were about to appear. At one o'clock they ascended the drop, and soon after launched into eternity, in the presence of a great concourse of people assembled to witness their awful exit.

Thompson was 34 years of age, and comes from Preston, in Lancashire; Temples, 27, and was a native of Ireland. They were both weavers.—In their devotional exercises, since their condemnation, they been assisted by the Rev. Mr Penswick, a Catholic clergyman; and the Rev. William Fish, the Ordinary. After hanging the usual time, their bodies were cut down, and placed in shells for interment.—May the example, which it has been deemed necessary to make of these misguided men, prove a salutary warning to all who have been engaged in those scenes of riot and tumult, which has but too long and unhappily disgraced this and the adjoining counties; “for whatever they may think,” as Baron Thompson justly observed, in passing sentence of death at Lancaster, “though they may suppose themselves to be beyond the reach of the law, justice may overtake them; and though they may not have intended to go the lengths they in general do, yet who can say, thus far will I go, and no further?”—Richard Lowndes, William Greenhough, and John Heywood, found guilty, and who were left execution had been reprieved.

2 weeks later, the Leeds Mercury printed this account, which is apparently originally from the Chester Chronicle:

The history of public executions can scarcely produce an instance where men have met death with more apparent firmness, not to say insensibility, than Thompson and Temple, at Chester, on Monday the 15th ultimo. They walked from the Castle to the cart at Glover-stone with a firm and fearless step: In their way thro’ the city, they survey’d the immense crowd with a smiling countenance, and an eye of seeming curiosity. On their arrival in the city gaol, before mounting the platform, they conversed freely together, and Thompson sucked two oranges. It was agreed between them that Thompson should let fall a handkerchief as a signal for the fatal drop to go; but he observed to Temple, “when you feel ready, put your foot upon mine.” This the latter did the moment they were tied up;—Thompson then threw the handkerchief from him in a manner that would indicate that he meant it as a challenge! They instantly dropt—Temple scarcely stirr’d a limb; but Thompson was convulsed for about three minutes, owing to the noose slipping to the back of his neck. Temple, who was a Roman Catholic, died with a key upon one of his fingers. Neither of the above unfortunate men uttered a word at the fatal drop—they both seemed impatient to quit this sublunary scene of care and sorrow. Thompson, it is said, had left some important discoveries in the hands of Mr. Hudson. A crowd of ideas force themselves upon us from the above awful circumstance. When men meet a violent death with such indifference, does it not strongly prove, what we have frequently advanced, and which has been long our confirmed opinion, the inefficacy of taking human life. Surely some other punishment, more dreadful than death to the idle and the vicious, may be resorted to; and a thousand times more salutary in point of example to society. In this we are supported by no less a character than the great and good Sir Samuel Romilly, and others of the wisest Lawyers that ever adorned the Bar of the Bench.

15th June 1812: The final declaration of the condemned man, Joseph Thompson

The prisoner Joseph Thompson was condemned to die, along with John Temples, around noon on Monday the 15th June 1812. In his final hours, the Chaplain of Chester Castle, the Reverend William Fish, took a declaration from Thompson about the supposed extent of the the plans of the underground. It is hard to view it in a way which does not take into account Thompson's knowledge of what was awaiting him, and must represent his clutching at straws.

A copy of a letter written by Fish, presumably to the Home Office, appears in the Home Office papers. Fish seemed to use only extracts of a statement and took 7 full days to write it:

Dear Sir,

What Thompson said to me an answer to some questions I put to him was as follows,

“That there existed a Rebellion in the Kingdom, widely extended, & well organized, that regular Communications were kept up between the parties concerned, all over the Kingdom, including Scotland.”—

“That their object doubtless was to subvert the Constitution, and that he believed it was their wish to have things in the same situation in which they were in Oliver Cromwell's time.”

“That there were vast depôts of arms in various parts of the Kingdom, and he regretted much that he had it not in his power to point out the particular places in which they might be found”

“That he considered it as a certainty that a rising would take place, and he made no doubt that had he not been providentially arrested in his career, he should have been cut off without having a moment to repent.”

These are the principal circumstances of which he informed me, and in relating these to you I have very nearly made use of his own words.

Yours [etc]

Wm Fish.

Monday morning

June 22d: 1812

19th May 1812: More prisoners committed to Chester Castle

On 19th May 1812, the Chester Courant reported on a number of prisoners who had arrived at Chester Castle to face trial at the forthcoming Special Commission, which would commence in 4 days time:

On referring to our paper of the 28th ult, our reader will find a list of thirty-two prisoners, since which the following have been received at the Castle:—Abraham Broadbent and James Crossland, for riotously assembly and destroying the machinery of R. Thorniley, a manufacturer, and threatening his life; John Ellis, for destroying seven shere frames, belonging to Thomas Rhodes; and William Greenhough, for entering the shop of Elice Berry, at Tintwistle, and carrying away a quantity of flour.—John Garner, taking an unlawful oath; and James Renshaw, for obtaining divers sums of money, from different individuals, at Etchells; and Joseph Thompson, for stealing a silver soup ladle, a quantity of spoons and other articles, the property of John Goodair, at Edgeley, and for having afterwards set fire to the house and furniture. Nancy Hurst and Edward Redfern, for carrying away large quantities of meal and flour, from the warehouse and granary of the proprietors of the Huddersfield canal, situate at Staley. John Temples, for having, in company with others, entered the dwelling-house of Samuel Wagstaff, at Bollington, and stealing therefrom five silver tea-spoons and a great variety of wearing apparel; and John Heywood, for destroying machinery belonging to Messrs. Sidebothams, at Tintwistle.

28th April 1812: Prisoners held at Chester Castle

On Tuesday 28th April 1812, the Chester Courant provided a list of the prisoners arrested after the recent disturbances in the County of Cheshire and now held at Chester Castle.

For rioting at Macclesfield:

John Jackson
Thomas Livesley
William Stubbs

For rioting at Etchells and neighbourhood, and unlawfully obtaining seven shillings from John Parker, Esq:

James Bennett
Collin Lindon
Foster Roach
William Thompson
James Tomlinson
James Wilson
Richard Wood

For rioting at Styall, and obtaining money from several individuals:

John Henshall
Richard Lowndes
James Torkington

For rioting and setting fire to Mr. Goodier's house, at Edgeley:

Charles Hulme
John Nield

For rioting at Baguley, and unlawfully obtaining divers sums of money from different individuals:

Thomas Chadwick
James Chapman
John Graham
John Hamlet
William Hancock
Peter Leigh
William Woodhall

For rioting at Bredbury, and feloniously entering the mill of Joseph Clay, and taking away, and throwing abroad, a quantity of flour:

Thomas Brent, alias Etchells
Thomas Burgess
Samuel Lees

For administering, at Etchells, an unlawful oath or engagement to divers of His Majesty's subjects:

Thomas Whittaker

For having taken an unlawful oath, at Etchells:

William Bennett
John Bradshaw
John Garner

For having taken, and been privy to others taking unlawful oaths:

John Parnell

For rioting, and having stolen and destroyed flour, at Bredbury:

James Radcliffe

For rioting, and seizing flour and other articles, at Gee Cross, and being particularly active in making seizures:

William Walker

The Courant remarked that Walker, who was a collier from Werneth, was considered to be an active leader. He was said to have 'marched before the deluded mob in a large cocked hat; and was distinguished by the apellation General Lud.' The also scoffed at the idea that poverty could have compelled him to join in as, when he was received at the Castle on 26th April he had six guineas in his pockets.