Sixty-one years have passed since the last executions at Gloucester Prison, marking the end of capital punishment in Britain. The Grim Reaper’s hand reached out to individuals guilty of an array of crimes - from brutal murders to smaller offenses like theft.
The Murder Act of 1965 effectively abolished the death penalty for murder in England, Scotland, and Wales, bringing an end to a long and dark history of capital punishment. However, executions continued for certain crimes such as piracy and high treason until as late as 1998, highlighting the varied circumstances that led to individuals facing the gallows.
Ralph Smith, Charles Houghton, Herbert Rowse Armstrong, and Herbert Burrows were among those condemned for homicide. Each had their own grim tale, from crimes committed out of jealousy to calculated acts of cold-blooded murder.
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Notably, Ralph Smith was executed for the murder of his former girlfriend, Beatrice Baxter, in a fit of jealousy and rage. In contrast, Herbert Rowse Armstrong, a solicitor, resorted to arsenic poisoning to eliminate his wife and a professional rival.
However, the gallows were not just reserved for murderers - individuals like James Parsons, Joseph Stevens, and Robert Peacock met their fate for crimes such as sheep theft, stealing clothes, and forgery respectively.
Within the 139-year span from 1800 to 1939, a total of 109 individuals faced execution in Gloucestershire, all at the hands of the gallows in Gloucester.
The stories of these executions offer a glimpse into a time when the justice system held a stark and final punishment for a range of crimes. The very walls of Gloucester Prison stood witness to the diverse tapestry of human misconduct that led to individuals meeting their ultimate demise.
This glimpse into the past is a stark reminder of the diverse reasons individuals were sentenced to death, underscoring the complex history of capital punishment in Gloucestershire.