Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation
Source Vintage

Extremely Rare Antique 19th Century Public Execution Souvenir Bobbin With Associated Documentation

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A Extremely Rare 164 Year Old Public Execution Souvenir.

Public hangings were a community event, with people coming from far and wide to witness the spectacle. Hawkers and travelling pedlars would attend and would sell “hanging souvenirs”, like this bobbin, on the day to spectators.

This particular example is engraved “Joseph Castle Hung 1860”.

Joseph Castle was convicted and executed for the murder of his wife Jane, who was just 21 years old at the time of her death, and it was a rather disturbing case.

This comes with various associated documentation describing events, including electronic copies of newspaper articles of the time and conviction document. The newspaper articles provide Castle’s statement, describing his actions and his wife’s last words, the sentencing, a day to day diary of the week leading up to his execution, as well as various interviews.

This really is a rare survivor and a museum piece.

In the autumn of 1857, Joseph Castle met and subsequently married Jane Whitcroft. Joseph Castle was not a good husband. He beat Jane severely and allowed her no freedom. Joseph drank heavily and this was always followed by terrible scenes between he and Jane.

After one such incident, Jane finally decided to leave him. Jane headed to her mother’s home in Luton, which was a 24 mile walk away. She arrived there at 9 o’clock that evening weary and dispirited. The following morning, that being the 9th of August 1859, Joseph called at Jane’s Mother’s house. Jane was still in bed and a there was a long argument in which Joseph pleaded, wheedled, threatened and pleaded again. Joseph promised Jane that if she returned home with him, he would behave better towards her. Unfortunately, Jane believed him and agreed to go with him.

They left Jane’s mother’s house around 9am taking the nearest road to Ware by foot way. As they walked, castle’s vindictive nature gained control. The savage bullying of Jane attracted the attention of the innkeeper of the windmill as they passed. The innkeeper reported that Jane was crying bitterly and Castle seemed almost demented.

Beyond the farm they took to the footpath that leads to chiltern green via someries lane, and this is where castle pulled out a large knife and charged at Jane. He hacked and slashed mercilessly until Jane lay lifeless at his feet. Callously, castle dragged the body along the footpath and dumped it behind some shrubs in a chalk pit. Tossing the blood stained knife into the bushes after her, he continued on his way.

The discovery of jane’s battered and bloodstained body in a chalk pit near Luton led to the conviction of Castle whose deed caused almost uncontrollable public wrath. Shackled, castle was taken by cart back to Luton. His arrival in the town almost caused a riot. Efforts were made by the crowd to secure and lynch him there and then. Only with great difficulty did the police manage to lodge him safely in the local jail. Even then it seemed doubtful if castle would live to stand trial, for the mob remained outside the jail throughout the night and made several attempts to burn it down, prisoner and all.

Castle was held for 8 months after which he was sentenced to death by hanging. On the last day of March 1860, castle was executed before a large assembly. It’s believed that more than 15,000 people turned out to watch. A huge bonfire was lit and around it people danced and sang until the early morning.

Souvenirs in the form of bobbins used in lace making, suitably inscribed to commemorate the occasion, were in great demand. Several of these, bearing the murderer’s name and the year of his execution, are now in Luton museum.

The story of Jane castle’s death has lingered on through four generations and even today some people avoid the spot of her murder, which is said to be haunted.

 

Condition is good, commensurate with age and use. Structurally sound.

Measures 12.5cm

Weighs 9.91 grams

 

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