Executions: 700 Years of Public Punishment in London

Executions: 700 Years of Public Punishment in London Description

Product Description A fascinating record of how London and Londoners were shaped by nearly 700 years of public executions. More frequent in London than in any other city or town in Britain, these morbid spectacles often attracted tens of thousands of onlookers at locations across the capital and were a major part of Londoners' lives for centuries. From Smithfield to Kennington, Tyburn to Newgate Prison, public executions became embedded in Londonâs landscape and peopleâs lives. Even today, hints of this dark chapter in Londonâs history can still be seen across the city. Featuring the lives and legacies of those who died or who witnessed public executions first hand from 1196 to 1868, this book tells the rarely told and often tragic human stories behind these events. It includes a range of fascinating objects, paintings and documents, many from the Museum of Londonâs collections, such as the vest said to have been worn by King Charles I when he was executed, portraits of âcelebrity criminalsâ, and last letters of the condemned. From the sites of execution to the thriving âgallowsâ economy, the book reveals the role that Londoners played as both spectators and participants in this most public demonstration of state power over the life and death of its citizens. About the Author Thomas Ardill is a curator of paintings, prints and drawings at the Museum of London. Beverley Cook is a curator of social and working history (19th-21st Century) at the Museum of London Meriel Jeater is a curator of archaeology at the Museum of London. Jackie Keily is a freelance museum curator specialising in exhibition curation and the history of London.