1812—March 20—William Scale was executed in the field of the New Gaol for committing a rape at Norton, near Worcester. He is described as “penitent, resigned, and met his fate with the fortitude becoming his deplorable situation.”
1815—July 21—William White was executed on a gallows erected “in the outer circle of the County Gaol,” for a rape on Ann Davis of Beoley. He is declared to have died, “as since his condemnation he had lived, full of contrition and piety.”
1816—March 22—William Clements and John Batty executed at the County Prison for breaking into the dwelling house of Mr. Martin of Paxford, and stealing a large sum of money; and John Rowen for forging and uttering a bill of exchange for £315 on Messrs. Cox, Merle, and Co., bankers, London, with intent to defraud Messrs. Attwood and Co., bankers, Worcester.
1818—July 31—William Corfield sentenced to death for a burglary at the house of George Jukes of Tenbury, was executed at the new drop erected over the entrance to the County Gaol. He had conducted himself after his trial in a very refractory manner, and could not be brought to acknowledge the justice of his sentence. Shortly before his execution he wrote an exceedingly sensible and properly worded letter to his wife.
1819—March 19—John Harris convicted of uttering forged Bank of England notes at Bromsgrove, hung in front of the County Gaol. He died “sincerely penitent.”
1820—March 17—Robert Hollick, convicted of robbing Thomas Gittins and Thomas Hawker on the highway at Claines, and cruelly ill-treating the latter, was this day executed. As he was being led out of his cell, his mother, sister, wife, and child, came to see him, not having visited him previously. The execution was delayed awhile to grant them an interview—which, as may be supposed, was a most distressing one. It did not, however, unnerve the culprit, who died with great firmness, though fully admitting the justice of his sentence.
1821—March 23—Thomas Dyer, capitally convicted of horse stealing, was executed at the County Gaol, but died protesting his entire innocence of the crime laid to his charge. He left a paper behind him, stating the names of the parties from whom he bought the horses, and the sums of money he had given for them; but it does not appear that anybody thought it worth while to make further inquiries about the matter.
1821—August 24—William Mantle and William Bird were executed at the County Gaol; the former convicted of stealing sheep, the property of Mr. Henry Hyde of Little Kyre; and the latter of breaking into the house of Mr. John Bird of Bromsgrove, and stealing wearing apparel, &c. The ropes were nearly extended to their full length when tied round the unhappy culprits’ necks, so that scarcely any fall took place, and they died in great agony, especially Bird. Their remains were interred in St. Andrew’s churchyard.
1823—March 24—James Davis and Joseph Rutter, two young men convicted at the Lent Assizes—the former of horse stealing and the latter of sheep stealing—were executed at the County Gaol. Davis was a deserter from the army, and appeared to have stolen from sheer want. Rutter’s had been a long course of crime. Davis began to address the crowd when brought upon the scaffolding, warning them to avoid Sabbath breaking and vicious practices; when Rutter said, impatiently, “Come, let’s have no more of that;” and they were immediately hurried into eternity. He literally preferred hanging to a homily.
1826—July 21—John Hobday, a young man only twenty-one years of age, having been convicted at the Midsummer Assizes of a burglary at the Bell Inn, Kidderminster, and a savage assault upon the officers who apprehended him at Birmingham, was executed at the County Gaol this day. He was reported to be very penitent, and prepared for death.