Introduction

Durham – Land of the Prince Bishops – holds a unique place in the annals of history relating to counties within England. From the middle ages the county was in the hands of the Bishops of Durham. They ruled over both the religious and state affairs within their borders. The diocese was very wealthy, owning valuable land and mineral rights. The mid-nineteenth century saw the dismantling of the Palatinate and many of the county’s assets were distributed throughout the Church of England and the diocese split.

In 1974 drastic boundary changes were implemented on County Durham. Sunderland, Gateshead and towns on the south bank of the Tyne became part of the new county of Tyne and Wear and the county of Cleveland was formed. The events in this book took place in some of the towns and villages that were part of Durham before the boundary changes.

It is probable that the Romans excavated for coal in Durham. The earliest record of coal mining here was recorded in the eleventh century in the Boldon Book when a miner supplied coal from Escomb to Coundon. By the early nineteenth century coal mines had sprung up all over Durham and families from the southern parts of England and from Ireland had arrived in their thousands seeking work. Records show there were 154,000 employed in the collieries within the area. Small existing villages and towns expanded to become host to the mineworkers and their families and new villages and towns were born. Many of these families had lived in abject poverty prior to the coal-mining boom. Now they found themselves with a little money, but sadly, instead of providing a better way of life for themselves, some of them spent their wages on alcohol. Along with the drink came domestic violence, cruelty and drunken brawls, often resulting in death. Women and children were not held in high esteem. Often the partner or spouse, sometimes because of suspected infidelity, whether real or imagined, became the victim of drunken rage. Throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there were ninety-three recorded hangings in Durham. A large proportion of these were for the murder of a partner. Many of the murders related in these chapters resulted in the ultimate penalty of hanging.

Prior to the mid-nineteenth century, executions were carried out for almost any offence, including rape, the stealing of livestock or robbery. As a warning to others the body of a murderer would sometimes be hung in chains and left on display at or near to where the crime took place. Some of the executions were carried out with almost as much cruelty as the criminal had inflicted on the victim.

Although still far from perfect, the justice system has changed radically over the centuries. Once controlled largely by ignorance and superstition, the execution of a ‘witch’ could be carried out with the finger of guilt pointed at someone because of the failure of crops, livestock becoming ill or even hens not laying. Conviction for a crime often relied on the statements of witnesses as to the suspect’s movements prior to and after the deed was committed. Gradually, forensic evidence has become more of an exact science helping to protect the innocent and convict the guilty.

Readers are left to make up their own minds as to whether justice was properly served in the sentences passed down in these events. Or, indeed, whether the person charged was really the guilty party.

Finding out how our ancestors lived and the genealogy of our families has become increasingly popular in recent years. Perhaps you have traced your family line to a certain point and been able to go no further? Well, it could be possible that the trail may have ended because your ancestor was a victim, or even perhaps the perpetrator of a crime who was hanged, imprisoned or transported by way of punishment.

Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths In & Around Durham, published by Wharncliffe Books, is part of an ever-growing series relating to different towns and areas of England. The series looks into the darker side of our history and heritage.

These are some of the lesser-known events that have been all but forgotten through time and now unearthed through research of historical manuscripts, and newspapers. They have come together to show not only ‘the evil that men do’ but also the seedier side of life in the small cramped houses, public bars and streets in the towns and villages of County Durham.

My sincere gratitude to Wharncliffe Books for giving me the opportunity to write a second book for the Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths series and to the Series Editor, Brian Elliott, for his invaluable suggestions and assistance. Also my thanks to all the staff of the Hartlepool Reference Library and to my partner, Jim, who has always, in every project I have undertaken, encouraged me from beginning to end.

I would also like to acknowledge the following for their assistance with illustrations: The Arts and History Picture Library, Bowes Museum, Durham Mining Museum, Durham Federation of Women’s Institutes, Countryside Books, Brian Elliott, Howard Clough and John ‘Harry’ Harrison.