Galleries of Justice: Villains

photo: Dave Parry
 

illustration: Raphael Achache

1844 - William Saville
Billy was executed by hanging in 1844 for murdering his wife and children in Colwick Woods. More than 12,000 people attended to watch the bogger hang, which was far too many for High Pavement. As he dropped, the crowd rushed forwards, crushing spectators and killing twelve people - still killing from beyond the grave. Saville is buried under the courtyard in the Galleries. Rumour has it, he still restlessly walks around there at night, just as crazy as ever.

1863 - Mary Ann Parr
Mary from Nottingham smothered her newborn
baby and, after sentencing at the Galleries,
was sent to Bethlem, otherwise known as Bedlam,
in London and then onto Broadmoor, where
she became one of the first inhabitants. In fact,
she liked it so much, she stayed there…
for 37 years.

illustration: Raphael Achache
 

1864 - Richard Thomas Parker
From Fiskerton, Richard killed his poor mother and was condemned to death for offing she who gave him life. He also had a go at his dad, but luckily he survived. Around 10,000 turned up to see him swing. Richard was the last person to be publicly executed in Nottingham.

1966 - Buster Edwards
Buster Edwards, one of the Great Train Robbers, came back to England in 1966 after hiding out with his family abroad for some years. On return, he handed himself in and was sentenced to just fifteen years
in prison - half of what his buddies got two
years previously. Goes to show that skipping
town works sometimes.
 

illustration: Raphael Achache

1977 - Chris Seale
In November of 1977 Chris Seale, Virgin Store manager, was tried for breaching a nineteenth century Indecent Advertisement Act for displaying the Sex Pistols' groundbreaking album, Never Mind the Bollocks. Luckily, the judge didn’t mind and thought it all to be, well, utter bollocks, and acquitted him of all charges. 





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