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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Lincolnshire => England => Lincolnshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: mew64 on Tuesday 01 March 11 05:00 GMT (UK)
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Hi, I wondered if anyone is planning a visit to the Lincolnshire Archives please? There's an article from the Lincoln Rutland and Stamford Mercury (dated 9th September 1842, page 3, column 2) about a murder in Quadring at that time. I found the information on the Archives website, it's on microfilm. I remember reading about a murder in Quadring in a library book years ago, and have recently been searching for more information. I think the murder I read about was of the village school mistress by a young lad she had been giving extra lessons to in her home. I would love to find out more about this story if possible. I have many ancestors from Quadring and have a keen interest in the village history.
If anyone is able to have a look for me I would be very grateful.
Many thanks in advance.
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William HOWETT 26 appears to have been the murderer.
There are quite a few bits in the British Library Newspaper Database. If you don't have access to that, PM your e-mail addrss to me and I will send you a few reports. :)
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Hello Geoff,
thank you so much for that, I should be able to get access through my library card, if I have any problems I'll P.M. you, thanks for the offer and for your time.
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Yrs 5 and 6 at Quadring village school covered this subject a couple of years ago as part of their research into Quadring's past. They were fascinated.
NC.
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William Howlett was tried at Spalding Court, found guilty and hanged there. I don't know what happened to his remains.
NC.
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William Howlett was tried at Spalding Court, found guilty and hanged there. I don't know what happened to his remains.
Strange. :-\ The week after the murder, the Coroner committed him to Lincoln Castle for trial at the next assizes. I found nothing at all after that, nor anything in the death index. ???
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Just a question, Did hanged murderers or any one hanged make it into the death index? Or were they completely struck off so to speak?
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Just a question, Did hanged murderers or any one hanged make it into the death index? Or were they completely struck off so to speak?
Yes and no ;)
See my reply here http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,511642.msg3678312.html#msg3678312
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Geoff - a great deal of local knowledge and being able to find the right papers works wonders!!
:)
NC
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The Hull Packet spelt his surname HOWITT in its report of the crime published on 16 Sep 1842. He was described as deaf and dumb; his parents were named as James and Sarah.
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According to the Ipswich Journal of 31 May 1845, William HOWETT (this spelling) was brought up for trial during the March Assizes of 1843 on the charge of the murder at Quadring of Mary SPENCER, and "being deaf and dumb" was remanded during Her Majesty's pleasure. He died in custody from "diseased lungs", and an inquest on his body was held at Lincoln Castle on 8 May 1845. The report refers to him as a "supposed murderer", though it goes on to state that the evidence was so strong that no doubt could be entertained that he was the perpetrator. On that basis it does not look as though he was actually convicted. It may be that despite a strong case against him he could not fairly be tried.
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Death, Jun qtr 1845
William HOWITT
Lincoln 14 295
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Death, Jun qtr 1845
William HOWITT
Lincoln 14 295
Yes, I saw that but thought they would have "done him" long before that time as "justice" seemed to move quickly in those days. :) I only looked at 1842-43.
"being deaf and dumb, and consequently unable to understand the proceedings, was remanded during Her Majesty's pleasure"
If he died at the Castle, I suspect they buried him there. There are a number of small stones with initials on in the circular enclosure here http://tinyurl.com/6ctff9u
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Hi everyone,
I just wanted to say thank you for all of the interest and help with this thread, I'm thrilled to have found out the full story at last.
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I found this today, regarding the murder,....
Extract from Crime and Criminals in Victorian Lincolnshire by Adrian Gray A confusing case where disability was clearly an issue arose over the murder of a village schoolmistress at Quadring, near Spalding, in 1892. Miss Mary Spencer, aged 40, lived in a cottage just off the turnpike road, and pupils came to her for lessons there. One Friday morning the scholars arrived to find the blinds still down. As the door was unlocked, one or two ventured to look inside, and found a dreadful scene. The floors, wall and furniture were spattered with blood and the body of Miss Spencer lay with its head half-severed. News of the brutal murder spread rapidly through the district and the scene was discussed by a Mr Loughland, a land surveyor, with a friend. He was overheard by a labourer called Hewitt, who commented, ‘I wonder what Bill’s been up to. He was out all night and came home covered in blood,’ Hewitt’s son was soon arrested and most of the details of the case had been collected together by the time the inquest was held at the Brown Cow Inn. Bill Hewitt, aged 22, was a ‘very good looking’ and powerful man, who was both deaf and dumb. His family seems to have tried to tell the truth, reporting that he came home late on the night of the murder and acted in a disturbed or frightened manner. He changed his clothes, getting rid of a blue smock, and attempted to wash a white shirt himself rather than letting his mother do it. The shirt was found by a policeman between his mattress and the bed with blood marks on it. Through an interpreter, Hewitt explained that he’d got drunk and had had a nosebleed, which he used as the explanation for bloody marks found on his knife. He claimed to have seen a ‘man with a bundle’ pass Miss Spencer’s house on the Thursday night, and to have been frightened by a mysterious stranger outside his own house. However, the Coroner’s court recorded that Miss Spencer had been murdered and Hewitt was sent to Lincoln gaol. What was unclear was the reason for Miss Spencer’s death. Hewitt died of tuberculosis whilst still in prison, so the extent by which he was hampered through his disabilities was never made clear. It was reported, that he had had dinner at Miss Spencer’s house during the fateful week. The full story, however, must remain a mystery.