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« on: Monday 27 February 06 19:54 GMT (UK) »
This was sent to me from my cousin in Oxfordshire.
I am writing a small book called “A Glimpse of Duns Tew through the ages”
On my tortuous journey I have come across this lady called Ann Green and this is an very small unedited extract of my article on this poor girl:
“Anne Green was a 22- year-old woman who had been employed as a housemaid by Sir Thomas Read in The Manor House, Duns Tew, Oxfordshire.
She was probably seduced by his grandson, who turned her down when she became pregnant.
The unlucky girl gave birth to a premature child whom she concealed.
The dead boy was found, however, and Anne Green was accused of the murder of her own child.
She was sentenced to die by hanging and the execution took place on December 14, 1650.
Anne Green climbed the ladder up to the gallows, where the rope was laid around her neck. Then she was pushed off the ladder.
While the body was hanging there people came forward to pinch her breasts, or amuse themselves by hanging on the legs. This was the usual practice, then, so that the person would die faster. The attending court usher now feared that the rope might break, and urged the spectators to leave the body alone.
After about half an hour, the body of Anne Green was presumed dead and placed in a coffin and was taken home to Dr. William Petty, lecturer in anatomy at a university, as ‘corpses were very difficult to get for anatomy dissection during that period.’
When the doctors, one of whom was Dr. Thomas Willis, opened the coffin for dissection, the ‘ corpse’ took a breath. The plan for dissection was immediately replaced by resuscitation.
Treatment included keeping the body in an upright position, pouring hot drinks into the mouth, tickling the neck so as to induce coughing, rubbing the hands and feet and bloodletting.
Anne Green started to make a remarkable recovery and in 12 hours, she was able to vocalize and was sent home in two days. In one month she was fully resituated except for slight retrograde amnesia. She was subsequently set free, given a full pardon and lived for 15 years after her’ famous execution also married and gave birth to 2 children.
Would I be able to find info about this lady? Others names she may be known as:-Anne, Ann, Nan Green 1650 OXFORDSHIRE . Can you help?
Thanks
Jackie
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