Trial at Newcastle, Execution at Durham 1950 details?

[LordOfKent]

Hi folks I wonder if anyone who can visit the Newcastle or other nearby library can do a lookup of the newspapers for Newcastle for 1950 please?

I have some info from some folks on the Durham board that states:-

At Northumberland Assizes held at Newcastle on 5th May 1950, George Finlay Brown was convicted of the murder of Mrs. Mary Victoria Longhurst, 23, of King Street, North Shields on March 11th , 1950, He was executed 11th July 1950.

The info that I already had was that there was an execution at Durham of George Brown aged 23 on 11th July 1950 for the murder of Mary Longhurst (girlfriend). I do not have a date when the crime was committed so at a guess April/May 1950, although it could have been earlier than this.

If possible I would like to get more info on this as Mary was mother to one of my cousins. For the record (if this is the one) Mary married an uncle of mine so the reference to the 'girlfriend of George' is not what I expected.


Thanks LordOfKent

[Michael Dixon]

LoK,

Times 27 Jun 1950 (No 51728)
Murder on 11 March 1950. Trial 5 May 1950.


Times 11 Jul 1950( No 51740)
 George Finlay Brown, 23, sentenced 31 May 1950, for execution today.. No reprieve .  " with whom he had lived "

Times 12 Jul 1950 ( 51741)

GFF of Princes St, North Shields, hanged yesterday at Durham gaol, Mrs Mary Victoria Longhurst, King St, North Shields.
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 Birth Registration Dec Qtr 1927 Mary Victoria McVelia ( mothers nee name Todd) within Tynemouth Reg District.

Michael Dixon
Moderator Comment:   Details of recent births etc removed to protect the privacy of people who may still be living.  Please do not put such details on the public posts.

[LordOfKent]

Thanks Michael

PM sent.

LordOfKent

[howard70]

There is an extensive article about this case in MASTER DETECTIVE MARCH 2009, with photos, some quite graphic,

As your cousin was present at murder, it must have been traumatic for her.


Did she survive all right?



Howard Spencer

Email address removed. Please use the personal message service. You will have to make 3 posts to use the service - ev[/blue]

[LordOfKent]

Hi Howard, thanks for the update I'll see if I can get a back issue, although I did get a lot of information from a book called 'Murderous Tyneside' by John J. Edelston I would still like to compare this article.

My cousin survived but those sort of memories never fade.

Thanks

John

[pityackafromblyth]

If further details and information are required re this subject, please see the following book :"Hanged at Durham".  The author is Steve Fielding. It was published by Sutton Publishing- www.suttonpublishing.co.uk
in 2007. It covers executions from 1869-1958 which were carried out at Durham. There are 3 Appendixes. No.1 Public executions at Dryburn.1802-05. No.2 Public executions outside Durham Gaol, 1816-1865; Private executions in Durham Goal, 1869-1958. In all there are 75 'chapters' re the condemned persons, with sketches, photographs, newspaper cuttings, etc.
The 'chapter' re George F. Brown is No.68 in the book. There is a photo of King Street and the flat of the deceased. Also shown is a copy of the type-written court record from the Court of Appeal where the condemned man's appeal was rejected.
The jury at the Assizes 'deliberated for 30 minutes' before returning their verdict. Albert Pierrepoint was the hangman, and according to the book, it was the only execution he performed at Durham.