Over the years the high walls of Liverpool's Walton
Gaol have contained some of the most infamous criminals
from the north of England. Taking over from the fearsome
Kirkdale House of Correction as the main centre of
execution for Liverpool and other parts of Lancashire
and neighbouring counties, a total of sixty-two
murderers paid the ultimate penalty here. The history of
execution at Walton began with the hanging of an Oldham
nurse in 1887, and over the next seventy years many
infamous criminals took the short walk to the gallows
here. They include Blackburn child killer Peter
Griffiths, whose guilt was secured following a massive
fingerprint operation; Liverpool's Sack Murderer George
Ball; George Kelly, since cleared of the Cameo Cinema
murders, as well as scores of forgotten criminals:
soldiers, gangsters, cut-throat killers and many more.
Steve Fielding has fully researched all these cases, and
they are collected here in one volume for the first
time. Infamous executioners also played a part in the
gaol's history. James Berry of Bradford was the first to
officiate here, followed in due course by the Billington
family of Bolton, Rochdale barber John Ellis and three
members of the well-known Pierrepoint family, whose
names appeared on the official Home Office list for over
half a century. In 1964 one of the last two executions
in the county took place at Liverpool. Fully illustrated
with photographs, new cuttings and engravings, ''Hanged
at Liverpool'' is bound to appeal to anyone interested
in the darker side of both Liverpool and the north of
England's history. |
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