ARC TBC George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'-

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ARC TBC George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'-

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:50 pm

A bit surprised he isn't on BCC.

All of the accounts of him say he was born 1805, Oakham, Rowley Regis. He spent several terms in jail for various minor crimes (including abandoning his wife and family. It was while he was in Stafford jail that his career as a hangman began - he volunteered when William Calcraft found himself without an assistant to perform a hanging. Most accounts also mention that he had a son George, who assisted him at some of his hangings.

George Smith was famous as the man who hanged 'Palmer the Poisoner'. There have been a number of articles in the 'Black Country Bugle' about George Smith (and also William Palmer).

I think these are the baptisms of George Smith and two brothers:
Samuel SMITH chr 28 Dec 1794 Rowley Regis - parents: Thomas SMITH & Francis.
Charles SMITH chr 9 Apr 1797 Rowley Regis - parents: Thomas SMITH & Francis
George SMITH chr 27 Apr 1806 Rowley Regis - parents Thomas SMITH and Frances
Last edited by sp1 on Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 2:56 pm

There are the following census entries:

1841: Oakham, Rowley Regis - 2 consecutive households :
HO107 / Piece 997 / Book: 1 /Folio: 31 / Page: 6
//
Samuel SMITH 46, Ag Lab - b Staffs
Mary SMITH 46 - b Staffs
John SMITH 19, Ag Lab - b Staffs
//

Frances SMITH 73 - Not born Staffs
/
George SMITH 30, AG Lab . b Staffs
Joseph WITHERENCE 25, Ag Lab , b Staffs
William WOODALL 25, AG Lab, b Staffs
Richard HARRIS 24, AG Lab, not born Staffs
//

1851: Oakham, Rowley Regis has the following 2 consecutive households:
Head: Samuel SMITH 56, Labourer
Wife: Mary SMITH 55,

Head: George SMITH 46, Widower, Labourer
Servant: Mary MASON 78, Widow, Housekeeper
Inmate: John MATTHEWS 60, unm, Labourer
Inmate: Richard LEWIS 63, unm, Labourer
Inmate: Richard HARRIS 39, unm, Labourer
Inmate: William HEWIT 40, unm, Labourer
[All born Rowley]

1861 : Oakham, Rowley Regis - sole occupant of his household:
RG9 / Piece: 2037 / Folio: 61 / Page: 1
Head: George SMITH 54, unm, AG Lab, b Walsall Staffs

And enumerated immediately before him
Head: Samuel Smith 66, Ag Lab b Oakham
Wife: Mary 65 , b Oakham

1871: Oakham, Rowley Regis - sole occupant of his household:
Head: George SMITH 70, unm, Public Hangman Executioner, b Walsall Staffs
RG10 / Piece: 2992 / Folio: 65 / Page: 4

No sign of Samuel & Mary in 1871.
Neighbours in all these Census are the same throughout.
It does seem to suggest Frances was his mother and Samuel his brother....

I don't understand why he gives his birthplace as Walsall in the last two when he was born and lived all his life in Oakham? (Unless these have been mistranscribed).

Note the presence of Richard Harris in various households through all of these census - I think he is on BCC already....................
Last edited by sp1 on Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:03 pm

George Smith died 1874 (Registered Dudley) - I seem to recall reading that he hanged himself?

I cant find a marriage for him (some accounts suggest he married in Dudley in 1827 or 1829?), nor can I find a likely son named George.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:07 pm

I think this is George Smith's father:
Burial - 30 Dec 1838 Thomas Smith, Oakham, 68, Pleurisy. (info Rowley disc).

And this is his mother:
21 Dec 1845 - Frances Smith, Oakham, 76, Burnt.

Someone posted the info from Frances Smiths death cert on another forum years ago:
19 Dec 1845 at Oakham Rowley Regis, Francis Smith, Widow, 77 years, Accidentally burnt, 30hrs
Last edited by sp1 on Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:15 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:13 pm

Richard Harris:

1861
Portway, Rowley
John Smith 35 - Stoneminer
Elizabeth Smith 38 - b Birmingham
Mary A Smith 14
Alfred Smith 11 - b Dudley
Warrick Smith 10 (Harriet)
James Smith 5
Emelia Smith 1
Richard Harris 44 - Boarder - Stoneminer - b Dudley
others b Rowley

1871
Portway, Rowley
John Smith 49 - Labourer in stone quarry
Elizabeth Smith 46 - b Birmingham
James Smith 15 - Labourer in stone quarry
Hanny Smith 9 (Fanny on image)
Joseph Smith 7
Richard Harris 53 - Boarder - Labourer in stone quarry - b Halesowen
other b Rowley

I'll come back to Richard Harris, but I think the James Smith aged 5, then 15 in the above census married 25 Dec 1878, St Thomas, Dudley, his father, John, Smith, to Phoebe Parkes, aged 21, father Henry Parkes.
I think the John Smith (with wife Elizabeth) was bapt 2 Dec 1821 Rowley Regis, son of Samuel Smith & Mary (ie Samuel being the hangmans brother) - note he is on the 1841 census above with Samuel & Mary.
A submitted entry on the IGI gives the residence in this 1821 entry as Oakham......

Edit to add info about Phoebe Parkes:
She was born Oldbury (later census with husband James Smith, including 1911, at Oakham). I think her bapt is:
5 May 1856, Oldbury, dau of Henry & Elizabeth Parkes (this family not on BCC).
Henry Parkes was born about 1815, Oldbury. In 1871 he is living in Rowley Regis (Widower), with daughters Levina, aged 21, and Phoebe, aged 14, all born Oldbury.
Last edited by sp1 on Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:46 pm

More on Richard Harris:
his age varies on the census, giving a birthdate between 1812 - 1818, and place of birth either Rowley Regis, Dudley or Halesowen (and I thought sorting out Smiths was hard enough!).

The most likely looking candidate is this one on BCC:
https://bcconnections.tribalpages.com/t ... ver=411460

Incidentally, the marriage for this Richards parents, is, I think, 21 Feb 1813, Cradley, Worcestershire, Samuel Harris & Mary Parker.

Can anyone see another Richard Harris who fits, and his connection to the Smiths? - it seems too much of a coincidence to be living with various members of the Smith family through all those years..................
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 3:55 pm

The only likely marriage for the hangmans parents that I can see (remember the 1841 census says that Frances not born Staffordshire):
3 Nov 1791, Aston Juxta Birmingham, Thomas Smith & Frances Hanson

Edit to add: there are two different Frances Hansons bapt in Birmingham in 1768 - don't know which one relates to the above marriage, but the year fits with the burial entry and cert at Rowley Regis for Frances.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 4:04 pm

Thomas Smith:
Surprisingly, there is only one bapt at Rowley Regis for a Thomas Smith (and the date fits with the age on the burial)
24 June 1770, Thomas, son of Charles & Mary Smith.

Note that Thomas named one of his sons Charles....

There is a marriage at Clent: 13 May 1770, Charles Smith & Mary Smart
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:08 pm

sp1 wrote:Richard Harris:

1861
Portway, Rowley
John Smith 35 - Stoneminer
Elizabeth Smith 38 - b Birmingham
Mary A Smith 14
Alfred Smith 11 - b Dudley
Warrick Smith 10 (Harriet)
James Smith 5
Emelia Smith 1
Richard Harris 44 - Boarder - Stoneminer - b Dudley
others b Rowley

1871
Portway, Rowley
John Smith 49 - Labourer in stone quarry
Elizabeth Smith 46 - b Birmingham
James Smith 15 - Labourer in stone quarry
Hanny Smith 9 (Fanny on image)
Joseph Smith 7
Richard Harris 53 - Boarder - Labourer in stone quarry - b Halesowen
other b Rowley

I'll come back to Richard Harris, but I think the James Smith aged 5, then 15 in the above census married 25 Dec 1878, St Thomas, Dudley, his father, John, Smith, to Phoebe Parkes, aged 21, father Henry Parkes.
I think the John Smith (with wife Elizabeth) was bapt 2 Dec 1821 Rowley Regis, son of Samuel Smith & Mary (ie Samuel being the hangmans brother) - note he is on the 1841 census above with Samuel & Mary.
A submitted entry on the IGI gives the residence in this 1821 entry as Oakham......

Edit to add info about Phoebe Parkes:
She was born Oldbury (later census with husband James Smith, including 1911, at Oakham). I think her bapt is:
5 May 1856, Oldbury, dau of Henry & Elizabeth Parkes (this family not on BCC).
Henry Parkes was born about 1815, Oldbury. In 1871 he is living in Rowley Regis (Widower), with daughters Levina, aged 21, and Phoebe, aged 14, all born Oldbury.


I think John Smiths wife was Elizabeth SMALLWOOD, m 1845, St Martin, Tipton (WestMidsBmd):
confirmed by the following birth registrations:
Alfred Smith, 1849, Dec Q, Dudley, Mother Smallwood
Fanny Smith, 1862, March Q, Dudley, Mother Smallwood
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby Rob » Sat Aug 12, 2017 12:42 pm

There is or probably was a pub up Oakham called The Hangmans tree.Built on the site of the tree where George Smith hanged himself.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:41 pm

Rob wrote:There is or probably was a pub up Oakham called The Hangmans tree.Built on the site of the tree where George Smith hanged himself.

I believe it was built in the 1930s and named after him. It was demolished 10-20 years ago. Used to pass it quite often - but never went in.
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby jac » Fri Aug 18, 2017 10:08 am

Re.Assistant George...think this could have been George Incher (Hincher) born at Dudley

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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby jac » Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:53 am

I think the following newspaper report confirms that George Smith was the son of Frances

Birmingham Journal St 27th Dec 1845
Shocking Death of an Aged Woman by Burns.

Yesterday week, an inquest was held at the Wheatsheaf Inn,Lye Cross, on the body of a woman 77 yrs of age named Frances Smith, who lost her life in a most frightful manner.It appears by the evidence given by the
son of the dec.( a man who has aquired some notoriety by his peculiar calling at our assize towns) that he lived with his mother, and that about 10 o'clock on the Wednesday night previousley, he went upstairs to bed,
leaving his mother in the kitchen, and about half an hour later,he heard violent shrieks for help.He instantly ran downstairs, and found his mother standing in the middle of the floor completely enveloped in flames,
which rose high above her head. By some means the fire was extinguished, but the poor creature was so dreadfully burnt, that she expired the following morning.

The account that she gave of the catastrophe was, that while engaged in raking the fire, her clothes ignited and caused the dreadful accident described.
A verdict of "Accidental Death" was returned.

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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'

Postby sp1 » Sat Aug 19, 2017 10:17 am

Great find - that's very interesting
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Re: George Smith - 'The Dudley Hangman'-Needs adding Bcc

Postby Rob » Sat Sep 23, 2017 8:21 am

I've started adding George Smith's details to BCC.
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