Episode 2 of 2
Execution at Horsemonger Lane Gaol
- When
- 21 February 1803
- Where
- Horsemonger Lane Gaol
Despard and six co-defendants were hanged and beheaded at Horsemonger Lane Gaol on 21 February 1803.
The execution took place on the roof of the gatehouse at Horsemonger Lane Gaol. After hanging, Despard's body was decapitated. The executioner, William Brunskill, held the head to the populace, declaring it the head of a traitor. Despard's final words expressed wishes for health, happiness, and freedom for mankind.
Sources
- Edward Despard Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-09
- Horsemonger Lane Gaol Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-20
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.