Hertfordshire 1735 - 1799
369 death sentences led to 111 confirmed executions, plus 4 possible ones
From 1741 executions took place at Gallows Hill on the Ware Road leading out of Hertford
Assize date Name Crime Execution date
1735 - 1 execution
M  3 March Joseph Charlton         Stole in dwelling house M 17 March
1736 - 2 executions
M  8 March William Morgan  Murder of Daniel Hall M  22 March
" Michael Barber    Aiding above murder M  22 March
1737 - 2 executions
M 18 July John Wells              Highway robbery Unknown
" Richard Mortimore       Highway robbery Unknown
1738 - 2 executions
M 27 February George Slater & Horse theft W  15 March
" John Collins        Horse theft W  15 March
1739 - No executions
1740 - 2 executions
M 14 July Robert Underwood  & Housebreaking W 13 August
" Thomas Crook         Housebreaking W 13 August
1741 - 4 confirmed executions, plus two probable as no reprieves traced
Th. 26 February William Sibthorp        Burglary Unknown
" John Clifton         Burglary Unknown
M  6 July Luke Humphries  Highway robbery  Tu. 21 July
" Theophilus Dean  Highway robbery  Tu. 21 July
" James Smith         Highway robbery  Tu. 21 July
Above three hanged at Gallows Hill
" Charles Cox Highway robbery  Tu. 21 July
Cox hanged opposite the gaol, outside Half Moon Inn (the gaoler’s house)
1742 - 1 execution
Th.  4 March Richard Pilgrim         Murder of William & Mary Woodland M 22 March
Hanged in chains in the parish of Knebworth near to the spot where the crime had been committed.
1743 - No confirmed executions, but 1 probable as no reprieves traced
M 18 July James Price             Highway robbery  Unknown
1744 - No executions
1745 - 2 executions
Th. 28 February Joseph Sell             Murder of Margaret Edwards Unknown
M 29 July James Welch             Burglary  M 12 August
1746 & 1747- No executions
1748 - 2 executions
Th. 10 March Thomas Flack            Highway robbery               Th 24 March
" Thomas Bibby            Highway robbery               F   25 March
Bibby hanged in chains at the Gravel Pits, St Albans.
1749 & 1750 - No executions
1751 - 5 executions
Th.  7 March Joseph Watson           Arson M  25 March
" Richard Sloper          Murder of Thomas Batchelor M  25 March
" John Jones              At large M  25 March
" Walter Prior          Highway robbery M  25 March
M 29 July Thomas Colley           Murder of Ruth Osborn                       S  24 August
Hanged at Gubblecut, afterwards in chains there
1752 - 5 executions
W 4 March John Torrow            Highway robbery W  18 March
" Charles Smith           Murder of his son, Thomas W  18 March
" Thomas Hurry & Murder of bastard daughter W  18 March
" Alice Andrew    Murder of bastard daughter W  18 March
M 13 July John Sewell             Highway robbery M  27 July
1753 - 1 execution
M 13 August Job Wells               Rape of his daughter, Maria  M  27 August
1754 - 5 executions
W  6 March Alice Whitman           Murder of her female bastard M  11 March 
" Thomas Burgess  Highway robbery ??/March
" Daniel Keeble    Highway robbery ??/March
M  5 August Samuel Belcher          Highway robbery ??/August
" William Hulks           Highway robbery ??/August
1755 - 4 executions, plus 1 possible where no reprieve traced
Th. 6 March Isaac Shuffle       Murder  M  10 March
" Thomas Wood    Murder  M  10 March
" Thomas Hanscombe    Burglary Unknown
" Robert Freeman     Highway robbery M  17 March
" Henry Freeman      Highway robbery M  17 March
1756 - No executions
1757 - 2 executions
M  11 April John Gatward            Highway robbery     W  27 April
Hanged at Colliers End, afterwards in chains there
M 25 July William Staines         Murder Th. 28 July
1758 - No executions
1759 - 3 executions
W  7 March Thomas Day              Highway robbery Unknown
" Christopher Harris      At large Unknown
" John Pain             Highway robbery Unknown
1760 - 2 executions
W  5 March John Cardinal  Assault in dwelling house M  17 March
" Jacob Morton         Assault in dwelling house M  17 March
1761 - 1 execution
W  4 March Daniel Ginger           Murder W 11 March
1762 - No executions
1763 - 4 executions
W  2 March William Harrow   Burglary M  14 March
" Thomas Jones      Burglary M  14 March
" William Basford Burglary M  14 March
" John Wright   Highway robbery  M  14 March
1764 - 1767 - No executions
1768 - 3 executions
Th.  3 March John Scrivener    Highway robbery F  18 March
" Henry Partridge  Highway robbery F  18 March
M 18 July William Bale      Burglary Unknown
1769 - 1771 - No executions
1772 - 6 executions
Tu. 10 March Joshua Parker           Burglary  M  30 March
" John PeArson        Burglary  M  30 March
" Thomas Preston    Burglary  M  30 March
" Joshua Messenger        Highway robbery  M  30 March
" Marcus Hartogh          Burglary  W  22 April
" Robert Wright       Highway robbery  W  22 April
1773 - 3 executions
Tu.  9 March William Passell         Murder              S 13 March
M  26 July William Staines     Highway robbery F  13 August
John Staines          Highway robbery F  13 August
1774 - 6 executions
Tu. 1 March John Ferris             Highway robbery W  16 March
" John Pratt              Highway robbery W  16 March
" Joseph Seal             Highway robbery W  16 March
" William Sharpe          Highway robbery W  16 March
" Richard Darby           Highway robbery W  16 March
" John Hopkinson          Highway robbery W  16 March
1775 - 2 executions
W  8 March John Buckley sr  &  Highway robbery  F  14 April
" John Buckley jr     Highway robbery  F  14 April
1776 - 1778 - No executions
1779 - 2 executions
M  1 March William Davidson  Highway robbery Unknown
" James Corner        Highway robbery Unknown
1780 - 4 executions
M 6 March William Childs    Highway robbery F  24 March
Thomas Chetwynd Highway robbery F  24 March
M 31 July Henry Thomas            Highway robbery  Unknown
Luke Morgrave        Highway robbery  Th.  17 August
1781 - No executions
1782 - 1 execution
M  4 March Francis Day             Highway robbery Th. 21 March
1783 - 4 executions
M  3 March Joseph Clibbon          Highway robbery F   7 March 
" Thomas Halling   Burglary F   7 March 
" John Holden         Burglary F   7 March 
" Richard Maze            Burglary Th. 20 March 
1784 - 4 executions
W  3 March William George          Highway robbery               Unknown
" Thomas Taylor     Highway robbery               Unknown
" Thomas Rust        Highway robbery               W 17 March
" John Smith           Burglary Unknown
1785 - 7 executions
W  2 March Robert Fowler      Highway robbery               Unknown
" Henry Marsh        Highway robbery               Unknown
" James Day       Horse theft Unknown
" Robert Usher   Horse theft Unknown
M  4 July Thomas Rogers          Burglary                     F 22 July
" Patrick Welch & H/T counterfeiting F 22 July
" John Welch H/T counterfeiting F 22 July
1786 - 5 executions
Th.  2 March Francis Gilbar      Burglary Th. 16 March
" Joseph Moore  Burglary Th. 16 March
" Mary Melley       Burglary Th. 16 March
" Joseph Harrow     Burglary Th. 16 March
" Jonathan Hickman      Burglary Th. 16 March
1787 - 4 executions
Th.  8 March Richard Baker           Burglary F  23 March
" Thomas Smith (Cockle) Sheep theft F  13 April
Th. 19 July Thomas Smith   Highway robbery F   3 August
" John Kennedy       Highway robbery F   3 August
1788 & 1789 - No executions
1790 - 1 execution
M 12 July Edward Venables         Horse theft Unknown
1791 - 4 executions
Th.  3 March William Pateman  Burglary Th. 17 March
" Edmund Pateman  Burglary Th. 17 March
" John King            Burglary Th. 17 March
Th. 28 July John Wade               Murder M   1 August 
1792 & 1793 - No executions
1794 - 1 execution
M  4 August James Hawkins           Highway robbery               Unknown
1795 - 1 execution
M  9 March William Salmon          Sheep theft                       Unknown
1796 - 1 execution
M  7 March Richard Watts           Horse theft                        Unknown
1797 - 1 execution
M 24 July John Baker              Burglary  F  11 August
1798 - No executions
1799 - 1 execution
M  4 March Alexander Hobbs         Highway robbery W  20 March