The Bermondsey Horror of 1849 — Maria and Frederick Manning
The story behind the public execution Charles Dickens attended.
“I was a witness of the execution at Horsemonger Lane this morning.I believe that the a sight so inconceivably awful as the wickedness and levity of the crowd collected at that execution this morning.When the two miserable creatures who attracted all this ghastly sight about them were turned quivering into the air there was no more emotion, no more pity, no more thought that two immortal souls had gone to judgement, than if the name of Christ had never been heard in this world.” — Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens became an advocate against public executions after the executions of Maria and Frederick Manning. It was an important step towards the ultimate elimination of public execution and, eventually, the end of capital punishment in Great Britain.
Public execution has been around for a majority of human civilization, and in some countries, it’s still around.
For Victorian London, it was weekend entertainment. Executions generally took place at least three weeks after sentencing. And it was always announced so spectators would have a chance to make plans.
Public executions were supposed to be a deterrent against crime, but they were…
