User:MIDI/List of executions in Berkshire

Between the Bloody Code of the early 18th century and the last execution in 1913, more than 120 prisoners were hanged in Berkshire. Within the century, more than 200 crimes were punishable by death. Acts of Parliament such as the Judgement of Death Act and the Forgery, Abolition of Punishment of Death Act, passed in the 1820s and 1830s, gradually had an effect on the breadth of capital crimes, and by 1861 just five civilian offences were punishable by death—murder, arson in a naval dockyard, espionage, piracy with violence, and high treason. Reading executed its last prisoner on a non-murder charge—John Carter, who was sentenced to death for arson—in 1833. Just two years previously, William Winterburn was hanged for taking part in the Swing Riots. Reading's last public execution was held in 1862, when John Gould of Clewer was hanged in front of a crowd of 4,000 for slitting his six-year-old daughter's throat. The last execution at Reading took place in 1913, when Eric Sedgewick was hanged for the murder of his girlfriend.

Reading Gaol, formerly known as Berkshire County Gaol and latterly known as HM Prison Reading until is closure in 2013, was the location of prisoner executions in Berkshire from 1877 until 1913. One notable execution at Reading was that of Charles Thomas Wooldridge, who was hanged in July 1896 for the murder of his wife. Wooldridge was jailed at Reading at the same time as Oscar Wilde, and his execution—which also took place during Wilde's incarceration—was the subject of The Ballad of Reading Gaol.

History
Executions prior to the establishment of Reading Gaol include that of Hugh Cook alias Faringdon, Abbot of Reading from 1520 until his death. Cook was indicted for high treason during the Dissolution of the Monasteries and was hanged, drawn and quartered at Reading Abbey in 1539. Early executions in Reading were conducted in public almost exclusively upon Earley Common until 1791, although a few were held in Shinfield, Mortimer and Windsor. When the County Gaol was established beside Reading Abbey and the River Kennet, public executions moved here in 1795. Reading Gaol was rebuilt in 1844, and public executions continued until 1862, after which they were made private. The last execution at Reading was on 4 February 1913. Various crimes were punishable by hanging; aside from murder, convicted criminals in Berkshire were executed for crimes such as various forms of robbery and theft (including that of farm animals), housebreaking, arson, rape, sacrilege, bestiality, rioting, forgery and uttering. After the hanging of John Carter for arson in March 1833, all subsequent executions at Reading were for murder.