Holland & Hayward Families
Skeletons in the Old Family Closet!!
Ida Allen, nee Holland, told her son Warwick that she was related to the last man hung for forgery in England. She apparently added that this man was lucky to be able to write at all in those days, let alone to be able to forge something.
There is, it appears, no way to know 'how' this person was related, but such an odd little story is likely to have some kind of significance. Why would someone create such a story, let alone Ida. Ida is remembered as being someone who was perhaps a little prim and proper, but luckily also with a good sense of humour - although perhaps not enough of a sense of humour to attach the family to someone who was hung without a genuine reason.
An internet search reveals the following:
"1818 - 1861. Number of capital crimes began to be reduced (in Britain). Sheep, cattle and horse stealing removed from the list, followed by sacrilege, letter stealing, returning from transportation, forgery and coining, burglary and theft from a dwelling house and finally rape and attempted murder.31st December 1829. Last hanging for forgery - Thomas Maynard at Newgate Prison, (London). This crime was reclassified as non - capital in 1832."
Source: Timeline of Capital Punishment in Britain
See also: List Of Executions - England 1606 Onward (also source of the quaint 'Newgate.gif' below!!!)
