Skeletons in our Cupboard
SPARKS
No part of these stories may be copied by any means
Copyright J Sparks (c)2001
Home Page. The_Execution. The_Confession. The Memorial Plaque.
A Pardon for John Sparke. The Banker.
We all have skeletons in our family history if we dig deep enough the Sparks family is no exception some are hardened criminals and some like mild mannered George who was led into his life of crime for which he paid the ultimate price for his short association with a much shrewder and older man of crime.
This story is about George Sparks of Clayhidon other stories will follow on these pages of people who are of the name Sparks whom most probably deserved their just deserts some were a great deal more intelligent some are surrounded in mystery of why they did unlike poor George not pay the price I hope you enjoy your tour of our Skeletons cupboard.
A TRUE STORY BY JOHN .E. SPARKS
THE HANGING OF GEORGE
SPARKES
The
death of George Sparkes by Lawful execution by hanging for murder raises a
number of mysteries into the circumstances surrounding the event the most
important why over all the years that have past stories persist that the wrong
man was hung George aged 26 at the time has been described as a very quite
person not at all forceful in manner or nature in fact he was described by all
that knew him as a hard working honest and loyal person highly thought of by
all his neighbours and employer Hitchcock on the other hand was the opposite.
George looked up to Hitchcock who was aged 40 a
married man with children and from the time of their first meeting he
influenced the younger George possibly by telling tales of his wonderings
around the Country and beyond George gave up his job and both he and Hitchcock
took to the road they travelled into Wales for a time then went back to
Clayhidon here they spent the time either drinking in the pub and playing cards
or working at casual. Labour it is no doubt that the older Hitchcock led George
astray.
Though William Blackmore was murdered and George
was there it seems that there was never any condemnation of George by the
Blackmore’s over the one hundred and forty four years since it happened but doubts
of Georges guilt have been expressed and that Hitchcock might have been the
actual killer of William Blackmore.
Stories tell that George when arrested only had
1s 4d on him and that a deal had been made with James Hitchcock because he had
a family to support and he was a lot shrewder than poor George so the story
tells that he turned against George in order that he himself would be acquitted
someone had to pay for the death of William who was of a very powerful and
wealthy family.
George by the probable betrayal of Hitchcock was
made the scapegoat the night of the murder George, James, and William were
playing cards and drinking in the White horse Inn also at the Inn was Edmund
elder brother of George.
That George and Hitchcock did intend to rob
William there was no doubt but the character of George would have prevented him
planning to do William any harm as he had worked for him for many years from a
boy to manhood so it is difficult to think that he would agree to kill or even
injure William.
Plans were made Probably to waylay William after
he had left Edmund Sparkes at Edmunds cottage and overpower him thinking that
in the dark and rainy night they would not be recognised and the robbery would
be thought the deed of the many lawless men that at that time roamed the
Blackdown Hills.
When Georges brother Edmund left the pub with
William George and Hitchcock followed a short time after passing a Blacksmiths
workshop one of them picked up a part of a broken fire tongs probably left for
repair they then left the roadway and making off across the fields and through
a forest in order to get ahead of William knowing that by the time he reached
the site of the attack he would be on his own.
Tracks left by the men in the forest helped with
their conviction as it was very hard and heavy work crossing the fields and
getting through the forest as that was the wrong direction for Hitchcock to go
to get to his home the nails in the soles of the
boots of George were of a particular pattern and
for the men hunting the killer to find the tracks in the forest they had to be
told where to find them by someone who knew the route taken by the two men.
My supposition formed with the help of others
Roy Blackmore one of the persons involved in the discussions was a great
fountain of knowledge and help and an authority on the Blackmores, is that
after leaving the pub Hitchcock who was more prone to violent ways was the one
to arm himself with the broken tongs because of his past it was probably not the
first robbery that he had carried out and it was an easy matter to persuade the
impressionable George that they should rob William.
Once they had got ahead of William, George was
told on sighting poor William to walk towards William thus William would be watching
who was approaching him through the rain and dark at about two in the morning.
The road way had high banks on either side and
it was easy for Hitchcock to hide in the fields behind the banking and when
William had passed he slid down into the roadway behind the figure of William
who was intent on watching the approaching figure of George ahead of him.
Raising the iron Tongs above his head Hitchcock
smashed it down onto the head of poor William again and again even whilst he
lay on the ground he meant to kill him in case they would be recognised by
William did the murder happen as is described we have no way of knowing.
In his Supposed confession and we have a very
good reason to account for this confession in that George was in love with the
daughter of Hitchcock George said that he had struck William three times with
the Tongs but the Story the Blackmores tell. Is that the injuries William
received made him unrecognisable he had been beaten with the tongs many times
about the face and head so there is no doubt that the killer meant to kill from
the very start of the attack.
It is hard to believe that mild mannered George
would do that to someone that he had known and worked for for most of his life
all who knew George Sparkes at the time also expressed these doubts but for a
man like Hitchcock he would probably think nothing of it to prevent being
recognised by the victim.
George told his roommate when he had arrived
home that he would have money off Hitchcock in the morning but when arrested
George had on him 1s 4d when the police constable Moor searched Georges
lodgings he found hidden some gold sovereigns were they planted for the
constable too find.
.
Why did the Lawyers for the defence go out of
their way to dismiss the involvement of Hitchcock in the crime and in his
opening speech the defence lawyer almost convicted George without the need of a
trial.
This opening speech by the defence lawyer is all
in the Broadsheet that was issued after the hanging and so points the finger
that maybe a deal between Hitchcock and the lawyers and the police had been made
Hitchcock although a partner in the crime was acquitted with no punishment at
all whilst George was Hung for the crime of Murder.
The villagers put up a stone monument at the
spot poor William was murdered but over the years this was Destroyed but it has
been replaced by a metal plate about two feet by one foot on it is not only the
details of William Blackmore But also that of his Murderer George Sparkes now
why would the original Villagers do that was it because they like we thought
that George had rough Justice and should be remembered alongside William.
The question of does he belong to our branch of
the family well I would have to say I am not quite sure the fact that he has a
brother Edmund and also one named William who he lodged with at Clayhidon leads
me to say he does.
William Blackmore at the time was a surveyor of
roads and was also along with his family the local Miller and Farmer they also
owned land that they rented out to tenants it was whilst out collecting due
rents that the events described took place.
The murder took place on the Sixth of February
and less than two short months later George Sparkes was Hung at Exeter on the
First of April 1853 it seems obscene that a man can be arrested have benefit of
trial be convicted and put to death in so short a time.
Was there a will to have done with it before to
many people asked questions that might upset the Status Quo and the convenient
dealing that could have gone on behind the real happenings of that night that
is something we shall never probable know.
.
It is possible that the support that George has
had over the years from his neighbours stems from the way he was described
during his trial he was portrayed as a low class person without good character
but the people who knew him tell a different story of what the mans true
character was.
There is the mans Sergeant when he was a soldier
who spoke up in court of his hard working and commitment to duty and there are
the people who knew him and could not believe that George could commit this
crime there is no record of condemnation by the Blackmore’s at that time.
But let a newspaper reporter of the day have his
say on those events and I feel sure that you also will have your doubts and
begin to wonder if the words of George Sparkes Confession were his own.
There is a report in the Exeter Newspaper of the
Public Execution by hanging of George Sparkes Aged 26 For the Murder of William
Blackmore The reporter is very explicit in describing the event.
He describes how the prospect of seeing a man
Hung was treated almost as an entertainment put on for the people he states
that a huge crowd had gathered at the site and that he was surprised that a
great many women were there and many had brought their children to see the
horror of a man struggling for life.
He goes on to say that George Sparks Had been in
the employ of his victim since he was a very young boy until a man called James
Hitchcock came to live near him and they became friends George and Hitchcock
were always drinking and they went to WALES for a time and when they came back
they continued to drink most of the time.
The people who knew George Sparks could not
believe that he had committed the crime he had served in the army and his Sergeant
said that he was a very sober and hard worker and did his duty everyone said
that George had been a kind and hard working neighbour all his life until he
had struck a friendship with Hitchcock.
The reporter describes How George passed his
final days in prayer and of the last visit by his mother and family George’s
father had died some time before.
He goes on to describe watching George standing
on the scaffold while the Hangman made everything ready he describes how he could
see George start to sway back and fore and how his body started to jerk about
and tremble all over.
At the hanging a problem arose the reporter
describes the moments after George had been Hung a few minutes had passed and
he was still struggling at the end of the rope the Hang Man stepped forward and
grasping George by the Legs he hung onto him adding his weight to that of
George to pull on the rope thereby helping the rope do its job and saving
George any more suffering.
James Hitchcock was acquitted but one cannot
help but think that it was the older Hitchcock who had led a hard working and
well liked young man into all the troubles and then to his death.
Some mysterious questions remain George had supposedly thrown away Half a sovereign that would amount to a few weeks wages and there was found in the purse of poor William Blackmore four Five pound notes why did they not take the five pound notes that were in the purse £20 that would have set them up for a couple of years of drinking if they set out to rob him why stop at taking the £5 notes.
A possible answer was that one of the killers had returned to the body of William and replaced the four five pound notes knowing that they would implicate him in the crime of murder when arrested James Hitchcock had none of the stolen money on him and none found in his home did he turn queens evidence placing all the blame on poor George we shall never know the true facts of this case of robbery and murder but we can wonder at some of the aspects of the case that led to the execution of poor George.
The Reporter of the broadsheet of that time wrote of the Execution part of it follows
Which is the first that has taken place since the new Gaol has been built and the drop, which was also new, is the first used for the Lamentable execution lately witnessed.
The concourse of persons which flowed into the City and towards the place of execution nearly all night and early on the morning has been variously estimated but there could not have been less than from ten to twelve thousand and so closely did they confine themselves to see the dreadful spectacle, that it was with difficulty and danger, many women and children, who could not stand the lengthened pressure and fainted could be got out and carried away.
The Judge was Mr Justice Crompton
The counsel for the prosecution were,. Mr Collier and Mr Karslake
For the defence,. Mr. Coleridge, Mr. Ring. And Mr. Bere.
The accused. George Sparkes and James Hitchcock
After having been asked if he had anything to say, the prisoner said "It is of no use now of endeavouring to conceal the truth any longer, I will tell the whole of it.
I killed him with the part of the pair of tongs--- the first time I struck him he fell on his back --- I think I killed him the first blow, but struck him twice afterwards --I hit him backhanded and threw the tongs in the river."
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A PARDON FOR JOHN SPARKE OF PLYMOUTH.
The reason for the killing of John Martin of Plymouth is unknown was it a duel or a cold blooded murder accidental or premeditated whatever the reason John Martin was dead.
His killer John Sparke also of Plymouth tried and convicted of the killing undoubtedly John Sparke was a man of influence did he not belong to the family who were kin to Sir John Hawkins and Sir Alexander Carew friend of Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Frances Drake these were only a few of the powerful friends of the Sparke Family of Plymouth the family of Sparke had served the Queen of Britain in countless and profitable ways did this save John Sparke from the gallows we do not know or maybe he could show very good reason for his killing of poor John Martin whatever the reason John Sparke was set free his wealth land and properties restored.
Below is a transcript of the record of Pardon for John Sparke of Plymouth. In original spellings
John Sparke of Plymouth A pardon unto John Sparke of Plymouth in the County of Plymouth in the county of Devon Esquire of manslaughter for and concerning the death and killing of John Martin. Late of Plymouth aforesaid and of all indictments convictions pains penalties and forgitures incurred. By reason thereof and such clauses are inserted as were directed by Warr, under her Majesties Royal Signe Manuall Subscribed by Mr Attorney General Ralph Woodson deputy to Sir George Piers Baronet. (Endorsed). Mr Sparke Pardon doeq for the most Noble John Duke of Newcastle Lord Privy Seal.
Sealed the 25th day July1704
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The Banker
the court
and the impounded cheque.
In Exeter city there was a
firm of Bankers Sparkes Company.
The partners were Thomas Sparkes ,Joseph Tucker and Henry Tucker
The following report is an account of a trial with a mans life at stake in which the Junior Partner took drastic action.
Original spellings
On one occasion during a trial (for) (in) (hyong) (propory) the acting Partner of thy firm it is said Henry being then in the witness box was examined as to the signature of an impounded cheque.
He asked permission to inspect it and to dismay he proceeded to put it in his mouth masticated it and swallowed it the reason alleged for this depating the (auly) (pirtee) is that he was apposed to the penalty of capital punishment in that offence and so took this course to (avelord) of the (haynie) the evidence.
What happened to Henry and the person on trial we do not know presumably without evidence the person was not put to death.
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