2-791-335 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Accident at Nottingham, 1844. A crowd had assembled to witness the public execution of William Saville for the murder of his wife and children. Afterwards there was a stampede down a narrow street: 'The place where the execution took place is in a confined street called High Pavement, between 20 and 30 feet wide, and at the distance of about 100 yards is an avenue, called Gamer's-hill, a very steep descent, with five or six steps at the top. As soon as the drop fell, the crowd rushed violently along High Pavement, and hurled a number of persons down the steps. Eight were taken up dead from suffocation, four have died since. Another account states that in all 30 persons were seriously injured'. From "Illustrated London News", 1844, Vol I.