James and John : a true story of prejudice and murder
Bryant, Christopher, 1962-2024
Books, Manuscripts
They had nothing to expect from the mercy of the crown; their doom was sealed; no plea could be urged in extenuation of their crime, and they well knew that for them there was no hope in this world. When Charles Dickens wrote these tragic lines he was penning fact, not fiction. He had visited the condemned cells at the infamous prison at Newgate, where seventeen men who had been sentenced to death were awaiting news of their pleas for mercy. Two men were particularly striking: James Pratt and John Smith, who had been convicted of homosexuality. In this masterful work of history, Chris Bryant delves deep into the public archives, scouring poor law records, workhouse registers, prisoner calendars and private correspondence, meticulously recreates the lives of two men whose names are known to history - but whose story has been lost, until now.
Main title:
James and John : a true story of prejudice and murder / Chris Bryant.
Author:
Bryant, Christopher, 1962-, author
Imprint:
London : Bloomsbury Publishing, 2024.
Collation:
xi, 317 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cm
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN:
9781526644978 (hbk)
Dewey class:
364.660922941.075941.075092941.075092 BRYB PRA364.66
Language:
English
Subject:
Pratt, James, 1805-1835Smith, John, 1795-1835Gay men -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th centuryHomosexuality -- Law and legislation -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th centuryHanging -- Great Britain -- History -- 19th centuryGreat Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837Great Britain -- Moral conditions -- History -- 19th century
BRN:
3724543