Particulars of the Trials and Execution of Russell Brown, John Roberts, Hambry Price, John Brown, John Baker, Who were Executed in Front of the Old Bailey this Morning

Execution broadside printed with an account of the crimes, trial and execution of the prisoners Russell Brown, John Roberts, Hambrey Price, John Brown and John Baker, who were publicly hung outside the Old Bailey on 13th May 1828. Printed by Thomas Birt the broadside includes a generic woodcut engraving of the Newgate gallows and the crowd of spectators. The text notes that Russell Brown (aged 18) was convicted of robbing on the King's highway. John Roberts (aged 22) was convicted of stealing plate and other articles from a dwelling house. Hambrey Price (aged 28) was convicted of forgery and John Baker was convicted of stealing a mare. John Brown was convicted alongside James Barrett and Samuel Robinson for burglary but only Brown (aged 35) was sentenced to execution due to being much older than his two accomplices. The broadside also refers to Charles Smith, alias David Eastwood who pleaded guilty for an indictment for forgery but reprieved from execution. The broadsheet concludes with a moral poem.

Until 1868 public hangings were a popular form of entertainment for the London crowd. Such occasions provided an opportunity for cheap printers and street vendors to 'turn a penny on the street' by selling accounts of the crimes, trial and 'dying speeches' of executed criminals as souvenirs to the baying spectactors. As soon as the trap fell the street vendors began running amongst the crowd selling the broadsides. Execution broadsides were published by a small number of printers many of whom, such as Thomas Birt, James Catnach and James Pitts were based around the Seven Dials area of London. Spelling and grammar was often poor and the details not always accurate. Although usually printed between the end of the trial and the date of the execution (usually a gap of a few weeks) they could often be quickly changed to accomodate last minute information such as reprieves and dying confessions. The printers often used battered woodcuts, and, for the gallows scene used a stock block with a pierced central section to allow the sex and required number of hanging figures to be changed as required. Female criminals were depicted by using a block for a male figure, cut square at the knee to represent a skirt.