Submersion - The Real Story
The UK's Admiralty had legal jurisdiction for all crimes committed at sea. In the early 1700's the admiralty used to search the seas for pirates, as they were disrupting world trade, which was in it’s infancy. Anybody who had committed crimes on the seas, wherever in the world, would be brought back to London and tried by the High Court of the Admiralty. Execution Dock was a place in the River Thames near the shoreline at Wapping, London, were the execution took place.
Those sentenced to death were held usually at Marshalsea Prison. The condemned were marched across London Bridge, then past the Tower of London. The procession was led by the High Court Marshal. He carried a silver oar that represented the authority of the Admiralty. Prisoners were then transported in a cart to Wapping and eventually to Execution Dock.
On the journey to Execution Dock a chaplain would invite the condemned to confess their sins. The condemned prisoners were allowed to drink a little ale at a public house on the way to the gallows. An execution at the dock usually gathered large crowds, with people jostling for space to watch.
For those convicted of piracy hanging was done with a shortened rope, which meant a slow death from strangulation as the drop was insufficient to break the prisoner's neck. The bodies while hanging developed a nervous twitch which was called the Marshalsea's dance
It is uncertain how many prisoners survived this but then they were staked in the river until at least three tides of the Thames had washed over their heads. This practice stopped at the end of the 18th century. For the worst pirates the Admiralty would order that their bodies be tarred and hung in chains at either Cuckold's Point or Blackwall Point, on the River Thames, as a warning to all other pirates. Although some dispute whether they were tarred.
The hanging in chains became large festivals where people came to watch. Traditional entertainment of the time such as cock fighting and badger baiting would take place and alcohol flowed freely. Local residents did not take to kindly to this as they often left for years after, to deal with the smell of rotting flesh.
The well known Captain Kidd, was convicted of piracy, the conviction is questionable though. He was held at Newgate Prison rather than Marshalsea and executed at the dock in 1701. During his execution, the rope broke but Kidd was hanged a second time. He was then gibbeted or hung in chains by the river Thames at Tilbury.
Those sentenced to death were held usually at Marshalsea Prison. The condemned were marched across London Bridge, then past the Tower of London. The procession was led by the High Court Marshal. He carried a silver oar that represented the authority of the Admiralty. Prisoners were then transported in a cart to Wapping and eventually to Execution Dock.
On the journey to Execution Dock a chaplain would invite the condemned to confess their sins. The condemned prisoners were allowed to drink a little ale at a public house on the way to the gallows. An execution at the dock usually gathered large crowds, with people jostling for space to watch.
For those convicted of piracy hanging was done with a shortened rope, which meant a slow death from strangulation as the drop was insufficient to break the prisoner's neck. The bodies while hanging developed a nervous twitch which was called the Marshalsea's dance
It is uncertain how many prisoners survived this but then they were staked in the river until at least three tides of the Thames had washed over their heads. This practice stopped at the end of the 18th century. For the worst pirates the Admiralty would order that their bodies be tarred and hung in chains at either Cuckold's Point or Blackwall Point, on the River Thames, as a warning to all other pirates. Although some dispute whether they were tarred.
The hanging in chains became large festivals where people came to watch. Traditional entertainment of the time such as cock fighting and badger baiting would take place and alcohol flowed freely. Local residents did not take to kindly to this as they often left for years after, to deal with the smell of rotting flesh.
The well known Captain Kidd, was convicted of piracy, the conviction is questionable though. He was held at Newgate Prison rather than Marshalsea and executed at the dock in 1701. During his execution, the rope broke but Kidd was hanged a second time. He was then gibbeted or hung in chains by the river Thames at Tilbury.
