British Executions

James McGowan

Age: unknown

Sex: male

Crime: murder

Date Of Execution: 19 Nov 1878

Crime Location:

Execution Place: New Bailey

Method: hanging

Executioner: unknown


Murder of wife; Manchester

Also reference to him here.

November 19th: James McGOWAN (55)
As a result of being a heavy drinker, fifty five year old McGowan, a Salford bleach worker, began to suffer delusions and became convinced that his nephew, whom he had taken a sudden and unexpected dislike to, was attempting to break into his house. He told his wife of the break in and, knowing it to be all in his head, she refused to help him. This caused him to grow angry and as a result he threw her to the ground. She climbed to her feet and they began to struggle, during which he hacked away at her throat with a pocket knife. She died and he collapsed in a drunken heap. When he recovered his senses he reported the crime to the police.  William Marwood performed the execution on the 19th November 1878 in Manchester.