Dick Turpin Englands Most Celebrated Highwayman

Dick Turpin Englands Most Celebrated Highwayman

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In the wilds of the Essex countryside Dick Turpin lived rough and survived by joining a band of smugglers. During this time his wife would bring him money and food. He later moved into Epping Forest, which then covered a huge area and was much favoured by royalty for hunting deer. He fell in with an already notorious band of rustlers the Essex Gang or Gregory Gang, and joined them in the highly risky business of stealing deer and horses. This crime, in a royal forest, was considered to be committed against the monarch personally and was punishable by death.

Such was the notoriety of the gang that in 1735, when Dick Turpin was 30, George II offered the kingly reward of 50 for their capture. Not long after, the gang carried out a raid at Loughton and three of the ringleaders were apprehended, tried and hanged as common criminals. The remainder drifted away. Only Turpin and one other thief, Thomas Rowden, continued with their unlawful activities, and decided on a career change. They began to rob stagecoaches.

Turpin was a fast learner and now had the experience and skills he needed to work on his own in the profession for which he was to become notorious. As a loner he was clever, careful and highly successful but after some time he made the acquaintance of another robber of stagecoaches, the original gentleman of the road, Tom King, and the two joined forces. At this time Tom King was as well known for his exploits as Turpin, but he never achieved the same legendary stature. Known also as Captain King, he was more gallant and courteous to his victims, and history has transferred to Turpin his trademark daredevil character.

So numerous and notorious had Dick Turpins exploits now become that another bounty, this time no less than 100, was set on his head. The hunt and the heat were now on as never before, and it was almost inevitable that with Turpins growing desperation, sooner or later an innocent victim would be killed. The circumstances are still debated, but it is likely that the first to be murdered by Turpin was one Thomas Morris, in May 1735.

Morris, the servant of an Epping Forest keeper, came across Turpin by accident while on his usual rounds, and on attempting to apprehend him was fatally shot. Other murders including that of an innkeeper have been attributed to Turpin, but are disputed. Turpin and Kings association ended on an almost farcical note when they attempted to collect a stolen horse they had hidden. Its incensed owner had discovered the horses whereabouts and was lying in wait with constables. In the fracas that followed, Turpin never known for his marksmanship fired his pistol at them and instead hit Tom King, who died later of his wounds.

Turpin was able to make his getaway, but not knowing whether King was dead or alive, or how much information he might give away, he once more found himself working alone.

Turpin, now in greater danger than ever, took the extreme risk of going to Hertford to see his wife, who had visited him in Epping Forest on numerous occasions. There he narrowly escaped capture and was never to see her again. For another three years he lived on the run, moving north through Lincolnshire to Yorkshire. He adopted the name John Palmer and turned to horse stealing.

Turpin alias Palmer was then arrested following the trivial matter of shooting a cockerel in a fit of temper. Investigations into his circumstances gradually revealed his comfortable lifestyle but little or no evidence of how he supported it. After further enquiries, his true identity and activities were discovered. He had made the fatal error of writing to his brother in Hempstead to give him a character reference, but the letter was seen by his old schoolteacher, James Smith, who recognised the handwriting and traveled to York to give evidence in court.

On 22nd March 1739, at the Grand Jury House at York, Turpin was found guilty of horse rustling and sentenced to death by hanging. His father pleaded in vain for the sentence to be commuted to transportation. Only then did Turpin admit to the killing of the forest keeper, but remarked that it was no more than he deserved.

Turpins fame now entered a new phase as he received many visitors in his condemned cell. The last of his money was spent on new clothes and shoes, and he paid ten shillings each to the five mourners hired for his funeral. On 7th April 1739 he was taken in an open cart through York, acknowledging the cheers and jeers of the crowd with a wave and a bow. On the scaffold he entertained them with pleasantries and banter, and spoke at length with the hangman, Thomas Hadfield, who by yet another quirk of fate was a former friend and one-time member of the Gregory Gang.

Perhaps it was bravado, or maybe boredom, but as he stood on the ladder with the noose round his neck, Turpin suddenly decided to make his short life a few minutes shorter than it would have been, and launched himself into oblivion before Hadfield could complete his work.

About the Author:
Roman garrison, Viking battleground, part time plague pit and hangmans heaven, the northern city of York has a colourful past. The most gruesome of York Attractions The York Dungeon brings this history back to life with exploits of hanged highwayman Dick Turpin, terrifying tortures, brutal Viking invasions and much more.



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