Thomas Bond

Thomas Bond was convicted of the murders of George Hackett and Frederick Bakewell and the shooting of another woman at a farmhouse in Orgreave, Staffordshire on 31 May 1895.

Frederick Bakewell was a farmer and Frederick Bakewell was his stepson.

Thomas Bond went to the farmhouse and when George Hackett opened the door he shot him twice. He then shot Frederick Bakewell who was sitting in a chair. He then fired at Frederick Bakewell's wife.

Frederick Bakewell and his wife got up a little before 7am and had breakfast. George Hackett was also at the house and was the wifes son from a previos marriage who was visiting. Frederick Bakewell and his wife finished breakfast around 8.30am.

The wife then went into the yard and then came in and started clearing the breakfast table and getting it ready for George Hackett. Frederick Bakewell sat down in an armchair with his back towards the door. The wife was putting out some lump sugar and as she was doing so George Hackett came down the stairs, past the wife and went to the back door which was open. Then at 8.50am the wife then heard an explosion. George Hackett then staggerd back and ran towards the front door screaming. Before George Hackett got to the front door the wife saw a man, Thomas Bond, come through the back door and shoot George Hackett again. Thomas Bond then came closer and shot Frederick Bakewell twice in the back and then shot the wife once in the chest.

The wife ran out to her son who was outside the front door lying on the ground face down almost dead if not quite. The wife then Thomas Bond climbing over a fence into the road and she went into the house and bolted the door. Then a neighbour came over to their assistence and gave her and Frederick Bakewell some whisky. Shortly after Frederick Bakewell died in his chair.

Later the wife went to the police staton where she saw seven men lined up and picked out Thomas Bond as the man who had shot George Hackett,Frederick Bakewell and herself.

The Sunday but one before the murder, 19 May, Thomas Bond had been to the cottage by the back door in the afternoon and the wife had given him some milk to drink. He offered her a shilling but she had said 'No thank you, you are quite welcome'. She had asked Thomas Bond if he native of these parts and Thomas Bond said 'No'. The wife then went back into the house. She had not seen him before.

On the night of the day of the shooting when the wife went to bed a bullet fell from her clothing that had had grazed her skin.

Thomas Bond was a shoemaker.

see National Archives - ASSI 6/30/4

see Leeds Times - Saturday 24 August 1895

see Northampton Mercury - Friday 05 July 1895