William Wilkes

19/07/1898 William Wilkes Essex Chelmsford Wife murder

Wilkes’s last words were “Will it hurt me?” The warder to whom he directed the enquiry never had chance to reply. James Billington pushed the lever and the trap opened. Wilkes had been found guilty of the murder of his wife. The couple had quarrelled and the 47-year-old shepherd from Canewdon, Essex, had kicked her to death. Wilkes was executed at Chelmsford on 19th July 1898.