British Executions

William Stanway


Sex: male

Crime: murder

Date Of Execution: 21 Feb 1881

Crime Location:

Execution Place: Chester

Method: unknown

Executioner: unknown


A native of Newcastle-under-Lyme, who earned a living as a broom maker and hawker, convicted at Chester Assizes of the murder of Ann Mellor at Macclesfield, where they lived with their nine year old daughter. Both were addicted to drink and frequently quarrelled, which usually ended with him giving her a beating. Shortly after Christmas 1880, they went out drinking one afternoon and later when they returned home, he beat her up. Stanway went out again that evening, leaving her in bed; when he returned he called for her to come and fix him some supper. She at first refused to come down but he eventually persuaded her. When she reached the foot of the stairs he stabbed her in the chest with a red hot poker. He didn't call a doctor for two days, during which time she lay in extreme agony and by the time help arrived, she had died. His defence that the crime was not premeditated was rejected and he was hanged by William Marwood on the 21st February 1881 in Chester.