Newspaper Reports, 1753 Wednesday, 10 January 1753 Norwich, Jan. 4. – A French Teacher is committed to Jail here, on a strong Suspicion of Sodomitical Practices. (Public Advertiser) Saturday, 10 February 1753 Tuesday last was committed to Newgate William Castle, charged with Sodomy. He is about thirty Years of Age, and says he was born at Shepton Mallet in Somersetshire. (Read's Weekly Journal) 10–13 February 1753 Dublin, Feb. 3. . . . Yesterday five Persons were committed to Newgate for Sodomitical Practices: They called themselves the Culloden Club. (London Evening Post) Saturday, 17 March 1753 Monday in the Afternoon two Fellows were detected in Sodomitical Practices in St. James's Park, and committed to the Gatehouse. (Old England's Journal) Tuesday, 19 June 1753 Norwich, June 16. . . . On Wednesday last a Man from Colton in Norfolk, was committed to Jail, for attempting to commit Sodomy on a young Man about 18 Years of Age; since which he is charged with an Attempt of the same Kind, on a Man he met with on the Road from Costesy to this City. (London Daily Advertiser) Saturday 15 September 1753 NAPLES, (Italy) August 7. UPON Representations made to the King, that an abominable Crime, which had hereto [sic] been punished by Fire from Heaven, had not been sufficiently punished in this Country; his Majesty has ordained that all those who shall for the future be found culpable of such Abominations, shall be hanged, their Bodies thrown into the Fire and consumed to Ashes, which shall be dispersed by the Wind. (Newcastle Courant) 7–14 September 1753 COUNTRY NEWS. Bristol, September 5.   On Saturday last ended the Session of Oyer and Terminer, held for this City, when Richard Arnold and William Crutchard received Sentence of Death, for committing the detestable Crime of Sodomy. (See News for 19 September 1752 for a report on their trial.)           And William Cottle, for attempting to commit the like Crime, was fined 6s. 8d. and sentenced to stand on the Pillory, and to be confined in Newgate twelve Months. (Derby Mercury) Saturday 8 September 1753 On Monday last the Assizes ended on the Crown Side at Kingston upon Thames in Surry, before Mr. Justice Denison, when Robert Giles was tried for sending two threatning Letters to John Haylor of Southwark, Quaker, to extort Money from him, under Pretence of Sodomitical Practices, and found guilty, and sentenc'd to twelve Months Imprisonment. (Oxford Journal) 14–21 September 1753 COUNTRY NEWS. Bristol, Sept. 15.   Wednesday last Richard Arnold and William Crutchard were executed at St. Michael's Hill, pursuant to their Sentences for Sodomy. They behaved in a very decent Manner, but refused to discover any of their Accomplices, answering in general that they had confessed their Guilt to God, and therefore thought it unecessary to repeat it to Men. When the Cart drew under the Gallows, Arnold kiss'd Crutchard's Hand; and after a few private Ejaculations, they gave a Signal, and the Cart drew away. (Derby Mercury) Saturday 15 September 1753 Bristol, Sept. 8. On Saturday last ended the Sessions of Oyer and Terminer, held for this City, when Richard Arnold and William Crutchard received Sentence of Death for committing the detestable Crime of Sodomy. (Oxford Journal) Saturday 22 September 1753 Bristol, Sept. 15. Wednesday last, about One o'Clock in the Afternoon, Richard Arnold and William Crutchard were executed on St. Michael's Hill, for the detestable Crime of Sodomy. During the Time they were under Sentence of Death, they were visited by several Clergymen of the Church of England, and other religious People. They behaved in a very decent Manner, but refused to discover any of their Accomplices, answering in general, that they had confessed their Guilt to God, and therefore thought it unnecessary to repeat it to Men. When come to the Place of Execution, they pray'd and sung about Half an Hour, and when the Cart drew under the Gallows, Arnold kiss'd Crutchard's Hand. After a few private Ejaculations, they giving a Signal (by throwing the Tufts of Flowers from them) the Cart drew away. (Oxford Journal) Saturday 22 September 1753 Bristol, Sept. 15. We hear that Arnold and Crutchard, the two Sodomites executed on Wednesday, have left behind them, in the Hands of a Gentleman in this City, the Names of several Persons who have been concerned in the same detestable Crime, which will soon be published. (Oxford Journal) Saturday, 22 September 1753 On Tuesday . . . two Men were detected b the Patrole in Hyde-Park, committing the detestable Crime of Sodomy, and were secured. (Read's Weekly Journal) 30 November – 7 December 1753 MONDAY's POST. From the WHITEHALL and the GENERAL Evening Posts, &c. December 1. Cracovia, (Poland) Nov. 6.   On the 28th of last Month was burnt here, in the Midst of a justly incensed Crowd of Spectators, a Wretch convicted of the horrid Sin of Sodomy, and of having seduced many young Men to engage in the like abominable Practice. (Derby Mercury) Monday, 3 December 1753 Cracovia, Nov. 6.   On the 18th ult. a Man was burnt here for the detestable Sin of Sodomy. Thie Crime is held in such Abhorrence, that the Populace beheld the Execuition with great Satisfaction, and when the Pile was lighted, asked it as a Favour of the Judges that he should not be strangled before he was thrown into it. (Public Advertiser) 4–8 December 1753 Warsaw, Nov. 10.   The Tribunal of Petrikaw have named two Deputies to go to Dresden, in order to lay the Proceedings of that Tribunal before the King. We hear from Cracow, that on the 28th of last Month, a Person was burnt there for Sodomitical Practices. (London Gazette) Saturday 8 December 1753 FOREIGN AFFAIRS. Yesterday arrived a Mail from HOLLAND. Cracow, Nov. 6. THE 28th of last Month a Wretch, convicted of the horrid Crime of Sodomy, was burnt in the Market-place. The Populace beheld the Execution with great Satisfaction, and in their just Abhorrence of so crying a Sin, begg'd the Magistrates not to allow the Criminal to be strangled before the Flames touched him. (Oxford Journal) 27–29 December 1753 Last Wednesday Night James Waggott, a young Fellow about twenty Years of Age, was detected, at a House in Crutched Fryers, in attempting to commit the detestable Sin of Sodomy upon Charles Gatliff, a Boy about twelve Years old; whereupon he was secured, and on Thursday Monrning carried before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, who committed him to the Poultry Cmpter. (London Evening Post) 3 January 1754 PUNISHMENTS IN BRISTOL Richard Arnold and William Crutchard, for committing the detestable crime of Sodomy, Death.           William Cattle, for attempting to commit the like crime, to be fined 6s. 8d. to stand on the Pillory, and to be confined in Newgate 12 Months. (Maryland Gazette, USA; a report on the Bristol Sessions of Oyer and Terminer) CITATION: If you cite this Web page, please use the following citation: Rictor Norton (Ed.), "Newspaper Reports, 1751", Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England: A Sourcebook, 17 January 2012; updated 25 Aug. 2014, enlarged 7 Dec. 2015, updated 4 Sept. 2020, 15 Jan. 2021 <http://rictornorton.co.uk/eighteen/1753news.htm>. Return to Homosexuality in Eighteenth-Century England