Wednesday 22 May 7.30pm THERE IS NO NEED TO BOOK
The families of John Innes Nesbit and John Alexander Dickman would not realise that the events of Friday 18 March 1910 would in time leave them both widowed and fatherless. What soon became known as the ‘Railway Murder’ was an event that had national as well as local significance, heralding the beginnings of a long running dispute regarding the nature and desirability of capital punishment. The story will encompass the nature of work and life in early twentieth century Heaton as well as the workings of the judicial system then and now.
In our May talk, we will look at the brutal murder of Heaton’s John Nesbit, the arrest and trial of John Alexander Dickman leading to his resulting execution in Newcastle gaol. Time will also be devoted to an examination of the longstanding arguments regarding the security of the jury’s ‘Guilty’ verdict as well as the significance the case had for the burgeoning movement campaigning for the abolition of capital punishment itself.
Our Speaker
Karl Cain spent over twenty years working in secondary schools before joining the PGCE teacher training team as well as contributing to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at Newcastle University. His own academic studies have ranged widely across the fields of history, politics, and psychology with a particular interest in the ways in which beliefs and values are created, maintained or disappear over time. Since retirement Karl has become an active member of Heaton History Group’s Research Group, contributing a articles to the HHG website and endeavouring to maintain the quality of its research.
Our Venue
This event will take place at St George’s United Reformed Church on Newton Road, High Heaton NE7 7HP. It is on the corner with Boundary Gardens, the same block as Heaton Stannington’s football ground, Grounsell Park.
There are excellent public transport links including the numbers 18, 38, 52 and 553, which stop right by the church.
There is car parking on the surrounding streets.
Booking
There’s no need to book. Just turn up on the night.
