Lot Essay
Dr. H.H. Crippen was hanged at Pentonville Prison on November 23rd 1910, for the murder of his wife.
Details
DR HAWLEY HARVEY CRIPPEN (1862-1910)
An Inquisition Notice from the Coroner's Court Chapel, Islington London, 15 August 1910, and by adjournment at the Central Library, Holloway Road, Islington, 12, 19, 26 September 1910, resulting in the subsequent trial of Dr Hawley Crippen.
The notice cites the Coroner as Walter Schroder Esquire, "duly authorised to act as Coroner" and seventeen jurors, "good and lawful men of the said County of London". The Coroner reports the discovery of human remains: "the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys, the liver, the spleen, the pancras, portions of the intestines, portion of the windpipe and gullet and other parts of a body which were found buried underneath the floor of a cellar at No. 39 Hilldrop Crescent Islington, on the 13th day of July 1910". On the strength of the Coroner's report, the "Jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed upon their oaths duly administered to them, do say that the said remains are:- vital parts of the body of Cora Crippen alias Belle Elmore was found dead on the 13th day of July A.D. 1910 in the aforesaid cellar and did die from the mortal affects of Poisoning by Hyoscine administered to her by her husband Hawley Harvey Crippen and so the Jurors aforesaid do further say that the said Hawley Harvey Crippen of 39 Hilldrop Crescent Islington, did feloniously, willfully and of malice aforethought kill and murder against the Peace of our said Lord the King His Crown and Dignity the said Cora Crippen alias belle Elmore and the Jurors aforesaid upon their oaths do futher say that the said Cora Crippen alias belle Elmore at the time of her death was a female person of the age of about 34 years and the wife of the said Hawley Harvey Crippen a Dentist and a Doctor of medicine of United States of America." The Notice concludes: "In witness whereof, as well the said Coroner as the said Jurors have hereunto subscribed their hands and seals the 26th day of September 1910."
Provenance: The Inquisition Notice was originally owned by the vendor's grandfather, Dr William Davison, who was City Coroner of Birmingham. It is in his capacity as doctor that he is thought to have attended the autopsy of Cora Crippen. The document was then passed on to his son, Judge William Norris Davison of Birmingham where it hung in his chambers. And thence by descent.
An Inquisition Notice from the Coroner's Court Chapel, Islington London, 15 August 1910, and by adjournment at the Central Library, Holloway Road, Islington, 12, 19, 26 September 1910, resulting in the subsequent trial of Dr Hawley Crippen.
The notice cites the Coroner as Walter Schroder Esquire, "duly authorised to act as Coroner" and seventeen jurors, "good and lawful men of the said County of London". The Coroner reports the discovery of human remains: "the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the kidneys, the liver, the spleen, the pancras, portions of the intestines, portion of the windpipe and gullet and other parts of a body which were found buried underneath the floor of a cellar at No. 39 Hilldrop Crescent Islington, on the 13th day of July 1910". On the strength of the Coroner's report, the "Jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed upon their oaths duly administered to them, do say that the said remains are:- vital parts of the body of Cora Crippen alias Belle Elmore was found dead on the 13th day of July A.D. 1910 in the aforesaid cellar and did die from the mortal affects of Poisoning by Hyoscine administered to her by her husband Hawley Harvey Crippen and so the Jurors aforesaid do further say that the said Hawley Harvey Crippen of 39 Hilldrop Crescent Islington, did feloniously, willfully and of malice aforethought kill and murder against the Peace of our said Lord the King His Crown and Dignity the said Cora Crippen alias belle Elmore and the Jurors aforesaid upon their oaths do futher say that the said Cora Crippen alias belle Elmore at the time of her death was a female person of the age of about 34 years and the wife of the said Hawley Harvey Crippen a Dentist and a Doctor of medicine of United States of America." The Notice concludes: "In witness whereof, as well the said Coroner as the said Jurors have hereunto subscribed their hands and seals the 26th day of September 1910."
Provenance: The Inquisition Notice was originally owned by the vendor's grandfather, Dr William Davison, who was City Coroner of Birmingham. It is in his capacity as doctor that he is thought to have attended the autopsy of Cora Crippen. The document was then passed on to his son, Judge William Norris Davison of Birmingham where it hung in his chambers. And thence by descent.