Image ID: 24641

Dick Turpin' on Arnot Hill Road

Arnot Hill Road
Arnold
England

A scene being re-enacted from the life of Dick Turpin, with A L Stacey, W Gee and Sam Hammond playing the parts of the highwayman and coach drivers. Dick, or Richard Turpin was an infamous robber, born in Hempstead, Essex. His many occupations included butcher's apprentice, smuggler, housebreaker, highwayman, and horse thief. Turpin was eventually sentenced to hang and was taken to the gibbet in the traditional manner on the back of a cart. When the rope was put around his neck he did not wait for the cart to be driven from under him but contemptuously jumped over the side. Dick Turpin was most famous for his legendary ride from Kent to York in record time. However, it is now thought that this feat was accomplished by 'Swift' Nick Nevison who committed a robbery in Kent at 4 am and was in York by 7.45 pm the same day. Despite this attempt to establish an alibi Nevison was still found guilty of his crime and was executed in similar fashion to Turpin. It is rumoured that Dick Turpin once stayed at an inn in Arnold .

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Keywordsdickturpinhighwaymancarriagecoachhorsecostumesre-enactmentlampsrobberpersonalityinfamouscriminal

Arnold Library