History of Dover

The following handbill faded with age has come into our possession and we give it as a sample of Old Dover. We believe that this was one of the last executions carried out in this town. A particular account of William Turmain who was executed for burglary on Monday March 8th 1813 at Dover. The malefactor was born in North Lane in the city of Canterbury of poor but honest parents. His Grandfather was by trade a wool-comber a native of France who professing the protestant religion emigrated to this country. His father’s name was John Turmain he was brought up in Canterbury as a silk weaver. Young Turmain the subject of the memoir after receiving a common education was an apprentice shoemaker.

At the expiration of this time he removed to Margate and set up in business himself. He now took on an apprentice and unfortunately for the youth instead of receiving good moral instructions we find Turmain initiating him in the very worst principles of vice by prevailing on the boy to steal a tub of butter. On searching Turmain’s house the butter was found in his possession on which the master and apprentice were committed to Dover Jail. Turmain was sentenced to seven long years’ transportation.

During his confinement on board the Hulk he was indulged in the privilege of working at his trade of a shoemaker. As he was one day thus employed two convicts on board came up to his seat and falling into conversation a dispute arose between them when caught hold of Turmain’s pairing knife and instantly stabbed the other which caused his death. The murderer was tried and convicted for the offence and Turmain received his liberty to qualify him as competent evidence on the trial. After this catastrophe we find him returned to Margate where he took another shop but alas! Instead of his former sentence operating on his mind as an awful warning he was again contriving new schemes of depredation and which finally brings him to an untimely end.

On the night of the 28th December 1812 he with one Edward Herod whom he had inveigled as an accomplice to his nefarious purpose broke open a dwelling house of William Abbott Esq. of Margate and stole there from various articles of wearing apparel. They were both taken and committed to Dover Jail and thus Turmain was again confined in the same cell he occupied seven years before. On the 17th February following they were brought to trial before Thomas Mantell Esq. Mayor and William Kendrick Esq. M. P. Recorder. The prisoners were both found guilty on the clearest evidence and received the awful sentence of death which sentence was passed on them by the Mayor in the most affecting and impressive manner. Herod was recommended for mercy and has since had his sentence commuted to transportation.

Turmain’s wife died of a broken heart about a fortnight before his trial came on. His mother and two sisters visited him on February 25th the time he was under sentence of death. Having expressed to see his three children they arrived in Dover on Monday the first instant accompanied by their late mother’s sister. On their interview with their unfortunate father the scene was truly distressing and to the susceptible and feeling mind may be more correctly conceived than it is in the power of the writer to describe.

The morning now arrived on which he was to pay his forfeit with his life that was due to the offended laws of this country. The procession to the place of execution (top of High Street) commenced about eleven o’clock. When arrived at the fatal spot after the prisoner had spent a considerable time in prayer the executioner performed his last office he launched in to eternity. His body was cut down after hanging the usual time.

Suitable remarks.

Considering the great number of executions for house breaking and the last few instances of the perpetrators of that offence escaping the vengeance of the law. Nation policy requires that the man who breaks in upon the silent hour of night with felonious purpose should be removed from that society of which he has rendered himself an unworthy member and the religion sanctifies the degree that consigns him to the grave who has presumed to act in direct violation to the express command of the almighty.

Dover Express December 27th 1895