Museum of London Docklands Executions Exhibition

—New exhibition at West India Quay—

Once upon a time, London was known as the City of Gallows to the rest of Europe. How did London gain such a bloody reputation, and how did Londoners themselves experience the ubiquity of public executions in their city? These questions and more will be answered at the brand new Executions Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands, opening this Friday and set to run through April 16, 2023.

The major exhibition chronicles the history of public executions in London over a period of 700 years- right from the first ever recorded public execution in 1196 to the last in 1868.

The story unfolds over a series of six chapters, with each chapter exploring a different facet of the city’s public executions.

Chapter one is as somber as it is enlightening. Presented on a striking floor-to-ceiling screen framed by reconstructed gallows, visitors are immediately confronted with a list of the crimes that have been punishable by death throughout London’s history. These crimes are revisited in greater detail as visitors weave their way through the remaining five chapters of the exhibition.

The story unfolds through an innovative combination of rare artifacts, paintings, and immersive narrative spaces that bring the objects to life and connect them with the contemporary world. In chapter 4, for instance, visitors discover the common thread between public spectacle, outdated phrenology, and Madame Tussaud. (Hint- it has to do with executions!)

Other highlights include the Debtor’s Door from Newgate Prison, a recreation of the gallows at Tyburn Hill, and the very vest that King Charles I wore during his execution.

Beyond the objects, viewers can expect to find a new perspective on the city that surrounds them today, specifically in regards to the actual locations of historic executions in London. If you’ve ever been to Wimbledon Commons or Hounslow Heath, chances are you’ve walked on the same ground as someone condemned to death four centuries ago.

Even though London’s last recorded hanging was over 150 years ago, the exhibition reveals the indelible marks that public executions have left on this city that remain in the present day. You can learn about the lasting history for yourself starting this Friday- The Executions exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands opens October 14, 2022 and runs until April 16, 2023. Read more about the exhibition and pre-book your tickets here.

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Words by Jacqueline Schwartz
Images courtesy the author