A museum’s newest exhibition investigates a “grisly” local murder.
Radlett and District Museum’s Gills Hill Lane murder exhibition aims to give the full story of a killing that shocked the nation, 200 years on.
On October 24, 1823, John Thurtell murdered solicitor and gambler William Weare over a £300 debt by shooting him and cutting his throat before stealing his money and dumping his body in a pond.
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The killing, with all the gory details, took on such publicity that a crowd of thousands reportedly watched Thurtell, a former Royal Marine turned amateur boxer, hang.
According to the museum, the crime “raised issues at the time about illegal entertainment, the power of the press, the administration of justice and the law”.
Hertsmere councillor Parveen Rani, who is responsible for culture in the borough, said: “This latest exhibition is an interesting look at an event which took place 200 years ago and captured the public’s attention at the time.
“There is an extensive display on all aspects of the murder with contemporary illustrations to accompany the text.”
The museum, behind Radlett Village Institute in Watling Street, is open between 10am and midday on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Admission is free.
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