Description:

British Broadside: "Trial of Joseph Preston, Now under sentence of Death, for a Brutal and Incestuous Rape on 2 of his Daughters"

A printed broadside announcing the trial of Joseph Preston (ca. 1780-1828), a tavern keeper from Staffordshire in the West Midlands who was tried, convicted, and executed for rape in April 1828. The broadside is topped with a stylized portrait engraving measuring 3.25" x 3.625," which was likely a standard artistic likeness of "the criminal type." Seven rows of headlines in various sizes, font, and style are followed by three close paragraphs of text. Several typographical errors, including upside down letters, as well as inconsistent spelling of the same words, can be found throughout, as was common in early typesetting. N.p., but "Printed from the Bir--" found at bottom probably refers to nearby Birmingham, England (Staffordshire is located about halfway between Manchester and Birmingham.) Expected wear includes toning, chipped edges, and wrinkles. Discretely and professionally repaired closed tears and brittle folds. Trimmed at top and with minor paper loss in the lower right corner replaced by a contemporary piece of paper measuring approximately 3" x 1.5." The broadside measures 6.75" x 14.375."

Baron Vaughan was a judge on the Oxford circuit who presided over the Lent Assizes in 1828. He heard the case of Joseph Preston, aged 48, owner of Lloyd Alehouse in Hanley, Staffordshire, who was accused of raping his two teenaged daughters, Anne and Mary Preston, on at least two occasions over a two-year-long period in the 1820s (there is some discrepancy over the exact dates, but ca. 1824-1828.) The case proved a Victorian moral minefield since one of the alleged rape victims, Preston's older daughter, also ran away from home and engaged in prostitution. Preston protested that "he had been the most injured man in Staffordshire," because his wife had previously abandoned him. Preston was found guilty on two counts of rape, and "groaned heavily" upon hearing the verdict.

There were just over 400 executions in England and Wales between 1828-1836, and 57 in the year 1828 alone, of which Preston was one. Capital punishment was levied for the most serious offenses: attempted murder, murder, infanticide, assault, rape, theft (breaking and entering, horse theft, sheep theft, burglary), forgery, counterfeiting, and "uttering." Records from the National Archives at Kew indicate that Preston was hanged at Stafford Gaol in Staffordshire on April 5, 1828.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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