William Drennan

341

Maureen Withey on 16th October 2023

Wm. Davis, 28, and Wm. Drennan, 32, for maliciously shooting at Wm. Wright, at Liverpool, with intent to murder him. — Death. Lancaster Gazette, 15 Sep 1821. Lancaster Assizes. and William Davies, for maliciously shooting at W. Wright, at Liverpool, are left for execution. Mr. Justice Bayley respited the execution of Wm. Drennan, before he left Lancaster. Cumberland Pacquet, 24 Sep 1821. William Davies was hanged at Lancaster Castle on the 20 October 1821.

341

Maureen Withey on 16th October 2023

William Davies and William Drennan, sawyers, for maliciously shooting William Wright at Liverpool The journeymen sawyers had refused to work at reduced wages in November last, and Messrs. Rigby, of the New Haymarket, had hired men from the country. - Wright was at work in their shed after sunset on the 10th January last, lighted by a candle fixed to his knee, and while working in a shed, two shots were fired, and he was wounded by a pistol ball through the lower part part of the thigh, which rendered it necessary to have the limb cut off the same evening at the infirmary. Wright was three months in recovering. Outside of the shed, in the street, a shattered pistol was found. Previously to the night in question, several shots had been ineffectually fired at the outside of the shed, which was formed of wood palling, but on this occasion two shots had pierced through; one one at a crevice, through which aim might have been taken at Wright; and one through the entire wood. The workmen who had refused to work for reduced wages frequently met, during the winter, in a field near the workhouse and divided small sums of money which had been collected for their support. Davies and Drennan were among those who met. a The evening before the loth, Davies was seen in company With a person who had a large horse  pistol'' loaded a with ball, similar to the one found. On the evening of the 10th, he was seen, wounded in the hand; immediately a reward was offered for the offenders; -and the is placard intimated, that, as the pistol form was shattered; the person who fired it would probably be wounded in the right hand. Davies  absconded, and was not found till May, when he was apprehended in London; having still a wounded hand. After the firing on the night of the 10th Jan. Drennan brought a pistol to the landlord of a public-house in Norfolk-street, requesting that it might be put aside. great number of witnesses proved these and many other facts, leading to the conviction of the prisoners; five persons who had bean committed as abettors of the crime, were admitted as evidence, and a much discredit was attempted to be cast upon one of them (Rooney)by two witnesses from Manchester but .the main facts stated were confirmed by several collateral proofs from unsuspected persons.; Both the prisoners are married ; Drennan has several small children. - The Judge, summed up with great impartiality. -Guilty. Death. Liverpool Mercury, 14 Sep 1821. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ National Archives, Criminal Petitions. HO 17/112/34 Prisoner name: William Drennan. Prisoner occupation: Sawyer. Court and date of trial: Lancaster [Lancashire] Summer Assizes August 1821. Crime: Firing at John Wright and wounding his leg. Initial sentence: [Death] commuted to transportation for life. Annotated (Outcome): Eliza has sailed. Nil. Petitioner(s): Frances Drennan prisoner's wife and H McCune Architect of 2 Oxford Street Liverpool [Lancashire]. Grounds for clemency (Petition Details): Part of an industrial dispute at Liverpool on the premises of Messrs Rigbys; family dependants; distressed wife; previous good character; freemason. Other papers: On board Eliza at Sheerness [Kent]. Date: 1822 July 16.