Execution on Plymouth Hoe

Between the Naval Memorial and the Hoe Lodge Gardens, there is a cross with the number '3' embedded in the pavement. This marks the spot where three Royal Marines were executed by firing squad on 6 July, 1797. Their names were Lee, Coffy and Branning and they were found guilty of attempting to excite a mutiny at Stonehouse Barracks. Another Marine, M Gennis was convicted of a similar crime and sentenced to 1000 lashes and transported to Botany Bay for life. The incident was reported in the Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury on Monday 10th July,1797. It read: 'PLYMOUTH, July 8 - On Wednesday morning an express arrived here from the War-Office, with a warrant for the execution of Lee, Coffy, and Branning, three marines who were last week tried by a General Court-Martial, and found guilty of an attempt to excite a mutiny among the marine corps at Stone-house Barracks and on Thursday at 12 o'clock the troops at this place and in the neighbourhood, consisting of the Sussex fencible cavalry, four companies of the royal artillery, the Lancashire, East Devon and Essex regiments of militia, the 25th regiment of foot, royal independent invalids, and Plymouth volunteers, assembled on the Hoe, and formed in a half circle in order to witness the execution. M Gennis, another marine tried for a similar crime, and sentenced to receive 1000 lashes, and to be afterwards transported to Botany Bay for life, was brought on the ground soon after twelve o'clock, and received 500 lashes, and then conveyed back to Stone-house Barracks. At half past one o'clock, Lee, Coffy and Branning were marched from the Citadel under the escort of a party of marines, with a coffin before each, preceded by the band of that corps playing the Dead March in Saul. The former was attended by the Rev. Dr. Hawker; and the two latter by a Roman Catholic priest, who after praying with them near an hour, quitted them, and they all three knelt on their coffins for a few minutes, when an officer of marines came and drew the caps over their faces, and a party of twenty marines immediately came down and put a period to their existence by discharging the contents of their muskets through their bodies, after which all the regiments marched round them in solemn procession, the whole forming, perhaps, one of the most awful scenes that the human eye ever witnessed. They all behaved in a manner becoming their melancholy situation, and apparently very resigned and penitent. About thirty thousand people were supposed to be present at the execution'. There was more to the execution than mentioned in the newspaper though. Ten thousand men of the Fleet and garrison were there to watch them die and most of Plymouth appeared to have turned out too. When the three men faced the firing squad and the shots were fired, Coffy and Branning fell forward, dead, into their coffins. However, Lee was not hit and had to go through the whole procedure again. The reserve firing squad lined up, took aim and fired but again Lee was untouched. Once more, they loaded up, took aim but again missed Lee. In the end, a sergeant came up behind him and shot him dead at close range. It seems odd that the firing squad missed Lee three times and perhaps there was some sympathy with him amongst the troops. Earlier fourteen seamen had been hanged at the yardarm on their ships in the Sound. This was to be Plymouth's last public execution.

Houdini in Plymouth

Harry Houdini, 1909. Houdini appeared at the Palace Theatre of Varieties during August 1909.There was much excitement at his appearance and he challenged five joiners and mechanics at Devonport Dockyard to make a box from which he wouldn't be able to escape. They produced the box and Houdini was nailed inside. It took him twelve minutes to get out. Another of his daring feats, involved him being securely handcuffed and diving from Halfpenny Bridge at Stonehouse. The story was covered in the next day's Western Morning News:

Western Morning News, Wednesday August 18th 1909. “The Handcuff King” An Exciting Performance. Harry Houdini, the “Handcuff King” who was performing at the Palace Theatre of Varieties, Plymouth this week gave a remarkable exhibition of his skill yesterday afternoon at Stonehouse. The intrepid performer had previously announced his intention of diving from the Halfpenny Gate Bridge, securely handcuffed, and this caused a huge crowd to assemble on the bridge itself and on the adjoining quays and banks. Prompt to time Houdini appeared, stripped and poised himself on the parapet of the bridge. He was then handcuffed with his hands behind his back, while elbow locks were also worn, the chain passing around the neck. This accomplished, he immediately dived into the stream and disappeared from sight. Easily within the minute, the “Handcuff King” reappeared on the surface, carrying his fetters aloft in his right hand, while the crowd heartily cheered his exploit. Subsequently, Houdini said that he had performed the diving trick over fifty times. He was capable of staying under water well over three minutes, but should he not appear in three minutes there were always ready two or three assistants who would swim to his rescue. The handcuffs and chains weighed 18lb.

The Blue Monkey

Although the public house has now been knocked down, the area near to the Higher St Budeaux Church will probably always be known as the Blue Monkey. It had previously been called Church Inn, St Bude Inn, St Budeaux Inn and Ye Old St Budeaux Inn before becoming the Blue Monkey. The owner of the Church Inn was a Lord Graves who owned the Barton of Ernesettle in 1798. He was also Lord of the Manor of Agaton. Frances Martin is recorded as being the landlord of the pub in 1823. He was responsible for changing the pub's name to the St Bude Inn, in 1828. In 1862,the War Department bought the then named St Budeaux Inn. In 1914, the Secretary of State for the Department sold the premises, which included a stables, to James Alger for £1,050. Alger changed the name of the pub to Ye Old St Budeaux Inn on 4 May 1937. He later changed the name again to The Blue Monkey early in 1939 and later sold the Inn to the Octagon Brewery in December 1939 for £12,750. A newspaper cutting that used to hang in the bar said that a Mr Dunsford, the then landlord, changed the name to the Blue Monkey when the Stafford Regiment was stationed at Devonport. However, the deeds say that the name was changed in 1939 by James Algar. The reason, according to locals, was that Algar had seen a monkey which had escaped from a shed at Agaton on the roof of the Inn. Apparently, the change of name and the swinging monkey sign wasn't popular, even though it's the one best remembered, so it was replaced by a square sign , featuring a Naval Blue Monkey Boy, in honour of the boys who packed the guns with powder during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. They were known as powder monkeys and the job left them with blue residue on their hands and this has also been taken as the origin of the pub's name, The Blue Monkey. Perhaps both stories are true and it would be interesting to think that a monkey once ran around on the roof of the Inn. Incidently, before the sign change, in the early 1980s, I was walking by the Inn and there was the swinging monkey sign, slightly battered and put out for the dustbin men to collect. I wish I'd picked it up and kept it as a souvenir now! I wonder if it still exists somewhere? In its final years, the Inn developed a bad reputation and finally closed and was eventually bricked up. It was for sale for many years before an arson attack destroyed the inside and the roof. From then on, its days were numbered and early in March 2007, it was unfortunately demolished.

Plymouth Zoo

I'm sure that many people will have fond memories of Plymouth Zoo. I remember going there in the late 1960s and a pelican called Percy following us around. It was a lovely place to start off with but got a bit run down and smelly towards the end. Amazingly, the zoo was only open for 16 years.It opened on Thursday April 19th 1962 at a cost of £30,000 and it had 13,000 visitors during the first three days. The zoo was owned by the Chipperfields and was a very popular attraction.It had many animals including chimpanzees, polar bears, seals, camels, giraffes and lions etc.There's a great movie at the Pathe News site and all the animals look very happy. I know the keepers were very interested in their welfare and got quite attached to the animals. When you're a kid, a zoo seems a wonderous place but when you're older and with hindsight, it seems unfair keeping them all cooped up in cages. I remember the chimpanzees at the beginning of the zoo would collect up gravel and throw it at the visitors! There was an article about a chimp in the news in a Swedish Zoo,three days ago,doing exactly the same thing and it was reported as if it was something new.

I remember the sweet popcorn that was sold at the cafe to feed the animals. All the kids always ended up eating it themselves though I'm sure it wouldn't have done the animals much good anyway. I remember there was a giraffe that was about to swallow a popcorn packet. Luckily, the keeper managed to get it off him before he choked!

There was a children's area with guinea pigs and rabbits and a huge tortoise which I believe was a gift from the Navy in the early 1960s.
The zoo closed on Sunday January 8th 1978 and was later converted into a skateboard park. Now, I think it's just a piece of waste ground.
We certainly had some good times there and I miss it but I think with concerns over animal welfare, I'm quite glad that it's no longer there.

Higher St Budeaux Church and the Civil War

I was driving by Higher St Budeaux Church recently when I noticed the piece of land that was being cleared nearby. I'm sure that many people will know that when the road was widened in 1910, musket and cannon balls from the Civil War were found here and some are kept at the city's museum. Marshall Ware wrote a very interesting piece about the the battle, entitled 'When Cromwell zapped St Budeaux', in the Evening Herald back in the 1980s. I'm sure that there will be many historical artifacts to be found but I don't know if there will be any sort of investigation. For anyone interested in the church and the Civil War, I have pasted a section from my 'St Budeaux' book below: 'Plymouth and its surrounding villages such as St Budeaux had sworn an oath to fight and die for the Parliamentarian cause. Those who did not comply faced hanging. However, in Cornwall, the people supported the Royalist cause and made raids across the water on parts of St Budeaux. For a time, the church at Higher St Budeaux was used as a garrison by the Royalists. On 16th April 1644, Lieutenant Colonel Martin, who commanded the Parliamentarian garrison at Plymouth, sent 600 musketeers, with 120 horses, to attack the 500 Cavaliers stationed at St Budeaux. Because of a mistake made by guides, the horses went one way and the attacking party went another way. Nevertheless, the foot soldiers arrived at the church, and not being expected, saw off the enemy and captured the church tower. Altogether, they captured 2 officers and 44 other prisoners. They also took three barrels of gunpowder, 20 horses and about 20 arms. It was said that most of the prisoners then joined the Parliament forces and who could blame them when you consider the alternative. On the 27th December 1644, St Budeaux was again the scene of much bloodshed. From Kinterbury, the Roundheads marched towards the church, which was now a garrison for the Parliamentarians, and fought for an hour and a half before the church was recaptured. The Royalists also captured a Major Stucley together with 20 officers and 100 soldiers. Ten of the defenders were killed as were seven of the Roundheads including a Major Haynes. A mound in a garden at Plaistow Hill, near the church, is said to be the place where those who died in the battle are buried. During the siege of Plymouth by the Royalists, the inhabitants of St Budeaux would take provisions into town for the men and their horses. Prince Maurice issued a warrant which stated, 'To the constables or tythingmen of Saint Budeaux and Pennyross, threatening proceedings against all who should carry with him horse, oxen or kine, or sheep or other provision for men or horse into the said town of Plymouth for the relief of the rebells there.' After the battle, the church was little more than a wreck and it wasn't restored until 1655.'

Plymouth local history

Welcome to my Plymouth local history blog.
Some of you will have read my books and I hope that you will find this blog interesting. I will try to include articles and photos that I think will interest people about the area they live in and also articles about surrounding areas such as Saltash and Mount Edgcumbe.
I hope you enjoy it.
Best wishes,
Derek Tait.