Staffordshire Figures Dick Turpin & Tom King
Dick Turpin was baptized on September 25th, 1705, Hemstead, Essex. He was hung on the Knavesmire, York on 17th April, 1739. His father ran an ale house, probably a good place to pick up bad habits. Whatever his start in life he clearly was a person who looked for the easy way out and work did not suit him when apprenticed to a butcher. His work as a butcher was excellent the only problem was he stole the cattle. One day he stole just too many and got caught. His butchery days ended and his life of crime took on another turn. He was brutal in his attacks of people on the road. Then he joined a gang of house robbers. They were utterly brutal and Dick had learned well of this by attacking smugglers and they were pretty desperate people too. He robbed farmhouses and anywhere else money could be found. Some of the gang members were caught and hanged, but not Dick.
Stories about his atrocities, often reported in the Gentleman’s Magazine of the period, made it hard for me to include him in my highwayman storytelling. He once held an old lady over a fire till she told him where the money was hidden. He lived in around Epping Forest and was thought to have spent some time living in caves. He had his horse shod with round shoes so you could not tell which direction was he was going even if you found his hoof prints. Tom King, another highwayman teamed up with him and during a raid Dick accidently shot him in the thigh. Tom King was subsequently arrested, tried and hung at Tyburn. When life got a bit hot in Epping Dick turned tail and fled north to York where he took on a new name and persona, and took up horse dealing, stolen horses of course! But he was soon discovered. They needed proof that he was the Dick Turpin and during his time in prison he wrote a letter to his father, which by chance did not get to him, but was seen by his old schoolmaster who was able to identify his handwriting. So the sentence was passed. His much documented notorious life, came to a sticky end. and he was taken to the Knavesmire in York where he was hung. Although to give him his due he was brave at the end; he lifted his hat to the ladies and firmly took the stand and not wanting to swing and choke to death he chose to jump into the rope and died quickly. thus came to an end the life of this troublesome murderer, who had terrified so many hard working people in the homes counties.
The Stafforshire pottery images of him vary quite considerably, in some he has a beard, in others he is clean shaven. Both are probably true. They come in many different sizes, and various colours of costume.
The death of Tom King