Joseph William Noble

Overview

Joseph William Noble was executed by hanging in Durham on March 24, 1908. He was convicted of the murder of John Patterson, who was shot dead at a Co-op store at Windy Nook in Gateshead.

Timeline

• beginning of November 1907 — Two watchmen saw an intruder enter the back door of the Co-op store at Windy Nook.
• November 1907 — The intruder was set upon by watchman Ather; John Patterson was shot through the head and died several hours later; the intruder escaped through a window.
• March 24, 1908 — Joseph William Noble was executed by hanging in Durham.
• 24 March 1908 — Noble’s last words to the executioner were recorded as: "Don't hurt my neck".

The offence

In November 1907, a brutal killing occurred in a Co-op store at Windy Nook in Gateshead. Goods had been missing from the store without signs of forced entry. The store owner posted watchmen to address increasing burglaries at the store that autumn. The incident began when two watchmen saw an intruder enter through a back door at the beginning of November 1907.

One watchman, called Ather, set upon the intruder. The other guard, John Patterson, became fearful that his colleague was handing out a beating too brutal and told him to calm down. Both men then took hold of the intruder, but the intruder managed to pull out a gun from his pocket and fired point blank at Patterson. Patterson fell dead.

The intruder continued firing while Ather secured all the exits. The intruder then escaped through a window and vanished.

John Patterson died several hours later. The case also included Christopher Carr, who was wounded in the hip, leaving him permanently disabled.

Investigation

Police enquiries led to Joseph William Noble, a local colliery blacksmith. Large amounts of Co-op goods were found in his stores. Tools of his trade were also found that could be used for housebreaking.

A stated difficulty was that committee members all knew Joe Noble and swore the man in the shop had been a stranger.

Arrest

Joseph William Noble was arrested soon after the incident. He was identified as the intruder as the man who had entered the store and escaped. The account stated that Noble protested his innocence but was found in possession of some items stolen from the store.

Trial

Joseph William Noble was tried before Mr Justice Chanell at Durham Assizes.

When asked if he had anything to say before sentence of death was passed, Noble remarked:

"You may break my neck, but you won't break my heart!"

Sentencing

Sentence of death was passed.

Execution

Joseph William Noble was executed by hanging on March 24, 1908, in Durham. Henry and Thomas Pierrepoint carried out the execution on the 24th March 1908 in Durham. Noble was forty eight at the time of his death. His last words to the executioner were:

"Don't hurt my neck"

Other details

The narrative described committee members and a young Co-op apprentice laying in wait for the thief; three committee members and a young Co-op apprentice were said to have tackled the intruder during a violent struggle. In that struggle, Christopher Carr was wounded in the hip, leaving him permanently disabled. The intruder then pulled out a gun and shot one man, John Patterson, through the head.

The account also described Mrs Ather, who lived above the stores and was married to one of the committee men. She pursued the intruder after chasing him while clad only in a nightdress and brandishing an axe, but the intruder made off.

Joseph William Noble was described as a Gateshead blacksmith employed by the LNER Railway.