William Sheward

Background

William Sheward was a fifty seven year old tailor who murdered his fifty six year old wife, Martha Sheward, on 15 June 1851 by stabbing her to death with a pair of scissors. They had had a quarrel over money and he committed the crime in a rage. After killing his wife, he dismembered the body and successfully disposed of it.

He remarried in 1862. By 1868 he was running a public house in Norwich.

During a trip to London, Sheward got drunk. In a fit of remorse, he walked into a police station and confessed to the murder. When he sobered up, he tried to retract his statement. During the confession, he was able to say where his wife's remains were, and a search produced body parts belonging to an elderly woman.

Sheward had worked as the landlord of the Key and Castle Public house at no. 105, Oak Street, Norwich.

The offence

On 15 June 1851, Sheward killed his wife, Martha Sheward, by stabbing her to death with a pair of scissors. The quarrel had been over money, and he committed the crime in a rage.

After his wife lay at his feet, he proceeded to dispose of the corpse by hacking her body up into small manageable chunks. He began with her hands and feet and then continued.

He then placed the pieces in boiling water and heated them up on the kitchen stove. He began with her hands, then her head, and then the feet. Next he placed some of the now slightly cooked flesh into a pail.

Over the next few nights starting at Tabernacle Street, William Sheward roamed the Norwich streets with his pail and its contents, tossing out pieces such as a finger and a toe. Martha’s entrails were reportedly poked down one of the drains.

Some of Mrs. Sheward’s parts were scavenged by dogs, rats and the like. Other parts were found.

Investigation

Martha’s remains turned up all over the streets of the city of Norwich, stuffed into gullies and blocking drains. At the time, nobody associated these portions of female anatomy with Martha Sheward of Norwich. Instead the finger was pointed at some Norwich medical students who were known for their macabre sense of humour, and it was put down as a medical prank in very bad taste.

Two reasons were given for the police not linking the body parts with Mrs. Sheward: first, the head was never recovered; and second, they had no idea that Mrs. Sheward had been murdered.

In 1869, Sheward walked into a police station in South London and confessed to an astonished desk clerk that he had murdered his wife. Sheward was the landlord of the Key and Castle Public house at no. 105, Oak Street, Norwich, and the husband of the victim.

Arrest

Sheward confessed to the murder during a trip to London in 1869, walking into a police station in South London and speaking to an astonished desk clerk.

Trial

After the trial and a guilty verdict, Sheward broke down and confessed all the gruesome details relating to the demise of his first wife, the late Mrs. Sheward.

Sentencing

William Sheward was convicted and hanged by William Calcraft.

Appeals

No appeals were described.

Outcome

On 20th April 1869, William Sheward was hanged at Norwich City Gaol. His executioner was William Calcraft, one of the longest serving executioners of that era, known for his “short drops” which used to result in the majority of his clients strangling to death rather than having their necks broken.

Aftermath

It was said that Martha Sheward’s head was never found and remained unknown, because her husband would not say what became of it.

The case became known as the Tabernacle Murder.

It was also stated that a row took place in their small terraced house in Tabernacle Street (which was now the west end of Bishopsgate) over money. It was said to be the common cause of friction between the Shewards.

Despite the murder, Sheward kept an appointment for a job interview in Great Yarmouth after changing his blood splattered clothes first.

After the return to his house, it was stated that Martha’s body had not been discovered so he decided to dispose of the corpse. Neighbours accepted Sheward’s report that his wife had left him and returned to her family.

With the death of his wife, Sheward’s fortunes took a turn for the better, and he married again and took over the Key and Castle Public house at no. 105, Oak Street, Norwich.

The confession occurred “eighteen years” after the murder was described as having been committed, and it was stated that on January 1st 1869 William decided to confess while on a trip to London.