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James and John
- A True Story of Prejudice and Murder
- Narrated by: Chris Bryant
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
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Summary
They had nothing to expect from the mercy of the crown; their doom was sealed; no plea could be urged in extenuation of their crime, and they well knew that for them there was no hope in this world.
When Charles Dickens wrote these tragic lines he was penning fact, not fiction. He had visited the condemned cells at the infamous prison at Newgate, where seventeen men who had been sentenced to death were awaiting news of their pleas for mercy. Two men were particularly striking: James Pratt and John Smith, who had been convicted of homosexuality. Theirs was ‘an unnatural offence’, a crime so unmentionable it was never named. That was why they alone despaired and, as the turnkey told Dickens, why they alone were ‘dead men’.
The 1830s ushered in great change in Britain. In a few short years the government swept away slavery, rotten boroughs, child labour, bribery and corruption in elections, the ban on trades unions and civil marriage. They also curtailed the ‘bloody code’ that treated 200 petty crimes as capital offences. Some thought the death penalty itself was wrong. There had not been a hanging at Newgate for two years; hundreds were reprieved. Yet when the King met with his ‘hanging’ Cabinet, they decided to reprieve all bar James and John. When the two men were led to the gallows, the crowd hissed and shouted.
In this masterful work of history, Chris Bryant delves deep into the public archives, scouring poor law records, workhouse registers, prisoner calendars and private correspondence, meticulously recreates the lives of two men whose names are known to history – but whose story has been lost, until now.
Critic reviews
'This is the best kind of angry history: meticulously researched, vividly written, deeply humane and making an utterly compelling case. It keeps faith with the dead, and in doing so gives us something to celebrate, fervently, in the present' (Ronald Hutton)
'A heart-breaking account of a grave injustice and the social climate of homophobic prejudice that made it possible' (Peter Tatchell)
What listeners say about James and John
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- Liz
- 05-03-24
Knowledge and research
Well written. Such a harrowing story of injustice and all that is wrong with the justice system. At least, in some ways, man has learnt a lot by past mistakes and we have come a long way from past prejudice, but unfortunately, still a way to go for some. Thank you. Heart goes out to James and John xx
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- Dennis J. Williams
- 08-05-24
Superb
Well researched and read with an in-depth analysis of events and attitudes to homosexuality in the 18th and early 19th century. This is a book that ranges widely and would appeal to anyone interested in the social history of this period
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- Em1991
- 29-03-24
James and John
incredibly sad story of James, John and other men. very informative book for those of us who didn't know the extent of this cruelty, well researched and easy enough to follow. I like the way Bryant chose James and John as the subjects of this book, them being the last to be hanged brings home how barbaric it all was. their story will stay with me.
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- Paul ap Rhys
- 12-04-24
injustice and prejudice,
The dispassionate way in which Chris Bryant presents the facts must have been difficult at times. Even to this day the injustice and incompetence of those who condemned these men lasts into the twenty first century, especially on the right wing. A recent PM referring to homosexual men as ‘bum boys in tank tops.
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- dglambeth
- 17-03-24
Hidden History
At a time when a generation missed any teaching about the history of the LGBT community thanks to Section 28 and we have people online rewriting the history of LGBT persecution before World War 2, it seems more important than ever to have well researched accounts such as this to remind us where we have come from and how we got here. Thanks for putting in the work, Chris Bryant. A fascinating listen!
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- Amazon Customer
- 05-04-24
Fascinating insights
Excellent historical and political background and well researched, providing context and humanity to the plight of condemned criminals
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- ashford
- 12-04-24
Worthwhile listen
A lot of research has been done, but a pity perhaps that we get to hear all of it without a little more selection. The main problem is that James and John ultimately remain ciphers and we do not really know enough about them to be fully involved perhaps. It would need a historical novelist perhaps to truly bring it all to life. A dazzling tour d'horizon of the 1830s? An intriguing glimpse into the lives of gay men in the early 19th Century in Britain? An account of penal processes in the England of William IV? There are bits of all of that but mostly I felt lightning failed to strike three times. Enjoyable, though, and definitely informative. I didn't regret listening to it.
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