George Forster
Encyclopedia
George Forster was found guilty of murdering his wife and child by drowning them in Paddington Canal, London
. He was hanged
at Newgate
on 18 January 1803, shortly after which his body was taken to a nearby house where it was used in an experiment by Italian
scientist Giovanni Aldini
.
At his trial the events were reconstructed. Forster's mother in law recounted that her daughter and grandchild had left her house to see Forster at 4 p.m. on Saturday 4 December 1802. Joseph Bradfield, in whose house Forster lodged, reported that they had stayed together that night and gone out at 10 a.m. on the Sunday morning. He also stated that Forster and his wife had not been on good terms because she wished to live with him. Various witnesses saw Forster with his wife and child in public houses near Paddington Canal during the day on the Sunday. The body of his child was found on the Monday morning and, after the canal was dragged for three days, his wife's body was also found.
Forster claimed that upon leaving The Mitre he set out alone for Barnet
in order to see his other two children who were in the workhouse
there, though he was forced to turn back at Whetstone
due to the failing light. This was contradicted by a waiter at the Mitre who said the three left the inn together. Scepticism was also expressed that he could have walked to Whetstone in the time he claimed. The jury found him guilty. He was hanged on 18 January, shortly before which he made a full confession. He said he had come to hate his wife and had twice before taken his wife to the canal but his nerve had both times failed him.
After the execution his body was given to Giovanni Aldini
for experimentation. Aldini was the nephew of fellow scientist Luigi Galvani
and an enthusiastic proponent of his uncle's method of stimulating muscles with electric current, known as Galvanism
. The experiment he performed on Forster's body was a demonstration of this technique. The Newgate Calendar
(a record of executions at Newgate) reports that, "On the first application of the process to the face, the jaws of the deceased criminal began to quiver, and the adjoining muscles were horribly contorted, and one eye was actually opened. In the subsequent part of the process the right hand was raised and clenched, and the legs and thighs were set in motion."
Several of those present believed that Forster was being brought back to life (The Newgate Calendar reports that even if this had been so, he would have been re-executed since his sentence was to "hang until he be dead") and one man, Mr Pass, the beadle of the Surgeons' Company, was so shocked that he died shortly after leaving. The hanged man was certainly dead, since his blood had been drained and his spinal cord
severed after the execution.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He was hanged
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
at Newgate
Newgate
Newgate at the west end of Newgate Street was one of the historic seven gates of London Wall round the City of London and one of the six which date back to Roman times. From it a Roman road led west to Silchester...
on 18 January 1803, shortly after which his body was taken to a nearby house where it was used in an experiment by Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
scientist Giovanni Aldini
Giovanni Aldini
Giovanni Aldini , Italian physicist born at Bologna, was a brother of the statesman Count Antonio Aldini and nephew of Luigi Galvani, whose treaties on muscular electricity he edited with notes in 1791....
.
At his trial the events were reconstructed. Forster's mother in law recounted that her daughter and grandchild had left her house to see Forster at 4 p.m. on Saturday 4 December 1802. Joseph Bradfield, in whose house Forster lodged, reported that they had stayed together that night and gone out at 10 a.m. on the Sunday morning. He also stated that Forster and his wife had not been on good terms because she wished to live with him. Various witnesses saw Forster with his wife and child in public houses near Paddington Canal during the day on the Sunday. The body of his child was found on the Monday morning and, after the canal was dragged for three days, his wife's body was also found.
Forster claimed that upon leaving The Mitre he set out alone for Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
in order to see his other two children who were in the workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
there, though he was forced to turn back at Whetstone
Whetstone, London
-Buses:* 34 - Barnet Church to Walthamstow Central bus/tube/railway station* 125 - Winchmore Hill to Finchley Central* 234 - Barnet to Highgate Wood * 251 - Edgware bus/tube station to Arnos Grove tube station...
due to the failing light. This was contradicted by a waiter at the Mitre who said the three left the inn together. Scepticism was also expressed that he could have walked to Whetstone in the time he claimed. The jury found him guilty. He was hanged on 18 January, shortly before which he made a full confession. He said he had come to hate his wife and had twice before taken his wife to the canal but his nerve had both times failed him.
Giovanni Aldini
Giovanni Aldini , Italian physicist born at Bologna, was a brother of the statesman Count Antonio Aldini and nephew of Luigi Galvani, whose treaties on muscular electricity he edited with notes in 1791....
for experimentation. Aldini was the nephew of fellow scientist Luigi Galvani
Luigi Galvani
Luigi Aloisio Galvani was an Italian physician and physicist who lived and died in Bologna. In 1791, he discovered that the muscles of dead frogs legs twitched when struck by a spark...
and an enthusiastic proponent of his uncle's method of stimulating muscles with electric current, known as Galvanism
Galvanism
In biology, galvanism is the contraction of a muscle that is stimulated by an electric current. In physics and chemistry, it is the induction of electrical current from a chemical reaction, typically between two chemicals with differing electronegativities....
. The experiment he performed on Forster's body was a demonstration of this technique. The Newgate Calendar
The Newgate Calendar
The Newgate Calendar, subtitled The Malefactors' Bloody Register, was a popular work of improving literature in the 18th and 19th centuries....
(a record of executions at Newgate) reports that, "On the first application of the process to the face, the jaws of the deceased criminal began to quiver, and the adjoining muscles were horribly contorted, and one eye was actually opened. In the subsequent part of the process the right hand was raised and clenched, and the legs and thighs were set in motion."
Several of those present believed that Forster was being brought back to life (The Newgate Calendar reports that even if this had been so, he would have been re-executed since his sentence was to "hang until he be dead") and one man, Mr Pass, the beadle of the Surgeons' Company, was so shocked that he died shortly after leaving. The hanged man was certainly dead, since his blood had been drained and his spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
severed after the execution.
Media
- The GalvanismGalvanismIn biology, galvanism is the contraction of a muscle that is stimulated by an electric current. In physics and chemistry, it is the induction of electrical current from a chemical reaction, typically between two chemicals with differing electronegativities....
experiment performed on George Forster was explored in the science channel's Dark Matters: Twisted But TrueDark Matters: Twisted But TrueDark Matters: Twisted But True is a television series featured on the Science Channel. It is hosted by John Noble.- External Links :*...
.
- George Forster was noted on History Channel show called, 'Zombies: A Living History'