Aberdeens Hanging Stone

Not a overly exciting blip as it is just a stone in the ground but is you read on you'll see some facts i've dug up on it.

A small but fascinating museum in the old Tolbooth, at the east end of the Town House, nearest Castle Street.

The old town hall and jail is incorporated behind the facade of Aberdeen's Town House and is now a museum. Pictured here you can see the tower with the "Mannie in the Green" old town water supply in the foreground.

For many years there was a square of cobble stones in the road just outside the Tolbooth (STILL THERE), which marked the site of the last public hanging in Aberdeen. The gallows faced the ancient "flyover" (yes the old stone bridge has been replaced with a wider concrete one to cross the dual carriageway!) from Castle Street, down Marischal Street to the Harbour.

Hence the old expression in Aberdeen for anyone who has done something wrong: "You'll end up looking doon Marischal Street!".

Although not at this location the last public hanging in Scotland and details of how it came about (harrowing reading) are below:

On 2 February 1957, Thomas Guyan married Margaret May, and a year later they moved into a first floor flat at 14 Jackson Terrace, Aberdeen, a house owned by May's grandmother Annie Henderson.

A son was born in September 1958, followed by a second in February, 1961; however, the father of this second child was not Thomas. This led to marital problems which came to a head in 1962 when Margaret consulted a solicitor about the possibility of a divorce which her husband refused. Then, in December of that same year she went to work at John R. Stephen Fish Curers where she met a new admirer, Henry Burnett.

A relationship soon developed and by May 1963, Margaret had moved out of Jackson Terrace with her younger son Keith to share a new address in Skene Terrace with Burnett.

Events of 31 May 1963Henry Burnett came to believe that, given the chance, Margaret would leave him, so he took to locking her in the house whenever he went out. This was not a state of affairs which Margaret relished so when she by chance met her estranged husband again on 31 May, she agreed to go back to him.

Margaret Guyan arrived at 40 Skene Terrace at 4.00pm, to collect her son Keith. A family friend, Georgina Cattanagh, went with her for moral support. As soon as Margaret announced her intention to go back to her husband Burnett cried "Margaret, Margaret, you are not going to leave me!" He then drew a knife to Margaret's throat, closing the door behind them.

Fearful of what was happening inside, Cattanagh banged repeatedly on the front door and demanded the release of Margaret. Minutes later Burnett threw open the door and ran off down the street. Margaret was shaken but relatively unhurt. The two women made their way back to Jackson Terrace.

Burnett went to his brother Frank's workplace and told him what had happened; his brother urged him to go to the police. But Burnett, still set on revenge, instead went to Frank's house in the city's Bridge of Don area to borrow his brother's shotgun. Although Frank's wife had been told never to lend the gun to anyone, Burnett forced the cabinet open and stole the gun along with cartridges. He then boarded a bus to 14 Jackson Terrace.

He arrived at the Guyans' flat and forced his way in. Cattanagh screamed "You can't come in here!", Thomas Guyan jumped to his feet to see what the problem was. As he opened the kitchen door he was met by Burnett, carrying the gun. A shot rang out and Guyan fell dead, having been shot in the face at close range. Burnett then took Margaret out of the flat at gun point and on the way down the stairs he threatened a young boy from a neighbouring flat.

Burnett dragged Margaret down a lane and as far as a garage on Seaforth Road, near the main route north out of Aberdeen. There John Innes Irvine was filling his car with petrol when Burnett demanded his car. Irvine tried to stop Burnett stealing the car but was threatened with the shotgun. The police were soon notified and began following the car which was driving North towards Peterhead. After driving for about 15 miles Burnett pulled the car over near the town of Ellon, and offered no resistance as he was arrested by Constable James G. Raeper and Constable Mitchell.

TrialAt his trial, Burnett's defence was that at the time of the crime he was insane or alternatively, that this was a case of diminished responsibility. Both defences failed after the jury had considered the evidence for 25 minutes. The court heard about Burnett's mental state and it was revealed he had been violent in the past and had attempted suicide. His mother and father both appeared in the witness box and his mother broke down in the court.

After he was sentenced to death, both his own family and that of the victim petitioned for his reprieve.

There was, however, no appeal from Burnett, and on the morning of 15 August 1963 the 21-year old was executed on the UK's newest gallows (built in 1962 to Home Office approved specifications) as a crowd of 200 people gathered outside the jail. Shortly after the execution, Burnett's body was buried in an unmarked grave within the walls of the prison, as was customary.