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Question

Do you know where I can find more information on the murder which took place in Stanton Park in 1764?

I have details from June Badeni's book " Wiltshire Forefathers" in that the murderer was William Jacques and the victim George Hartford and there followed a public execution at Hullavington. However I am interested in knowing more about HMS Stagg and where the sailors would have disembarked from. I also understand that the murderer was a rector's son but am interested in finding out which rector. Can you help, please?

Question asked on

03 May 2005

Answer

The surname 'Jacques' is reasonably common in Chippenham and the area to the north and north-west of the town. There is a Jacques Farm at Yatton Keynell. The father of William Jacques was Henry Jacques, who was rector of Leigh Delamare from 1752 to 1786. The Jacques family were still connected with Leigh Delamare in the 19th century with four brothers, two of whom were farmers in the parish.

I am afraid that I can find nothing on HMS Stagg either in reference book here, or on the web. You could try the National Maritime Museum - www.nmm.ac.uk - to see if they hold a record.

Bibliography

Institutiones Clericorum in Wiltoniae, by Sir Thomas Phillipps, 1825.
Web searches on Google and other search engines.