A chilling wind whispers secrets through the trees. We stand before the Execution Site Plaque in Auckland. This unassuming stone marks a grim chapter in Auckland’s history. It commemorates a place where public executions once took place. This spot witnessed the final moments of convicted murderers. Their lives ended here on the corner of Queen Street and Victoria Street West.
The plaque itself is simple. It bears a stark inscription. The words tell the story of Joseph Burns. He was publicly hanged here in 1848. His crime was the brutal murder of Lieutenant Snow and his family. Imagine the scene. Thousands gathered to watch a man die. This was before the abolition of public executions in 1858. The execution was a spectacle a morbid display of justice.
Before 1858 eight executions were public events. Five took place right here in Auckland. Another took place in Devonport on the waterfront. Two more were held in Wellington. The early executions lacked a professional hangman. Convicted criminals sometimes filled this role. They did so for reduced sentences or payment. By 1877 the sheriff of Blenheim proposed a change. He recommended hiring a professional. Tom Long an Irishman became New Zealand’s only known official hangman. He claimed previous experience in Australia.
The Execution Site Plaque serves as a somber reminder. It reminds us of a brutal past. Capital punishment in New Zealand was abolished for murder in 1941. The Labour government commuted all death sentences. The death penalty was briefly reinstated in 1949. This only lasted until 1957. This was when Walter James Bolton became the last person to be executed. His hanging took place at Mount Eden Prison.
This plaque stands as a testament to change. It reflects the evolution of societal attitudes towards justice. The shift from public executions to private ones and eventually to complete abolition. It’s a poignant reminder of a darker time in Auckland’s past. A time when justice was served in the most public and gruesome way imaginable. Let’s reflect on this history as we move on with our tour.