Jerry Abershawe
Louis Jeremiah Abershawe (better known as
Jerry Abershawe;
1773 -
1795) was a notorious
highwayman who terrorised travellers along the road between
London and
Portsmouth in the late
eighteenth century.
Born in
Kingston-upon-Thames in
Surrey, Abershawe started his life of crime at the age of seventeen, leading a gang based at the Bald Faced Stag Inn. He was eventually arrested in London at a
public house, The Three Brewers, in
Southwark. After a trial at
Croydon Assizes in July
1795, he was hanged at
Kennington Common.
His body was then taken to his old haunt of
Wimbledon Common where it was placed on a
gibbet — the last hanged highwayman's body to be so displayed.
Abershawe was sometimes known as 'The Laughing Highwayman' (ref: 'Weird Croydon')::"Although Abershaw was far removed from the romantic image of the loveable rogue, he possessed a healthy sense of humour, often incorporating his ironic wit into his robberies." an extract from the history book,
Local Highwaymen, reads, "Abershaw's humour seemed to be at its best when his personal fortunes were at their worst, for instance, at the time of his trial and eventual hanging a classic example of gallows humour."'
* http://www.met.police.uk/merton/Highwaymen.htm
*
Weird Croydon - see 'Creepy History' section
