George Davenport of Wigston, Leicester(1758-1797)"The Dick Turpin of Wigston."
The Davenport family came to Wigston in the 1570s. They were prosperous and in 1650-1700 they were known as "peasant gentry," owning up to 200 or more acres of land in the parish. A George Davenport who died in 1713, had a personal estate worth £795. 5s. 6d. and crops both growing and in the barn were valued at £420, his livestock was worth £l86. In 1752 Samuel Davenport built a three-storey house in Bushloe End, known as the Elms, but today it is the British Legion Club. Possibly in this house the George Davenport of whom this story tells, was born in 1758. George was baptised at All Saints' Church, Wigston, on 5th November, 1759; it was little thought then the havoc and terror he was to cause later on in his lifetime.
A small book, published in 1797, stated that his father, who had originally been a farmer, later sold ale in Great Wigston. George was described as a "ready lad" and when he was old enough he was placed as an apprentice to a framework knitter, but this didn't last long; obviously good honest work was not George's forte. According to the book "he associated with young men of immoral and libertine habits, with whom he soon became if not the chief of drunkards, almost the chief of wrestlers, bowlers, jumpers and the like." George now decided to turn his hand to highway robbery and fraud, at which he seems to have made a substantial living.
His favourite trick was to gain the advance money that was paid to recruits on joining the army. He would find a sergeant and offer to join up, then after a session at the inn with drinks at the sergeant's expense, and money in his pocket, he would "bolt in the night, often on a stolen horse." On his own confession he had deserted no less than 40 times from various regiments. He was once sentenced to 600 lashes for deserting from the 40th Foot Regiment, he received 300 but the Adjutant shouted "Stop, it is in vain to punish him any more - he has no feeling." However, he did serve in the Leicestershire Militia during the American War of Independence.
For 18 years he operated on the highways around Leicester, making a practice of robbing the rich and giving to the poor inhabitants of Oadby and Wigston - a regular Robin Hood. Tradition has it that he used to hide in a cottage on the Leicester Road, and a gunstock and bridle found on the premises are believed to be his. Davenport often dined with a Mr. Ross, of London Road, Oadby.
He must have been a totally incorrigible chap. Many tales are told of his exploits; he would often rob people whilst they stood drinking at an Inn, after he had made them pay for drinks all round, and then distributed the rest of the money among the poor. On one occasion he went into the Bull's Head, in Belgrave, for a glass of ale. Some men were standing around a poster which was advertising a reward for the capture of Davenport. The men were discussing the best ways of catching George and getting the reward when George, having swallowed down his ale, said, "I am George Davenport, catch me if you can." Immediately he ran out of the door, down the garden, jumped the wall and was soon out of sight leaving the men in the public house wide-eyed and dumb- founded.
It seems George was a very athletic person, it is said he had no difficulty in jumping a five-barred gate. Just for fun one day, George walked round the battlements of a church (which church is not specified). Another time he did a jig on the roof of the Crown public house, in Wigston, calling the dance "Astley's horn- pipe."
On a further occasion an old man, who was accustomed to attending fairs, fell into conversation late one night with George, little suspecting who he was speaking to. He told George that he always put his money in his shoes. George asked him if he was not afraid to be out alone at nights, but the old man said there was only one person he was afraid of and that was George Davenport. Said George "I am George Davenport: off with your shoes, I must have your money," it was said later that he regretted robbing the old man.
...He was tried and convicted for highway robbery and fraud...
However, in August, 1797, George was captured; he had stopped on the highway a country butcher, who was returning from Hinckley market, intending to rob him but the butcher proved the stronger and George was handed over to a constable. He was tried and convicted at the Leicester Assizes for highway robbery and fraud.
He was driven to the gallows at Red Hill, in a post-chaise, accompanied by his brother. To show his contempt for the hangman, he was allowed to draw over his clothes the shroud in which his body was about to be buried, thus cheating the hangman out of his perquisites, which were considered to be all that was found or placed "outside the shroud" of the criminal on his being taken down from the "fatal tree.
The Leicester Journal for 1797 describes his behaviour at his execution:
His deportment on the morning of his fatal exit was manly and decisive,- nor did his fortitude for a moment forsake him. Dressed in his shroud and surrounded with all the paraphernalia of death he acquitted himself as a humble and penitent sinner looking anxiously forward towards another world for the consolation which his devotional exercises had given him reason to expect. He fully acknowledged the justness of his sentence as well as the crime for which he suffered. After remaining for some moments in prayer he gave the fatal signal and was launched into eternity at about one o'clock in the afternoon."
He was buried in All Saints' churchyard, Wigston. George left behind a son named William, who became a sergeant in the Royal Marines. Singularly, after his discharge, he obtained the situation of Head Turnkey at the CountyGaol, Welford Road. His wife also was Turnkey over the female prisoners.
This story is taken from the publication "Selected Legends of Leicestershire" by Susan E Green, published by Leicester Research Services, ImperialBuilding, 4 Halford Street, LeicesterLE1 1JB
MARRIAGE. :~
Leicestershire.
Wigston Magna.
All Saints Parish Church.
EBENEZER GOODRICH.~ LUCY DAVENPORT.
17.th. August. 1796.
By Banns
Notes in Margin :~
" He of St. Leonard’s of Leicester."
The Parish of St. Leonard’s is to the North West of the Centre of Leicester
The Church of St. Leonard’s use to stand on the corner of
North-gates / Woodgate & Abbey – Gate.
marriage in wigston
BALL JOHN * DAVENPORT ANN * 9 OCT 1671
SEELE THOMAS * DAVENPORT PENELOPE 6 SEP 1675
FACE Wm. * DAVENPORTALICE 7 AUG 1681
BRAY Wm. * DAVENPORT KATHERINE 29 JUN 1682
DAVENPORT THOMAS LEWIS KATHERINE 28 APR 1687
PERKINS PETER DAVENPORT ELIZ. 14 JAN 1691
JOHNSON WILL. DAVENPORT MARY 25 JAN 1701 147
DAVENPORT GEORGE LEWIS MARY 6 JUN 1702 147
RICHARDSON THO. DAVENPORT SUSANNA 23 MAY 1702 147
TRUEMAN JAMES * DAVENPORTALICE 12 OCT 1703
DAVENPORT Rd. TAYLBY SUSANNAH 21 JUN 1724 149
HURST THO. COLTMAN ELIZ. 25 OCT 1726
DAVENPORT Wm. CONDUIT MARY 18 JAN 1736
WARD JOSEPH DAVENPORT ELIZ. 1 JAN 1744
DAVENPORT THOMAS SNOW ELIZ. 23 OCT 1755
COLTMAN RANDOLPH COX MARY 5 SEP 1756 153
DAVENPORT JOHN INGHAM ANN 22 NOV 1756 153
COLTMAN Wm. * COLTMAN MARY 27 NOV 1756
BUNNEY THOMAS * DAVENPORT MARY 12 FEB 1759
FREER JOHN * DAVENPORT MARY 23 MAR 1772
DAVENPORT JOHN MOORE ANNE 29 JUN 1772
TALBOT THOMAS * DAVENPORT MARY 8 SEP 1773
DAVENPORT SAMUEL * BREWIN ANNE 14 NOV 1773
ARCHER Wm. DAVENPORT JANE 22 OCT 1775
FEWKES JOHN * DAVENPORT SARAH 25 DEC 1775
DAVENPORT JOHN PAIN HANNAH 25 DEC 1775
RINGROSE THOMAS DAVENPORT MARY 31 DEC 1776
WARBURTON ROBERT DAVENPORT ELIZ. 5 JUN 1778
FOSTER JOHN DAVENPORT JANE 24 JUN 1781 161
DAVENPORT THOMAS DANN ANN 24 JUN 1781
DAVENPORT JOHN CLARK MARY 21 OCT 1784
POCHIN JOHN DAVENPORT MARY 20 NOV 1792
WARD DAVENPORT CRAMP MARY 21 JAN 1793
GOODRICH EBENEZER * DAVENPORT LUCY 17 AUG 1796
ILIFFE SIMON * GOODRICH ELIZ. 17 AUG 1796
DAVENPORT JOHN HIPWELL ELIS. 3 DEC 1797
NUNNELEY JOSEPH * DAVENPORT ELIZ. 23 MAY 1799
168
VERNON MICHAEL * DAVENPORT CATHERINE 2 JUL 1801
DAVENPORT Wm. INGRAM ABIGAIL 24 FEB 1804 169
HARDING FRANCIS COLTMAN ELIZ. 2 APR 1804 169
DAKIN JOHN DAVENPORT ALICE 26 SEP 1804
VANN JOSEPH DAVENPORT CATHERINE 21 FEB 1808
MEASURES JOHN DAVENPORT CATHERINE 28 JAN 1810
HARRISON Wm. DAVENPORT MARY 22 APR 1811
SHARMAN Wm. DAVENPORT ANN 1 AUG 1814
DAVENPORT ROBERT WESTON KATHERINE 3 DEC 1815
DAVENPORT SAMUEL DURAND SARAH 16 APR 1816
LANGHAM ROBERT DAVENPORT ANN FREER 3 AUG 1817
JOYNER STEPHEN DAVENPORT CATHARINE 2 NOV 1817
DAVENPORT TIMOTHY CARR JANE 15 FEB 1818
DAVENPORT CHARLES HEARD SOPHIA 20 AUG 1821
GAMBLE Wm. DAVENPORT JANE 31 MAR 1823
DAVENPORT SAMUEL MARLOW JANE 26 DEC 1831
Martin Robert DAVENPORT <> lives in Mougins, Alpes Maritimes, France.
LINEAGE: Richard d.1623/4, Gt Wigston, Leics, UK>Henry:1587-1656>Thomas:1629-1709>George:1677-1712>Samuel:1708-1775>John:1737-1788>George:1782-1846>Robert:1816-1896>Cecil:1863-1926>Robert:1893-1961. From Richard to John they were farmers/landowners in Wigston, George was a banker in Oxford, Robert a farmer/landowner in South Australia, Cecil a medical missionary in China, and Robert a doctor in London.
COMMENTS: Family tradition has it that Richard was a younger son of the Bramhall, Cheshire, branch of the family, but no proven link has yet been found.