Thomas Cox 1861-1917.
UXORICIDE: Killing one's Wife.
Thomas Cox was born about 1861 at Sedgley in the County of Staffordshire, son of John. Thomas a self-employed fish hawker married Elizabeth Ellis the daughter of James, at The Parish Church, Ludlow in Shropshire on the 23rd of June 1886 they had eleven children, six boys and four girls, one died in infancy.
Thomas Cox was tried the 30th May 1913, at the Leominster Police Court, and fined 2/6 for driving without lights.
On the 11th August 1917 after 31 years of marriage, their 13 year old son Henry found his parents in the bedroom with their throat's cut, his mother dead and his father in a serious condition, who was taken to the infirmary.
Thomas Cox recovered and on Friday the 24th August 1917 was taken to Ludlow Police Court and charged with murder of his wife Elizabeth by cutting her throat with a razor on the 11th of August 1917, and afterwards did take the razor and attempted suicide by cutting his own throat.
Henry Cox, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth, aged 13 years, gave evidence at the inquest, in which he said, I was awakened in the middle of the night by the noise of my father hitting my mother. I lit a lamp, and mother asked for some water to bathe her head. I went towards the door and heard mother say. “Don't, for the sake of the children.”
The lamp went out, and I asked my mother if she had cut her throat, and she said. “Yes.” I saw my father with his throat cut, with a razor in his hand. I asked father if I should call auntie, he told me to go back to bed, or he would knock me under the ear. So I went to bed and went to sleep.
At the Shropshire Assizes on the 9th November 1917, Cox was sentenced to death by Mr. Justice Atkin.
Thomas Cox was executed at Shrewsbury Prison in Shropshire, on the 19th December 1917, by John Ellis and assisted by William Willis.
- Thomas Cox was born on 14th July 1889 at Lower Broad Street, Ludlow Shropshire. He died fighting for King and Country, on the 26th September 1917 in France.
- William Cox was born on 4th April 1891, at Frog Lane Ludlow Shropshire.
- Mary Ann Cox was born on 27th April 1893 at Old Street. She died in September 1899, aged 6 years.
- Jane Elizabeth Cox was christened on 21st April 1895 at Ludford.
- May Cox was born in 1898 at Leintwardine Herefordshire,
- Thomas Cox was tried on the 26th July 1898, at the Ludlow Police Court and fined 2/6, for being drunk and disorderly.
- Joseph and Hannah being twins were born in 1901, at Abdon in Shropshire.
- Henry Cox was born in 1904, at Abdon in Shropshire.
- David Cox was born in 1906, at Abdon in Shropshire.
- Thomas Cox was tried on the 24th December 1907, at the Ludlow Police Court and fined 20/- for abusive language.
- Benjamin Cox was born on 20th May 1909, at Ludlow, Shropshire.
Thomas Cox was tried the 30th May 1913, at the Leominster Police Court, and fined 2/6 for driving without lights.
On the 11th August 1917 after 31 years of marriage, their 13 year old son Henry found his parents in the bedroom with their throat's cut, his mother dead and his father in a serious condition, who was taken to the infirmary.
Thomas Cox recovered and on Friday the 24th August 1917 was taken to Ludlow Police Court and charged with murder of his wife Elizabeth by cutting her throat with a razor on the 11th of August 1917, and afterwards did take the razor and attempted suicide by cutting his own throat.
Henry Cox, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth, aged 13 years, gave evidence at the inquest, in which he said, I was awakened in the middle of the night by the noise of my father hitting my mother. I lit a lamp, and mother asked for some water to bathe her head. I went towards the door and heard mother say. “Don't, for the sake of the children.”
The lamp went out, and I asked my mother if she had cut her throat, and she said. “Yes.” I saw my father with his throat cut, with a razor in his hand. I asked father if I should call auntie, he told me to go back to bed, or he would knock me under the ear. So I went to bed and went to sleep.
At the Shropshire Assizes on the 9th November 1917, Cox was sentenced to death by Mr. Justice Atkin.
Thomas Cox was executed at Shrewsbury Prison in Shropshire, on the 19th December 1917, by John Ellis and assisted by William Willis.