John Dean (c. 1620 – c. 23 February 1629) was an 8- or 9-year-old English boy who was hanged during the reign of Charles I

John Dean (c. 1620 – c. 23 February 1629) was an 8- or 9-year-old English boy who was hanged during the reign of Charles I. He is likely the youngest person ever to be executed in England.

In fact, the youngest person ever hanged was in Berkshire in 1629. He was John Dean, aged just eight and he'd set fire to two buildings in Windsor which got him convicted of arson at the Abingdon Assizes on the 23rd of February. Back then, Abingdon was Berkshire's county town and that's where the young lad was tried and hanged for his sins.

Sadly for young John, the criminal age of responsibility at the time was seven and the judge, Mr. Justice Whitelock, found evidence of 'malice, revenge and cunning' and therefore did not recommend a reprieve for the boy. 


That was a fate more commonly spared for the young rogues like those pictured. On the left, was 11 year old William Downes, from Eton, sentenced to one month in prison and another four years in the Reformatory for stealing books. His profession is listed as "shoemaker". School, I guess was a luxury he could never afford. On the right, ten year old Frederick Isaacs, a plasterer's labourer from Slough, also nicked for stealing books and put in the slammer for seven days.


Innocent (looking) faces from hard times. I wonder what happened to them

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