Bio

John Mapp was born in 1832 in England. In 1859, he was sent to Australia as punishment for assaulting an old woman. After serving his time, he returned to England.

By the time of his arrest in 1867, Mapp was living in Longden, where he worked as a farm laborer. He was employed by Mr. Whitfield. Mapp was known to the local community and attended chapel services. He was 35 years old at the time of the events that would lead to his execution.

Murder Story

On December 22, 1867, John Mapp murdered nine-year-old Catherine Lewis in Longden, Shropshire, England. After attending chapel, Catherine left the service around 7:30 PM. She was last seen walking home with Mapp.

The next day, John Aston, a waggoner, was working in a nearby field when he found a bloodstained black straw hat hidden in a holly bush. Aston showed the hat to Mapp, who suggested he bury it. After some time, the hat was identified as belonging to Catherine Lewis, who had not returned home the previous night.

Catherine’s father, John Lewis, discovered her body in an abandoned hovel after following drag marks he had found. Sadly, her throat had been cut. Aside from her hat, the only item missing was a brooch that belonged to her stepmother.

As the investigation continued, police found a patch of blood near the bush where the hat was discovered, which had been covered with manure. Mapp's home was searched, and the missing brooch was found in his coat pocket. He was arrested after authorities also discovered bloodstains on his clothes, which he claimed were from a nosebleed. A bloodstained knife was later found in his house.

John Mapp was tried on March 23, 1867, at the Shrewsbury Assizes. The jury quickly found him guilty of murder, and he was sentenced to death. Mapp was executed by hanging on April 9, 1867.