shellyb on Family Tree Circles

Daniel EAST was born in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England on 10 Sept 1844. He was the son of Joseph EAST and Sarah POLEYKETT. On 22 July 1864 he married Ellen PLESTED at the Lower Baptist Chapel in Amersham, Buckinghamshire. They had four children, Albert b. 1865, Martha b. 1868, David b. 1874 and Frederick b. 1876.

By 1874 the family had moved to Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire but times were hard and Daniel was struggling to feed his family. In 1877 Daniel applied for parish relief but his claim was opposed by the local magistrate as he had twice convicted Daniel for public house rows. Daniel was distraught and could not see how his family would survive.

On Saturday 24 Feb 1877 Daniel took his two youngest children, David aged 3 and Frederick aged 8 months for a walk across the meadows. When he reached Pond Meadow he murdered the children by slitting their throats. He then laid the bodies next to each other and covered them with a blanket, placing a bible on top of them. Daniel then walked back to the town with the intention of murdering the magistrate who he expected to be at the petty sessions but on arrival he discovered it was not bench day, so walked instead to the police station where he gave himself up. He stated that he had murdered two of his children, handed the bloodstained knife over and told the police where the bodies could be found. The bodies were taken to the Crooked Billet public house where they awaited a coroners inquest.

Daniel was brought before the county magistrate and remanded in custody stating that he wished to be hanged immediately for his crime.

On 5 March 1877 Daniel stood trial for the murder of his children. He said he had done the deed because ?he had not a bit of bread to give the five children, so he thought he would take two of them and put them out the way. He had no ill feeling against his children, but did not wish to see them come to the Union.? At the trial it became clear that Daniel had suffered with mental illness problems and had been an in-patient at the West Herts Infirmary suffering from mental derangement. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder against him but not guilty on the grounds of insanity.

Daniel EAST was committed to the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum in Berkshire, England where on 1 June 1911, aged 66, he died. Daniel had been in Broadmoor for a total of 34 years.

There are many variations of the POLEYKETT surname, including:- POLLIKETT/POLLICOTT/POLLICUTT/POLLYKETT//POLYKETT


My 4 x great grandfather John POLEYKETT was born in 1800 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire. His occupation was that of a chair maker. He died in the St Pancras workhouse at the age of 74 on 18 Nov 1874. He was the son of Joseph POLLICATT and Sarah HORWOOD. He married Ann DELL on 30 May 1819 in Chesham Buckinghamshire. She was born 1803 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire and died Apr 1872 in London.

I know of 12 children born to John and Ann.

William POLEYKETT was born 6 Jan 1820 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, and died in Bethnal Green Workhouse on 6 Oct 1898. His occupation was the same as his fathers, a chair maker. He married Sophia PLUMERIDGE at St Pancras Church on 22 Nov 1848.

Sarah POLEYKETT was born 23 April 1824 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, and died 1875 in Chesham. She married Joseph EAST on 17 July 1844. There eldest son Daniel EAST committed a horrific double murder two years after Sarah's death which I shall post about in a separate journal.

Elizabeth POLEYKETT was born 7 Nov 1826 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England and died 1887 in Dartford, Kent. She never married and lived with her parents until their deaths.

Louisa POLEYKETT was born 25 December 1828 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, and died Dec 1877 in London, England. (my 3 x great grandmother). She married first Francis Welsby HOLLAND on 15 July 1846 and was widowed in 1851. She went on to marry Edward Henry SAMPSON on 27 March 1854. There were children from both marriages.

Catherine POLEYKETT was born 13 Nov 1830 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England and died in 1866 at Amersham, Buckinghamshire, England. She married Joseph LACEY on February 21 1855 at Amersham.

Eliza POLEYKETT was born 1831 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire.

George POLEYKETT was born 4 Nov 1832 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, and died Jul 1870 in Greater London, England. Like his father and brother William, George followed in the profession of chair maker. He married Eliza MURRELL on 20 May 1861.

Joseph POLEYKETT was born 4 June 1834 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England, and died at the age of 44 in Apr 1879 at Westminster, London. Also a chair maker. He married Rosina JENKINS on 27 July 1857.

Sophia POLEYKETT was born 2 December 1835 in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, England.

Martha POLEYKETT was born Dec 1837 in Buckinghamshire and died aged 6 at Pancras, London on 29 Mar 1844.

Henry POLEYKETT was born 1840 in St Pancras, London and died aged 4 on 17 Apr 1844 St Pancras, London.

Mary Ann POLEYKETT was born 18 Dec 1843 in Pancras, London. She married Joseph WINCHESTER on 18 May 1862.

Be great to hear off anyone with any connection or information on the POLEYKETT family.