Monument record MDR12737 - William Wood memorial stone, Whaley Lane, Whaley Bridge

A gritstone memorial stone stands by the roadside near the Cheshire/Derbyshire boundary in Whaley Bridge. It is inscribed 'WILLIAM WOOD / EYAM DERBYSHIRE / HERE / MURDERED / JULY 16TH / A.D. 1823 / PREPARE TO MEET THY / GOD'. (1) The Derby Mercury records the inquest held on July 19th. William Wood was a manufacturer returning from Manchester, where he had received a considerable sum of money, none of which was found on him. His head had been badly beaten, probably by stones taken from the wall by the side of the road. Several witnesses testified to seeing Wood with three young men, believed to be the murderers. The newspaper also includes in its report additional information taken from 'the neighbouring Journals'. (2) Full details of the murder, inquest and subsequent hunt for the murderers taken from 19th century newspaper reports are transcribed on the Whaley Bridge Local History website. This also includes a report on the erection of the memorial stone which took place in early April 1874, almost 51 years after the actual murder took place. (3)