Murder of William Longthorne

The murder of William Longthorne was a notorious 1828 murder which was reported in newspapers as far as Staffordshire and Scotland. Knowledge that there was a murder near the Cross Keys pub is still commonplace today. Longthorne, a 17 year old from Barmby Moor near Pocklington, was killed in a mugging by 20 year old William Mosey.

Murder
William Longthorne moved out of his parents' house in Pocklington on Tuesday 14 October, having saved money from his job as a post boy for a the coaching inn in Barmby Moor. On Thursday 16 October he was heading down the road from Leeds to Wakefield. There he met William Mosey, who had recently been released from Wakefield Prison. Hearing Longthorne was looking for a place to stay for the night, he showed him an inn a few doors down from his mother's house. On the morning of Friday 17 October, the two left Wakefield intent on heading to Ferrybridge where they would be able to catch the Leeds-Goole canal, Mosey claiming he intended to get a job in Hull. Passing Snydale at 8am, the two went up Commonside lane on the way to Acton. Mosey then led Longthorne down the Sewerbridge Beck, possibly to go to Featherstone. Along the beck, Mosey struck Longthorne on the head with an object and threw him into the beck to try and mug him. Longthorne climbed out and ran, but was grabbed by his right hand, allowing Mosey to slit his throat, cutting Longthorne's left fingers in the process. Mosey was spotted by nearby schoolchildren and fled before he could take more than five shillings of his money (a £1 note; a Guinea and a further eight shillings remained in his pocket). Longthorne was able to get up and run back to Snydale to get help at the Cross Keys. Falling down near the building, he was spotted by the landlord's daughter and help arrived. There the locals provided clothing to stop the bleeding and stitched the wound. Unable to speak, Longthorne was able to write down his name and address with assistance, and finally died at 11am the following day.