Spence hanging in Effigy

When people pass on, their memories remain through the stories we tell. Over time, many of those stories can be forgotten or lost to time. However, sometimes those legacies can be revived. In this case, the legacy of Spence Broughton was revived many generations later through music and poetry. Simon Newton shares his family’s remembrance of a convicted criminal and the folklore created over the generations since his death.

Simon would like to acknowledge the contributions of his father, Tim, as well as Rob Hindle (a poet published on Long Barrow Press), Mel Jones (Geographical Historian and Sheffield & Rotherham Expert), Professor Ian Rotherham of Sheffield Hallam University, Dave Cree (Guide, York Castle Museum), Clara Morgan (Curator of Social History, Sheffield Weston Park Museum), and Ewan Maccoll (His song ‘Spence Broughton’ is available on Ewan Maccoll – Anthology)

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