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Cook, Thomas
1816 - 1862
The eerie stone face lingers on the west side of the main entrance of the old jail, now the Board of Health on Buller Street in Woodstock. He was the first person hanged in the jail yard on December 16, 1862. A blind laborer, he came from Nottingham, England in 1822. He was sentenced to death for the drunken murder of his wife. Thomas was dressed in a tattered blue coat with velvet collar, vest, and black pants. One of his toes was protruding through the sole of his shoe. Thomas knelt with Rev. Bettridge and repeated some prayers and verses of psalms. His sightless eyes looked up to the heavens for forgiveness. At five minutes to 11 the procession formed. Thomas was led to the scaffold platform built on the north wall of the jail yard. There were about 4,000 onlookers to watch the event unfold. It was reported that there were more women than men. The lever was drawn at exactly 11 o'clock and Thomas passed through the trap. It was particularly gruesome. His body was decapitated due his weight. His body was sold to a medical clinic at the corner of Finkle and Dundas Streets in Woodstock, where the Royal Bank is now located. A skeleton was uncovered at the old clinic site in 1903, prompting another flurry of ghost sightings, including prisoners who claimed to have seen a shadowy figure. It was said that a prisoner from cell number 13 began to scream. Guards ran to his aid only to find him huddled in the corner, shaking and mumbling. Afterwards the prisoner told of having a ghost appear to him three times that night. There were many reports of old Tom lurking around, perhaps he was looking for his head?
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