THE NORTH RIDING PROJECT

Almost to the summit of the pass there are farmhouses, but these have a wild, grim air, in keeping with their surroundings. It was at one of them that the gruesome Hand of Glory, the hand of a dead murderer, was used by robbers to prevent sleepers from waking.

Pontefract/Tour

The Hand must be cut from the corpse as soon as possible after death, a fact which meant that most hangings were attended by criminals who were anxious to acquire a Hand. Once severed, the Hand was tightly wrapped in a shroud or a draw-sheet which was severely tightened to squeeze out the last drops of blood. The next stage was to put it through a curing or pickling process. One method was to use a solution of salt, saltpetre and pepper, all carefully powdered and it was allowed to absorb this mixture for about two weeks. This has been likened to the curing of a ham or side of bacon, a skill in which country folk excelled.

Walker/Murders