Life and Crimes of William Palmer, The

Date: 1998
Director: Alan Dossor
Production Company: WGBH Boston, Yorkshire Television

Stars: Keith Allen, Jayne Ashbourne, Judy Cornwell, Richard Coyle, Freddie Jones, Stephen Moore, Chloe Newsome, Eileen O'Brien
Location(s): Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire

Region(s):

Storyline:

A calculating surgeon uses poison to settle scores and wipe out gambling debts.

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by Phil Wilkinson

A film made for television

 

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We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.

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Decked in black, a lurry waits outside the gates of a midlands churchyard ... St John the Baptist, Kirkby Wharfe, North Yorkshire identified by Steve Randall.

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Beside an open grave, the Vicar (Aubrey Phillips) presides over the funeral of George Abley who died whilst taking part in a drinking bet with newly qualified surgeon, William Palmer... Kirkby Wharfe, as above. (SR)

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The story moves on to Rugeley in the year 1847. Dunroyal in Helperby, North Yorkshire.

William Dods returned to the location.

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A market is in progress in the small Staffordshire town. Dunroyal with Main Street visible beyond the Jubilee Fountain.

William Dods provides this shot featuring the fountain.

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On Market Street, a coach brings William and Annie Palmer to their new home. The street is played by Main Street in Helperby.

Main Street now by William Dods.

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Outside the surgeon’s new home, Postmaster Samuel Cheshire (Dominic Borrelli) greets his old school friend William Palmer (Keith Allen) and is introduced to Annie (Jayne Ashbourne).

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The townsfolk talk about Annie as she shops in the market. Looking across to the west side of Helperby’s Main Street.

William Dods captures the scene without set dressing.

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William and Annie lunch with his Mother and family at her house beside the Trent & Mersey Canal on Station Road. The building stands between the River Aire and the Aire & Calder Navigation at Thwaite Mills Museum, Stourton near Leeds in West Yorkshire and was recognised by Neil Dowlan who adds "I was on the curatorial staff at the time of filming and the location team very kindly redecorated the downstairs rooms in the mill owners house."

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Mrs. Palmer (Judy Cornwell) is rowed away after avoiding giving a loan to William. Neil Dowlan locates this as Thwaite House at Thwaite Mills Museum in Stourton with the Aire & Calder Navigation flowing in the foreground.

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William and Annie drive to Abbots Bromley to borrow £100 from her mother, Mary Thornton. An unidentified location.

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The couple find property owner Ms. Thornton in bed and calling for gin.

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Masters (Peter Schofield), the landlord of The Talbot Arms stands looking across at the Palmer’s house. The real Talbot Arms Inn still stands in Rugeley after becoming the Shrewsbury Arms Hotel and, more recently, being renamed The Shrew. However, this is Main Street in Helperby.

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The Palmer’s Maid looks out for the coach bringing Mary to stay with William and her daughter. Main Street in Helperby.

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Soon after the death of her Mother, Mr. Hatterswaite (Bill Monks) asks Mrs. Palmer if he can expect her husband's bills to be paid soon.

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The funeral of Leonard Bladon takes place following the deceased's sudden decline in health during a short stay with Mr. and Mrs. Palmer... "Whixley Church, North Yorkshire. I was peering over the wall at some of the night filming!" says Andrew Gowlett (SJ)... and confirmed as the Church of the Ascension, Whixley by SR.

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Leonard’s brother Henry catches up with William as the mourners leave the graveside. Whixley Church. (SR)

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Henry Bladon (John Bleasdale) questions William about missing money and an outstanding debt. Main Street with Helperby War Memorial in the left background.

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Annie watches as the Blaydon family depart without redress. Main Street, Helperby with the first property on Bridge Street in the right background.

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A horse is led into the courtyard where an Auctioneer is waiting.

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William attends the auction where he becomes acquainted with John Parsons Cook.

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An establishing shot of Mayfair in London . . . but in reality the Number Houses at 20 to 22 Minster Yard in Lincoln, Lincolnshire identified by Steve Randall.

Not very much like Mayfair nowadays at all! SJ

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The surgeon arrives to ask for a fifth loan from Pratt using bills bearing the forged signatures of his Mother and his new friend John Cook. Located by Steve Randall, the background features the Number Houses on Minster Yard in Lincoln.

The shrubbery has done well. SJ

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Jim drives a frantic Annie to the stables when she discovers that her husband has taken their son William to see his horse Polestar.

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Two moneylenders from Birmingham leave after a meeting with William. Facing north on Main Street with the former Methodist Church in the left background.

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Having pondered recent events whilst out driving, Annie Palmer returns home. Helperby House in Helperby, North Yorkshire.

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After taking out an insurance policy on his wife, William enters the Post Office to pick up mail from Samuel Cheshire. Looking out onto Main Street.

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Palmer leaves the town’s apothecary after being refused antimony potassium tartrate by Mr. Salt’s assistant. Next door to The Golden Lion public house on Main Street.

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The funeral of Annie Palmer takes place. Whixley Church in North Yorkshire. (SR)

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Mr. Pratt (James Warrior) visits Rugeley in an attempt to collect debts from William. Main Street, Helperby.

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In the street outside The Talbot Inn, John Parsons Cook (Richard Coyle) plays cricket. The green shop fronts in the background were added for filming.

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At the Raven Hotel in Shrewsbury, Cook celebrates a good day at the races as William curses to himself that he hadn't enough money to make a bet.

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A coach bringing Cook's step-father, Mr. Stephens from London, draws up outside The Talbot Arms before a post-mortem is ordered on his son.

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As the post-mortem is conducted inside the inn, William attempts to bribe Jim, the Post Boy (Tim Stern) into upsetting the coach that will carry Mr. Stephens and his evidence back to the station for the journey to Guy's Hospital in London.

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The coach moves round to the front of the inn. The archway to the left that connects the buildings was created for the film.

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Dr. Bamford (Freddie Jones) stands in the doorway of The Talbot Arms as Mr. Stephens follows with a jar containing Cook’s stomach.

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Sarah (Charlotte Emmerson) and George Palmer (Christian Burgess) support their mother as they leave the Town Hall after the Coroner declares that her son William has a case to answer. The entrance beneath the clock tower of the Almshouses built by the Coates family in 1873.

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Masters tells William Vernon Stephens (Stephen Moore) that there may be enough evidence to arrest Palmer but not enough to hang him.

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Mr. Stephens has a private word with Charles and Elizabeth (Daryl Fishwick). Outside The Golden Lion on Main Street, the sign post of which stands in the left foreground.

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An angry crowd gathers outside the surgeon’s house as Palmer is led away by Policemen after his arrest.

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Following sentencing, a gallows is erected outside Stafford Gaol.

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Construction continues as his brother Thomas visits him in the condemned cell.

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Inside the prison, William declines a visit by his son.

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After the contents are auctioned off to settle debts, the house that was once the Palmer’s home stands empty.

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The streets of Rugeley are deserted as almost the whole population travel to Stafford to witness Palmer’s execution. Main Street in Helperby, North Yorkshire.

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From the scaffold, Policemen look down into the joyous crowd of around 30,000 onlookers.

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As a nearby clock strikes 8, the prisoner awaits his doom.

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Sheltering her only surviving grandson William, Mrs. Sarah Palmer berates a group of onlookers gathered outside her house.

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As a post-script, Joyce Evans provides this and the following two images which were taken during filming.

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Joyce's family lived in Helperby from the 1750s to the 1970s so she went along out of interest to see what the village may have looked like in the mid 19th century.

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A final shot of Helperby taken by Joyce in the summer of 1997 as the streets were transformed into Rugeley.