Built In 1823 -26, The County Gaol Was One Of The Most Formidable Prisons In England

As might be expected of a place which was the scene of so much death and suffering, the site of the old prison at the end of Vernon Street is a heavily haunted location.

On 13th February 1862 Richard Thorley had an argument with his former girlfriend Eliza Morrow in Court No.4 Agard Street. He slashed her with a 'cut-throat' razor and fled, leaving her to bleed to death. 10 years old Charles Wibberly witnessed the attack; Thorley was convicted and sentenced to death. His hanging on April 11th outside The County Gaol was the last public execution in Derby; thousands of people came to see him die.

Shortly after his death stories began to circulate about strange sights and sounds in Agard Street. Eliza Morrow & Thorley were seen by numerous people haunting the site of the murder.

Both these ghosts still appear regularly. Local residents and workers at Longden's Fabric Spinners have given consistent accounts over the years - Thorley is chained and Morrow wears a blue dress. The Longden employees became so accustomed to either seeing or sensing the phantoms that they referred to them as 'Lizzy and Dick'. The ghosts are evidently unhappy with their earthbound state and their moaning sounds are said to be distinctly unsettling.

The Old Gaol ceased to be a place of detention & in 1932 after a brief attempt to use the buildings as pension offices failed - elderly people refused to attend a prison to collect their money! - it became a greyhound racing stadium & remained in that role until 1988. However, the hauntings continued.

In 1947 Bill W, a temporary employee at Derby Greyhound Stadium, spent an unforgettable night of terror at the track. You can read his story at Bedlam Library in the "Your True Ghost Tales" section.