List of executions

Those executed in New Zealand

Between Maketu’s execution in 1842 and Walter Bolton in 1957, there were a further 82 executions. The year 1866 was the busiest, with 10 executions in total. Only one woman has been hanged in New Zealand and that was Williamina (Minnie) Dean – the so-called Winton Baby Farmer – who was executed at Invercargill in August 1895. Executions were carried out in 10 different centres. In total, 41 people were executed in Auckland, 17 in Wellington and 7 in Lyttelton.

Person executed, (place of execution) and date of execution

• Wiremu Kingi Maketu (Auckland) 7 March 1842
• Joseph Burns (Auckland) 17 June 1848
• Maroro (Wellington) 19 April 1849
• William Good (Wellington) 17 June 1850
• William Bowden (Auckland) 27 April 1852
• Charles Marsden (Auckland) 12 February 1856
• John White (Auckland) 11 July 1856
• Kohn Killey (Auckland) 18 March 1858
• James Collins (Wellington) 30 January 1862
• Taherei (Picton) 10 July 1863
• Richard Harper (Auckland) 22 September 1863
• Ruarangi (Auckland) 18 April 1864
• Nikotema Okoroa (Auckland) 18 April 1864
• Alexander McLean (Auckland) 21 October 1864
• William Andrew Jarvey (Dunedin) 24 October 1865
• John Jones (Dunedin) 6 April 1866
• James Stack (Auckland) 7 April 1866
• Mokomoko (Auckland) 17 May 1866
• Heremita Kahupaea (Auckland) 17 May 1866
• Hakaraia Te Rahui (Auckland) 17 May 1866
• Horomona Propiti (Auckland) 17 May 1866
• Mikaere Kirimangu (Auckland) 17 May 1866
• Richard Burgess (Nelson) 5 October 1866
• Thomas Kelly (Nelson) 5 October 1866
• Philip Levy (Nelson) 5 October 1866
• Robert Wilson (Nelson) 20 December 1867
• John Densley Swales (Lyttelton) 16 April 1868
• Whakamau (Wellington) 23 March 1869
• Hamiora Peri (Wellington) 16 November 1869
• Anthony Noble (Hokitika) 16 February 1871
• Simon Cedeno (Lyttelton) 5 April 1871
• Kereopa (Napier) 5 January 1872
• Joseph Eppwright (Auckland) 29 July 1873
• Charles Dyer (Auckland) 30 October 1874
• Nutana (Auckland) 19 February 1875
• John Robinson Mercer (Lyttelton) 7 May 1875
• William Henry Woodgate (Picton) 25 January 1877
• Martin Curtain (Auckland) 6 February 1877
• Te Mohi (Auckland) 23 May 1877
• James Walsh (Invercargill) 19 February 1879
• Ah Lee (Dunedin) 5 November 1880
• Tuhiata (Wellington) 29 December 1880
• Wiremu Hiroki (New Plymouth) 8 June 1882
• Taurangaka Winiata (Auckland) 4 August 1882
• John Donohue (Hokitika) 11 June 1884
• Rowland Herbert Edwards (Napier) 15 July 1884
• John Caffrey (Auckland) 21 February 1887
• Henry Albert Penn (Auckland) 21 February 1887
• Haira Te Piri (Napier) 13 May 1889
• Makoare Wata (Napier) 28 September 1889
• Alexander James Scott (Auckland) 22 May 1893
• Williamina Dean (Invercargill) 12 August 1895
• Stephen Bosher (Wellington) 21 April 1897
• William Sheehan (Lyttelton) 21 July 1897
• Frank Philpott (Wellington) 23 March 1898
• Charles Clements (Dunedin) 12 April 1898
• Enoka (New Plymouth) 2 May 1898
• Alexander McLean (Lyttelton) 31 August 1901
• James Ellis (Wellington) 28 February 1905
• Tahi Kaka (Auckland) 21 June 1911
• Alfred Mortram Biddle (Lyttelton) 13 December 1913
• Arthur Rottman (Wellington) 18 March 1915
• Frank Edward Bennier (Wellington) 19 January 1918
• Frederick William Eggers (Lyttelton) 5 March 1918
• Dennis Gunn (Auckland) 22 June 1920
• Samuel John Thorne (Auckland) 20 December 1920
• Hakaraia Te Kahu (Auckland) 10 October 1921
• John Tuhi (Wellington) 19 April 1923
• Daniel Richard Cooper (Wellington) 16 June 1923
• Robert Herbert Scott (Auckland) 17 April 1924
• Arthur Thomas Munn (Auckland) 29 July 1930
• George Errol Coats (Wellington) 17 December 1931
• Edward Tarrant (Wellington) 6 March 1933
• John Hubert Edwards (Auckland) 11 December 1933
• George Edward James (Wellington) 15 December 1933
• William Alfred Bayly (Auckland) 20 July 1934
• Charles William Price (Wellington) 27 June 1935
• William Geovanni Silveo Fiori (Auckland) 13 March 1952
• Eruera Te Rongapatahi (Auckland) 14 September 1953
• Harry Whiteland (Auckland) 21 December 1953
• Frederick Foster (Auckland) 7 July 1955
• Edward Thomas Te Whiu (Auckland) 18 August 1955
• Harvey Eric Allwood (Auckland) 13 October 1955
• Albert Laurence Black (Auckland) 5 December 1955
• Walter James Bolton (Auckland) 18 February 1957

Source: Sherwood Young, Guilty on the gallows, Grantham House, Wellington, 1998