Trial by Jury - The Trials of William Wallace & Florence Maybrick

TAKE YOUR SEAT ON THE JURY AS LOVEHISTORY’S GRIPPING COURTROOM DRAMA TAKES YOU ON A JOURNEY THROUGH TWO OF LIVERPOOLS MOST EXPLOSIVE MURDERS. 

Trial by Jury is back in the courtroom in May and June 2019 and for the first time ever the trials will be revealed.  Following the sell-out successes of 2018 and 2019, LoveHistory are back with two of Liverpool’s most infamous murder trials. 

In May 2019, this compelling immersive theatre production in original historic courts will put the audience in the driving seat and give them the power to decide the fate of those on trial. The first to take the stand will be William Herbert Wallace who was put on trial in the courtroom at St Georges Hall in 1931 for the murder of his wife, Julia Wallace. This murder has been described as the “greatest murder mystery of the century” and one of the most “baffling murders in human history”. 

This courtroom drama will take you through the trial in detail and for a murder that has long divided many, you will have the chance to decide. Is William Herbert Wallace guilty or not guilty? 

The murder of Julia Wallace at her home in Wolverton Street in Anfield, Liverpool attracted so much attention, given its meticulous planning that the famous author Raymond Chandler calls it the impossible murder: “I call it the impossible murder because Wallace couldn’t have done it, and neither could anyone else. ... The Wallace case is unbeatable; it will always be unbeatable.”  How will you decide? Get your note pads ready as this trial will have you at the edge of your seat!

The second to take the stand in June 2019 will be the famous lady of the south, Florence Maybrick who was also put on trial in this historic courtroom in 1889 for the Murder of her husband, James Maybrick. Again, this murder sparked a huge public outcry as the crowd assembled outside the court, cheered the prisoner, hissed at the jury and hooted the judge. Did Florence Maybrick administer the poison? Is she guilty or not guilty? Again, you will decide. 

Set in the original courts of St George’s Hall, where many infamous Liverpool cases were once tried, this is a perfect evening for anybody who loves a courtroom drama. The evening commences with audiences being witness to the historical murders. The full details of the crime will then be revealed through compelling performances and narrated by our very own scrupulous detective who will help you to piece together the full story.

After all the harrowing details of the crimes have been laid out, the prosecution and defence then present their arguments – it is then in the hands of the audience, who become the jury for the case; given the task of balancing all the evidence from both sides and deciding a verdict. The fate of the accused will be in their hands as they await nervously in the dock for the outcome. Did we miss something all those years ago and how will you compare to the juries of the time? 

Judy McLean Creative Director of LoveHistory said: “We are so excited to be returning with two of the city’s most famous murders.  We get such great feedback from these shows and the audience love the experience of being the jury. Both trials have created so much public attention that it will be interesting to see which way our juries decide.” 

“The event is proving incredibly popular and I would urge people to get their tickets fast before they are gone. It would be a crime to miss it.”