Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think it is time to quash all convictions for all convicted witches in the UK

88 replies

duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:13

Around 3500 executions, and many thousands more tortured and convicted after "confessing" - more than 90% of them women. Most of these in the 1600s.

These are women convicted on evidence such as loving their cats, and having hairy chins.

AIBU to say all these convictions should be quashed. It would have mattered to those who were convicted, and it matters as an illustration of the way our country has treated women, and still does, in allowing these convictions to stand.

OP posts:
LuckOfTheDrawer · 29/04/2023 20:16

I agree. Was there some kind of apology recently? I sort of remember something.

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/04/2023 20:17

I think right now we have much more important things to spend public money on. No-one would look at those "convictions" in terms of criminal guilt.

missmollygreen · 29/04/2023 20:18

But can you prove they were not witches? ;)

Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:18

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/04/2023 20:17

I think right now we have much more important things to spend public money on. No-one would look at those "convictions" in terms of criminal guilt.

why would it cost money?

OP posts:
carriedout · 29/04/2023 20:22

I agree because it was just shocking misogyny.

Bk1000 · 29/04/2023 20:25

I agree, I also feel quite strongly about not letting my kids dress as witches at Halloween or really engage with any ‘witches’ in story’s etc unless we are going to discuss how those stereotypes came about and what it actually meant for a woman to be called a witch.

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/04/2023 20:25

It would cost money because it would involve using civil servants' time, hiring historians with expertise in the field and associated media costs. A blanket pardon with no kind of oversight of any of the cases individually would be meaningless. I agree that as a general rule it was entirely driven by misogyny and fear but an unresearched random statement is pointless.

Dotcheck · 29/04/2023 20:28

Who is going to apologise? On behalf of who?

Luredbyapomegranate · 29/04/2023 20:28

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/04/2023 20:25

It would cost money because it would involve using civil servants' time, hiring historians with expertise in the field and associated media costs. A blanket pardon with no kind of oversight of any of the cases individually would be meaningless. I agree that as a general rule it was entirely driven by misogyny and fear but an unresearched random statement is pointless.

Well I’m not sure a blanket pardon would be meaningless, on account of we now know witches don’t exist, so none of them were guilty of causing harm via magic. Which also means there is nothing for anyone to investigate.

carriedout · 29/04/2023 20:31

I think a blanket pardon for witches would be fine given every conviction was bollocks.

Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:31

BibbleandSqwauk · 29/04/2023 20:25

It would cost money because it would involve using civil servants' time, hiring historians with expertise in the field and associated media costs. A blanket pardon with no kind of oversight of any of the cases individually would be meaningless. I agree that as a general rule it was entirely driven by misogyny and fear but an unresearched random statement is pointless.

I am not asking about a pardon. I am asking about convictions being quashed, and yes, I think a blanket rule of everyone convicted of witchcraft having their convictions quashed would be meaningful.

And cheap.

No civil servants or historians needed at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:32

carriedout · 29/04/2023 20:31

I think a blanket pardon for witches would be fine given every conviction was bollocks.

Exactly.

OP posts:
Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:33

But a pardon basically mean being forgiven for their "crimes" whereas quashing their convictions would mean agreeing they had not committed those crimes in the first place.

OP posts:
ThisSingleMama · 29/04/2023 20:34

Dotcheck · 29/04/2023 20:28

Who is going to apologise? On behalf of who?

I was wondering this

All a bit stupid imo

Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:34

Dotcheck · 29/04/2023 20:28

Who is going to apologise? On behalf of who?

It isn't an apology.

At the moment, thousands of (mostly) women stand convicted of witchcraft. What I want is for those convictions to be quashed, so they no longer stand in the legal records as convicted.

OP posts:
Buttonsandlace · 29/04/2023 20:35

Whilst awful what these witch women went through everyone involved is long dead. What difference would it make to them. I would rather efforts went into ensuring crimes against women now receive the proper punishment.

dudsville · 29/04/2023 20:38

Given that these women are a part of our history, one that reminds us we can be killed at the whim of those in power, i think quashing those so called convictions is a wonderful idea. Great thinking OP. How would this idea be carried forward practically?

Talkingtomyhouseplants · 29/04/2023 20:38

Just to say that men were also convicted as witches🤷🏼‍♀️

Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:38

Buttonsandlace · 29/04/2023 20:35

Whilst awful what these witch women went through everyone involved is long dead. What difference would it make to them. I would rather efforts went into ensuring crimes against women now receive the proper punishment.

Many of them would have gone to their deaths in the hope that their names would one day be cleared. It would have mattered to them, and it should matter to us now, that such a huge injustice as these convictions still stand.

OP posts:
Original poster
duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:39

Talkingtomyhouseplants · 29/04/2023 20:38

Just to say that men were also convicted as witches🤷🏼‍♀️

Fewer than 10%, and not normally because they had hairs on their chins.

OP posts:
YouWonJayne · 29/04/2023 20:43

Aren’t there more pressing and present matters to worry about than declaring a status change for people who’ve been dead for 4 centuries?

GoWhereYouBreathFree · 29/04/2023 20:43

I don't think quashing the convictions would do anything. I think it's a pointless task as it doesn't benefit those who died all those years ago or their families. What does benefit though is education on it. If we started quashing historical convictions of witches it would open it up to quash an awful lot of previous convictions. It would take time, money and resources that could be better spent

DdraigGoch · 29/04/2023 20:44

What's the point? Neither the victims, nor the perpetrators are still around, nor is anyone who is related to them. What will it achieve?

Eyewantobreakfree · 29/04/2023 20:46

Seriously? It’s gone, it’s history. We progressed and don’t kill witches anymore. Let it go

YouWonJayne · 29/04/2023 20:46

duvetcovereddissident · 29/04/2023 20:34

It isn't an apology.

At the moment, thousands of (mostly) women stand convicted of witchcraft. What I want is for those convictions to be quashed, so they no longer stand in the legal records as convicted.

Show quote history

Am I missing something?

Which women are standing trial for witchcraft?

Swipe left for the next trending thread