Keith is a retired Detective Sergeant and a native of Plymouth, Devon. He lives in Plympton with his wife Janice. On retirement he spent some years as a tour guide. It was at this time he became interested in the true story of the 1797 Plymouth Executions on the Hoe. After extensive research he wrote ’The Circle on the Hill’. Written as faction with the knowledge identified by records from original sources. He joined the Plymouth Writers Group in 2018 and has contributed many stories into that forum.

Circle On The Hill

Based on true events we find Robert Lee in his mid twenties leading a good life in the City of Dublin, Ireland. His family own a successful music business engaged in the making and sale of sought after musical instruments and becoming ever popular sheet music from their home and shop in Dame Street in the centre of Dublin life. Robert further gifted with an ability to play many musical instruments which in turn provides access to the music venues of the day as a performer and observer. It is summer 1796 and Rob visits a local hostelry where he comes upon the singing of a young girl. He engages with her, Sophie Fleury, and sees a rare talent who Rob would like to help on her musical journey. Her beauty and poise might also be a major factor. As he helps her and they spend time together he finds he is drawn to her far beyond her ability to sing. On the journey Rob engages with a part of the City he has never known. Sophie lives in the Dublin Liberties where misery, death and squalor exist on a daily basis.

The relationship is further tested when they discover he is Catholic and Sophie from the Protestant Huguenot faith. Robs family, two brothers and a sister live together. His sister Marie meets Sophie and invites her to her wedding. However on the day Sophie does not appear, Rob distraught tries to find her and understand what has happened. He finds that someone from his side of the Catholic faith has told her parents that Sophie must be banished to end the relationship between them. If not, retribution will be administered on her family.

A search and a plea to her parents ends in failure. Rob discovers who was responsible and the family dynamic is greatly challenged. To allow Sophie to return to her family he makes a life changing decision that will allow this to happen. He enlists with the British marines who are engaged on a recruitment drive in Dublin. In mid-November 1796 Rob boards a tender from Dublin to Stonehouse Barracks near Plymouth. Whilst constantly thinking of Sophie he engages the life of a marine and the opportunities it affords. He discovers the relationship between marines and seamen is fraught, the marines being the buffer between seamen and the ships officers who are autocratic and often violent. Rob is educated and listens to the seamen he encounters and can see the genuine grievance they have for better pay and conditions.

The Admiralty identify any activity by the seamen as mutiny. Far from the truth.
As Rob learns more, he discovers the seaman’s depositions to the Admirals of the fleet includes pay to be increased for both them and the marines. Conversations ensue between Rob and his fellow marines about support. This leads to a meeting on a hill just outside of the barracks on May 28th, 1797. Unbeknown to the few who were there, spies are among them. Should they support the seamen by laying down arms at morning parade the following day in support of the ‘shilling a day’. So few attended the hill it was clear to all the thought of such action was pointless. An evening parade is called and Robert Lee, John McGinnis and Daniel Coffey are taken to the guard house.

The following day Joseph Brennan for supporting the men whilst intoxicated in the evening parade. All are transferred to the cells at The Royal Citadel on Plymouth Hoe to await a general court martial and their fate. As the inducements to speak increase the evidence from fellow marines becomes more confused. Damning testimony but at variance to each other. The injustice provided by induced accusers comes to an end on 6th July 1797 on the clifftop of Plymouth Hoe. Witnessed by thousands of military and local people. A public display of inhumanity. What happened on this fateful day?

The ‘Circle On The Hill’ answers those questions and asks you to consider the underlying reasons behind the fate of four good men.