The Trial of Francois Soulés – a re-enactment

Tthe Guildhall will be hosting a reenactment of the trial of Francois Soulés, who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of John Fenton, the son of the landlady, at The Green Dragon Inn in Market Place, Leicester.

The unique aspect of this trial is that Francois Soulés was both detained and tried in the Guildhall itself, and the trial will take place on the 248th anniversary of the fatal shooting.

A jury will be randomly selected from the audience. After hearing all the original evidence, our contemporary jury will be posed with the exact three questions asked in the original trial to determine the guilt or innocence of Francois Soules.

On May 16th, 1778, a Frenchman named Francois Soulés fatally shot John Fenton, after an altercation with his brother, James Fenton.

Soulés was convicted and subsequently sentenced to death. However, in turn of events, the Frenchman was surprisingly granted clemency by King George III. This occurred during the tumultuous era of the French Revolution, where political tensions were elevated not only in England, but also throughout Europe, leading to widespread outcry over the pardon.

John Fenton was buried in St Martin's Church Yard, now Leicester Cathedral, near the South Door. John Fenton's Stone Monument contained a powerful message about the injustice surrounding Soulés and his royal pardon. After complaints about the wording on the stone, it was removed.

After years of being hidden away, the head stone has finally been unveiled and is now displayed in the Leicester Cathedral Heritage Centre.

Doors at 7pm.