Cromwell’s Head.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLII, Issue 8, 24 February 1909, Page 54

Cromwell’s Head.

The father of the London Stock Exchange. Mr Horace Wilkinson, of FrankHeld, Sevenoaks, died recently. He was known all the world over as the owner of the reputed head of Oliver Cromwell. According to the story handed down in his family, the human head, kept in his house in silk wrappings inside an oak box black with age, was that of the Protector, and was secured by a soldier, who saw it blown down from the roof of Westminster Hall in a storm. The soldier’s family sold it to the Russels, connections of the Cromwell family, and it descended to Samuel Russell, a showman. He exhibited file head, it is said, at a charge of 2/6 a person, anti later sold it to a rival showman. After passing through several hands, it was finally acquired by Mr Wilkinson's grandfather. Doubts have, however. many times been thrown on the story. The head in Mr Wilkinson's possession remains in excellent preservation, and the mark of the pike on which it was impaled is said to be distinctly visible. Jt