Sudden Death & Dockyard Drowning in Landport – 1903

Portsmouth Evening News – Monday 15 June 1903 CORONER’S COURT. This afternoon Mr. T. A. Bramston, Borough Coroner, held three inquests at the Town Hall, Landport. A PAINFULLY SUDDEN DEATH. The first inquiry related to the death of Mrs. Sarah White, wife of Mr. John White, landlord of the “Barleycorn” beer-house, Conway-street, Landport. The husband, an Army […]

Drunkenness and Livestock Theft in Redditch and Feckenham – 1872

Bromsgrove & Droitwich Messenger – Saturday 06 April 1872 PETTY SESSIONS. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3. (Before H. MILWARD, E. W. HAYWOOD, E. HOLYOAKE, and J. SMITH, Esqs.) Parish Business. – The constables for the several parishes in the division, who were in attendance, were sworn in. It was stated that Mr. John Crow, who was last […]

Somerset Justice: Lighting Offences, Stalled Locomotives, and Apple Thieves in Court – 1925

Somerset Guardian and Radstock Observer – Friday 06 November 1925 THE POLICE COURT. LOCOMOTIVES STANDING ON BRIDGES. LIGHTING OFFENCES. Tuesday, before Lieut.-Col. the Hon. Edward Strachey (in the chair), and Messrs. J. G. Norman, M. James, J. H. Tovey and S. W. Warrell. CINEMATOGRAPH LICENSE. On the application of the Rev. Maxwell Fisher (Rector), the […]

Plymouth Murder Trial: Coloured Seaman Accused of Fatal Attack – 1918

Special report on this page: ‘The Use of Racial and Ethnic Editorial in 1918’ (See also this article by Ian Waugh – here) Western Morning News – Friday 05 April 1918 ALLEGED MURDER AT PLYMOUTH. COLOURED SEAMAN COMMITTED FOR TRIAL. Albert Wilson, Granby-street, a merchant seaman of colour, was charged at Plymouth Guildhall yesterday with […]

Crime & Justice – Leamington Spa Courier Reports – 1836

Leamington Spa Courier – Saturday 17 September 1836 LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. Commitments to the County Gaol:—By F. Lloyd, Esq., Samuel Fantham, charged with stealing, at Birmingham, a double-barrel gun, the property of Edward Powell. —John Smith, charged with stealing, at Aston, a five-pound note, a sovereign, and three half sovereigns in gold, the property of Jabez […]

Bribery, Rewards, and Justice: Liverpool Police Under Scrutiny – 1839

Transcription of the Article from the Liverpool Mercury, Friday 15 February 1839 REWARDS TO POLICE-OFFICERS At the Police-office, on Friday last, a publican by the name of George Upton was summoned before the Magistrates on an information, charging him with having, at eleven o’clock on the night of the 14th ult., a number of prostitutes […]

Lincolnshire Lent Assizes – Trials, Crimes, and Justice in Victorian England – 1875

Market Rasen Weekly Mail – Saturday 06 March 1875 LINCOLNSHIRE LENT ASSIZES. The Commission for holding these Assizes will be opened on Thursday, the 11th instant. The following is a calendar of the prisoners awaiting their trial: William Kirkby, 18, farm servant, for committing an unnatural offence, at Appleby, on the 23rd July, 1874. Elizabeth […]

Victorian Hardship: Insolvency, Fraud, and Destitution – 1860

Dial – Saturday 21 January 1860 INSOLVENT DEBTORS’ COURT. IN THE MATTER OF CHARLES SHIPWAY.—This insolvent, described as a Baptist minister, known as the Rev. Charles Shipway, late of Little Hedingham, near Halstead, Essex, who was in the Queen’s Prison, applied to be discharged.—The insolvent was minister of the chapel held by a trustee, who […]

Growing Dangers of Motorisation in Kensington – 1927

The Kensington Post – Friday 14 October 1927  ACCIDENTS Colliding with a motor ‘bus at the junction of Wesley Road and Shakespeare Avenue, Stonebridge, Miss Emily Cox, of 28 Pitfield Way, Stonebridge, who was riding a bicycle, was injured, and after treatment by Dr. Bateman, was taken home in the doctor’s car. Edward Low, of […]

Alleged Theft of Over 14,000 Rounds of Ammunition – 1884

Leeds Mercury – Thursday 18 December 1884 THE ALLEGED EXTENSIVE THEFT OF AMMUNITION At the Sunderland Police-court yesterday, before the Mayor and a full bench of magistrates, Thomas Miller, a gunsmith, and John Hefferman, Sergeant-Major of the Sunderland Rifle Volunteers, were charged on remand with stealing over 14,000 rounds of ammunition belonging to the Queen. […]

Battersea Boys Charged with ‘Highway Robbery’ – 1923

South Western Star – Friday 11 May 1923 “THAT’S ROBBERY—HIGHWAY ROBBERY.” Two Battersea boys, Percy Newcombe (11), 98 Livingstone-road, and John Johnson (9), 91 Livingstone-road, were charged on remand with stealing a £1 note belonging to Mrs. Taylor, of Peter’s-place, Battersea, from her son. Last week Detective Bond stated that Johnson told him that Newcombe […]

The Salvation Army Nuisance and an Embezzlement Case – 1883

Globe – Thursday 27 September 1883 front The Salvation Army Nuisance At Accrington Police-court yesterday, six members of the Salvation Army, named George Hill, Ellen Williams, Phoebe Kiley, Leonard Halsall, Alfred Farmer, and Henry Bradshaw, were summoned for assaulting Joseph Edmundson, cab proprietor, on the 17th inst. The evidence showed that the Salvation Army were […]

Diamond Heist Allegations: Defendant Too Ill for Court Appearance – 1901

Blackpool Times – Thursday 03 January 1901 Alleged Theft of a Diamond Ring. Defendant Too Ill to Appear. At the Preston General Quarter Sessions, held yesterday, the Chairman, Mr. Worsley-Taylor, Q.C., M.P., stated that the case against Richard Thompson Cubbin, who was charged with stealing a fur-lined overcoat from the Hotel Metropole, Blackpool; a diamond […]

Justice and Social Order: Victorian Law through the Yorkshire Gazette – 1862

Yorkshire Gazette – Saturday 03 May 1862 TUESDAY, April 29. – Before R. Evers, Esq. OBSTRUCTING THE FOOTPATH. – A youth named Christopher Marsh was charged with obstructing the footpath near to the Railway Station. He was standing on the flags with the usual apparatus for cleaning the boots of any person in passing who […]

Drunken Injury, Burglaries, and Brawls: Crime and Conflict in Sheffield and Doncaster – 1874

Sheffield Independent, Monday, 5 January 1874: Critical Condition of a Drunken Man About eight o’clock on Saturday evening, Police-constable Stone found a man named William Keddy of Arthur Street lying in Bridge Street. He was drunk and bleeding profusely from a wound on the back of his head. The officer removed him to the Police […]

The West End Scandals: Courtroom Intrigue, Conspiracy, and the Cleveland Street Saga – 1890

Illustrated Police News – Saturday 18 January 1890 THE WEST END SCANDALS. [WITH GROUP OF PORTRAITS SKETCHED IN COURT.] At Bow-street Police-court, on Friday, before Mr. Vaughan, Arthur Newton, solicitor, of Great Marlborough-street; Frederick Taylerson, his articled clerk; and Adolphus De Galla, interpreter, again appeared on an adjourned summons, charging them with having unlawfully conspired […]

Crime and Punishment in Victorian Somerset – 1842

Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette – Thursday 31 March 1842 SOMERSETSHIRE SPRING SESSIONS The following are the names of the prisoners tried at these Sessions, with the nature of the offences, and the result of the trials: Felonies: Transportation—For Life: George Gullick, an old offender, for stealing a lantern, the property of Jacob Shore. Fifteen […]

Crime and punishment in Victorian Birmingham – 1865

Birmingham Daily Post – Thursday 28 December 1865 BIRMINGHAM POLICE COURT YESTERDAY Before Messrs. T.C.S. Kynnersley (Stipendiary), J. Poncia, S. Buckley, H. Van Wart, and S. Thornton. STEALING A WATCH. — John Kenyon (18), labourer, having no home, was charged with having stolen a silver watch, value 30s., from the shop of Mr. Spiers, pawnbroker, […]