The BBC’s “No News Day” – 18 April 1930

Interwar broadcasting · editorial standards · communications technology On the evening of 18 April 1930, listeners to the BBC’s evening bulletin heard an announcement that has since passed into legend: “Good evening. Today is Good Friday. There is no news.”[1] For the remainder of the scheduled news slot, the BBC played piano music. In an […]

Penge – Dog licenses, pub transfers, teen gambling, child labour and cigar fraud – 1892

Beckenham Journal – Saturday 14 May 1892 Penge Keeping a Dog Without a License.—David Green, 84, Laurel Grove, Penge, was summoned at the Penge Petty Sessions on Tuesday for keeping a dog without a license. Defendant admitted the offence and was fined 10s. and 5s. 6d. costs. Transfer of License.—At the Penge Petty Sessions on […]

Arson, Canterbury highway robbery, a runaway bankrupt – 1885

St James’s Gazette – Tuesday 23 June 1885 OUTRAGE IN IRELAND. The house of a farmer named M‘Carthy, near Goleen, in West Cork, was burned down on Sunday night. An out-office was also destroyed, together with two cows. It is stated that M‘Carthy’s family had a narrow escape from being burned in the building. M‘Carthy […]

Food Poisoning in Carlisle – 1889

Newcastle Chronicle – Saturday 16 November 1889 ALARMING FOOD POISONING IN CARLISLE DEATH OF A GILSLAND FARMER Alarming cases of food poisoning have occurred in the Carlisle district, and one case—that of Mr. Irving, farmer, of Long Top, Gilsland—has proved fatal. Mr. Slack, tolls collector, of Carlisle, on Saturday, the 2nd inst., and Mr. Irving […]

Drunkenness & Dog Licenses: A Day in Court – 1882

Thanet Advertiser – Saturday 29 April 1882 POLICE COURT.—Monday.(Before G. E. Hannam, Esq. (in the chair), K. W. Wilkie, Esq., and G. S. Measom, Esq.) DISTRICT RATE DEFAULTERS Several individuals were summoned for failing to pay the district rate. Orders were issued for defaulters who did not appear, while those who attended and explained their […]

Old Bailey, When Is Bigamy Not Bigamy? – 1943

Holloway Press – Friday 29 January 1943 When Is Bigamy Not Bigamy? When is bigamy not bigamy? This question was discussed at the Old Bailey when George Livingstone, a soldier in the R.A.S.C., pleaded guilty to bigamously marrying Phyllis Dorothy May Sandy, of Luard-street, Caledonian-road, N.1, last year. Before any evidence was given, the Recorder, […]

Two Lincoln youths arrested for multiple housebreaking offences – 1931

The Lincolnshire Echo – Saturday 26 September 1931 LINCOLN YOUTHS SUSPECTED OF HOUSEBREAKING TWO IMPORTANT ARRESTS — Says Chief Constable SEQUEL TO APPARENTLY TRIFLING INFORMATION POLICE SUSPICIONS FINGERPRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS TO BE TAKEN When two Lincoln youths appeared at the City Police Court this morning, the Chief Constable, Mr. W. S. Hughes, described the arrests […]

Births, Marriages, & Deaths – 1895

Sussex Express – Friday 13 September 1895 BIRTHS, MARRIAGES, & DEATHS. BIRTHS. CHARLTON.—On the 10th Sept., at Barclay-road, Croydon, the wife of H. E. Charlton, of a son. EUAN-SMITH.—On the 7th Sept., at Ightham, Knoll, near Sevenoaks, the wife of Maclaurin Euan-Smith, of a daughter. JOHNSTONE.—On the 6th Sept., at The Cottage, Warrington-road, Croydon, the […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

Domestic Strife and Courtroom Chaos – 1845

Age (London) – Saturday 19 April 1845 THAMES-POLICE. On Monday Ellen Cox, the wife of a labourer, was brought before Mr. Broderip, charged with an assault on her husband. Edward Cox, the complainant, said he lived at No. 18, Dock-street, Whitechapel, and that he was unfortunately married to the woman at the bar. She went out when […]

Junior Highwaymen – 1836

Cheltenham Chronicle – Thursday 07 April 1836 Robberies on tracks and roads were commonplace as we well know. Indeed after dusk the highways were places to avoid where possible. Newspapers were full of stories of highway robberies and many generations later films and television dramas immortalised these violent criminals to almost heroic proportions. In 1836 […]