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 […]

Unrest in Edwardian London: Tower Hill Unemployment Protest – 1905

Eastern Daily Press – Saturday 02 December 1905 LONDON UNEMPLOYED COLLISIONS WITH THE POLICE FIVE DEMONSTRATORS ARRESTED About 500 unemployed attended what was described as the first of a series of meetings on Tower Hill, London, yesterday. The city police had previously notified the Southwark Unemployed Committee that they would not be allowed to bring […]

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 […]

Fatal Tramway Accident – 1928

Hendon & Finchley Times – Friday 21 December 1928 FINCHLEY TRAGEDY AGED NIGHT-WATCHMAN KILLED BY TRAMCAR NEAR CEMETERY. EXTENSIVE BODY INJURIES. William Herbert Bailey Knight, aged 68, of 54, Durham Road, Tottenham, died in the Finchley Memorial Hospital on Friday, after having been knocked down, earlier in the day, by a tramcar near the St. […]

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 […]

Art, Philanthropy, and Probate Laws – 1852

Illustrated London News – Saturday 18 September 1852. WILLS The will, with four codicils, of the late J. M. W. Turner, R.A., has, during the past week, been admitted to probate. The personality was valued at £140,000. There were nine executors appointed; five only have proved, namely: the Rev. H. S. Trimmer, George Jones, Charles […]

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 […]