This is a list of some trials in Britain between 1870 and 1879.
This is not, of course, a definitive inventory. It is likely that details of the case were reported in the news. If you can find the name you are searching please make contact by using the enquiry form. I will see if any archive material is available. If you cannot find the person you are searching don’t worry – please enquire anyway. I will do a search and get back to you.
The data for these British trial pages is sourced from references more than 100 years old and took a long time to transcribe and digitise for the internet. They make fascinating reading and create temptation for us to find out more. They cover all life from murder to executions, libel, slander, bankruptcy, love affairs, divorce, wills, land disputes – it’s all there for us to discover and read about in the newspapers generations on.
I have transcribed these pages as faithfully as possible with little change to the language and style. I have taken time-out to remove any references that, today, we might find racist or offensive (as language and attitudes towards life has changed dramatically since the days of these court proceedings).
Smith v Earl Brownlow, after long litigation decision against the enclosure of the common at Berkhampstead by lord of the manor, 14 Jan, 1870
James Clifford, a retired artilleryman convicted of ” sweating” sovereigns by the voltaic batter, 1 Feb, 1870
Jacob Spinass, a Swiss convicted of murder of Cecilia Aldridge an unfortunate, 3 March, 1870
Dr Kinglake, convicted of bribery on behalf of his brother at Bridgewater, 26 March, 1870
Wicklow, peerage ease claim for an infant declared to be unfounded by house of lords (remarkable evidence), 31 March, 1870
Demetrius Pappa, a bank manager sentenced to 5 years’ penal servitude for embezzlement, 6 May, 1870
Sir Charles Mordaunt v lady Mordaunt, and others for divorce preliminary trial of her sanity (declared insane on 30 April 1869) 16-25 Feb 1870 appeal 27 April 1870 judgment affirmed, 2 June, 1870
Bishop Goss (R C) v Hill and ‘Whittaker, will case Mr Moreton’s will bequeathing the chief of his property to the bishop set aside, 16 June, 1870
Phillips v Eyre, for imprisonment during Jamaica rebellion verdict for defendant, 23 June, 1870
Chelsea Murders Walter Miller, convicted of murder of Rev Elias Huelin and Anne Boss his housekeeper (8 or 9 May 1870), 13 14 July, 1870
Michael Davitt and John Wilson, treason felony, 18 July, 1870
John Jones or Owen, convicted of murder of Emanuel Marshall and family (7 persons early 22 May 1870) at Denham near Uxbridge, 22 July, 1870
Shepherd v Bennett (Arches) decision that defendant had retracted heresy appeal to privy council, 23 July, 1870
Margaret Waters, convicted of murder of John Cowen infant her sister and accomplice Sarah Ellis was convicted of fraud, 21-23 Sept, 1870
Rev C Voysey v Noble, appeal to privy council judicial committee against condemnation for heresy, 10 Nov, 1870
Ebdy v McGowan, verdict against an architect for refusing to give up the plans of a building he was about to erect, 16 Nov, 1870
Catch v Shaen, for libel on master of Lambeth workhouse verdict for plaintiff £600 damages execution stayed, 15 Dec, 1870
Diamond Robbery, London and Ryder’s man made insensible and robbed of diamonds 12 Jan Martha Torpey acquitted 1 March James Torpey pleaded guilty (sentenced to 8 years’ penal servitude), 1 May, 1871
E Boulton L C Hurt F W Park and others, (frequently dressed as women) tried for a conspiracy acquitted, 9-15 May, 1871
Tichborne v Lushington, the plaintiff declared himself to be sir Roger Charles Tichborne supposed to have been lost at sea and claimed the baronetcy and estates worth about £24000 a year [Roger Charles Tichborne son of sir James born 1829 Educated in France till about 1843 Entered the army 1849 Proposed marriage to his cousin Kate Doughty declined Jan 1852 Sailed from Havre for Valparaiso (March) and arrived there 19 June 1853 Sailed from Rio Janeiro in the Bella foiundered at sea 20 April 1854 [A Chancery suit was instituted and his death legally proved] His mother advertised for her son 19 May 1865 The claimant (found by Gibbes and Cubitt in Australia) asserted that he and eight of the crew were saved from the wreck of the Bella that he went to Australia and lived there roughly 13 years under the name of Castro married as Castro Jan as Tichborne Jan 1867 He set up his claim and was accepted by the dowager lady Tichborne as her son at Paris Jan 1867 [No others of the family accepted him but sir Clifford Constable and some brother-officers did] His claim was resisted on behalf of sir Henry (a minor) son of sir Alfred Tichborne and after chancery proceedings (begun March 1867) a trial began in the court of common pleas before chief justice Bovill 11 May 1871 The claimant was examined 22 days the trial adjourned on 40th day 7 July resumed 7 Nov case for claimant closed 21 Dec 1871 Trial resumed 15 Jan the attorney-general sir JD Coleridge spoke 26 days on 4 March the jury expressed themselves satisfied that the claimant was not sir Roger on the 103rd day he was declared nonsuited 6 March 1872 The law proceedings are said to have cost the estate nearly £92000 He was lodged in Newgate to be tried for perjury 7 March indicted as Thomas Castro otherwise Arthur Orton for perjury and forgery 9 April The court of queen’s bench decide that he may be admitted to bail 23 April released – 26 April 1872 The trial of the claimant for perjury and forgery begun before chief justice Cockburn and justices Mellor and Lush at bar 23 April case for the prosecution closed 10 July resumed (for defence) 21 July 1872 Lady Doughty mother of sir Henry Tichborne dies 13 Dec 1872 [Up to 27 June (47th day of the trial) out of 150 witnesses above 100 had sworn that the claimant was not Tichborne and about 40 that he was Arthur Orton] The claimant forbidden to attend public meetings 29 Sept 1873 Case for the defence closed on 124th day 27 Oct adjourned from 31 Oct to 17 Nov then to 27 Nov rebutting evidence heard 27 28 Nov 1873 Dr Kenealy’s summing-up 2 Dec-14 Jan 1874 Mr Hawkins’s reply 15 Jan-28 Jan 1874 [Mr Whalley MP fined for contempt of court £250 23 Jan 1874] The chief-justice’s summing-up 29 Jan-28 Feb Verdict that the claimant did falsely swear that he was Roger Charles Tichborne that he seduced Catherine N E Doughty in 1851 and that he was not Arthur Orton sentence 14 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, 28 Feb, 1874 [Longest trial known in England at the time] New trial refused by the judges 29 April, 1874 On appeal sentence affirmed by the house of lords in 11 March 1881 released on ticket of leave 20 Oct 1884 his confession printed in the People May 1895 born 1835 died 1 April 1898]
Eltham Murder E W Pook, for murder of Jane Maria Clousen acquitted, 12-15 July, 1871
Hannah Newington or Flora Davey convicted of manslaughter of Frederick Moon she was his mistress and excited by insult, 15 July, 1871
Capt H Hamilton Beamish, and others tried for stranding the Agincourt 26 July reprimanded by the court, 8 Aug, 1871
Robert Kelly, for murder of Talbot (a police-constable and informer against Fenians) on night of 12 July acquitted (extraordinary verdict), 30 Oct-10 Nov, 1871
Peek v Gurney, and others (Overend and Co) plaintiffs claim for loss incurred through misrepresentations in the company’s prospectus disallowed by master of rolls on account of his neglecting to verify the prospectus and his too late claim costs refused to defendants, 6 Nov, 1871
Mr Pigott, condemned to imprisonment for illegal comments on a trial in the Irishman, 13 Nov, 1871
Rev John Selby Watson, eminent scholar killed his wife in a fit of passion 8 Oct convicted and imprisoned for life, 10-12 Jan, 1872
Christiana Edmunds, convicted of poisoning at Brighton she purchased chocolate creams and returned poisoned ones to the confectioner and thus caused death to one child and nearly killed other persons reprieved as insane, 15 16 Jan, 1872
The Queen v the Lords, of the Treasury for not repaying expenses for prosecutions to the county of Lancaster mandamus refused, 29 Jan, 1872
Park-lane Murder Margaret Dixblancs, a Belgian emigrant murdered her mistress madame Riel on Sunday 7 April escaped taken at Paris confessed to killing her mistress in a quarrel convicted but recommended to mercy 11-14 June sentence commuted to penal servitude for life, 21 June, 1872
Ellen Kettel, charged with poisoning her husband’s first wife in order to marry him acquitted, 24 – 25 Oct, 1872
Chelsea Tragedy Hermann Nagel and Paul May, young Prussians came to London to avoid conscription their money being spent they agreed to commit suicide after wounding May Nagel shot himself dead 21 Aug May recovered and was indicted for murder tried and acquitted, 21 Nov, 1872 [He was convicted and punished for forgery at Berlin Feb 1873]
Baker v Loader, widow to whom £107000 had been bequeathed in ten years is reduced to poverty by imposition she sues the widow of her friend Loader and solicitors verdict of vice-chancellor Malins ordering deeds to Loader to be cancelled the solicitor to pay his own costs, 20 Nov, 1872
Mr Hepworth Dixon v Smith, (Pall-Mall Gazette) for libel damages one farthing, 26-29 Nov, 1872
Mr Guildford Onslow and Mr G H Whalley MP’s, fined for contempt of court in speeches respecting the Tichborne case 20 Jan Mr Skipworth barrister for same offence condemned to three months’ imprisonment and fined the claimant made to give securities for moot for a similar offence, 29 Jan 1873
Parke v Harvey Lewis sir Joseph McKenna and others, for misuse of a company’s funds while directors 10 days’ trial verdict for plaintiff, 30 Jan, 1873
Omagh Murder (of Mr Glass 29 June 1871), sub-inspector Montgomery tried 2 days strong evidence jury not agreed, 19 March, 1873
Broughton v Knight, will of Mr Knight set aside on account of unsound mind, 3 March, 1873
Andrews v Salt, decision by lord-chancellor that a child shall be educated as a protestant by grandmother not by Roman catholic uncle confirmed on appeal, 6 May, 1873
Rev O’Keeffe v Cardinal Cullen, (for libel and virtually suspending him from his office) consideration of demurrer judges (at Dublin) divided in opinions three decide that the papal ordinance on which the cardinal relied was prohibited by the statutes of Elizabeth demurrer set aside 7 May the trial begun 12 May verdict for plaintiff the jury gave one farthing damages, 27 May, 1873 [Mr O’Keeffe submitted to the cardinal May 1876]
Sub-inspector Montgomery at his third trial for the brutal murder of Mr Glass at Newton Stewart Ireland on 8 June 1871 convicted and confessed 28 July, 1873 [executed Aug 26]
Great jewellery frauds Michael and Rebecca Goldsmid, convicted, 8 July, 1873
Farrell v Gordons, much property left to R C church will affirmed, 9 July, 1873
Todd v Lyne (father Ignatius), son of the plaintiff rescued from convent (where he had taken vows) by chancery, 25 July, 1873
Bank Forgery Austin Biron Bidwell George Macdolmen George Bidwell and Edwin Noyes, Americans forged bills for discounting at the Bank of England West-Branch and obtained £102217 detected through not dating one bill convicted penal servitude for life [their plot to escape by bribing the warders failed], 8-26 Aug, 1873
Rev John Berrington, (after 30 years’ swindling) sentenced to 15 years’ penal servitude, 22 Aug, 1873
Cheltenham Chronicle, fined £150 for commenting on trial of the Tichborne claimant, 23 Sept, 1873
Marshal Bazaine, , 6 Oct, 1873
Gilbert v Enoch, (for Pall Mall Gazette) for libel in critique on ” The Wicked World” a play verdict for defendant (both regarded harmless), 27 Nov, 1773
Capt Charles S Maunsell, sentenced to a month’s imprisonment with hard labour for assaulting the duke of Cambridge on, 6 Jan 4 Feb, 1874
Miss Fairland, gave her fortune to St Mary’s Dominican convent Belfast her trustees oppose the transfer the master of the rolls affirms the gift, 24 Feb, 1874
Dr Hayman v the governing body of Rugby school, judgment for the defendants, 21 March, 1874
Jean Luie (Lindgren) and ” capt” Brown, convicted of perjury in the Tichborne case (7 years’ and 5 ears’ penal servitude), 9 April, 1874
Mordaunt, case (see 1870) divorce court 3 judges hold that insanity is no bar to suit for divorce 2 judges hold that it is, 5 May, 1874
Callan MP v O’Reilly Dease, for libel (termed ” wilful and malicious ” by ch-just Whiteside) Dublin damages one farthing, 2 July, 1874
E Welby Pugin, convicted of libel against J R Herbert RA 23 Sept not sentenced, 24 Sept, 1874
Epping forest , decision against the enclosures of the lords of the manors as illegal, 10 Nov, 1874
Frederick v Attorney-General col Charles Edward Frederick, declared heir to baronetcy the validity of the marriage of his grandparents affirmed in divorce court, 8 Dec, 1874
Rubery v baron Albert Grant and M B Sampson, (long city editor of the Times) for libel the article in Times 18 20 Nov and 20 Dec 1872 charged Rubery with connection with a fraud in a certain diamond mine in Colorado 10 days’ trial Grant cleared Sampson fined £500, 8 Jan, 1875 [By these articles the public were protected from a bad scheme]
Alleged False Prospectus Case (Canadian Oil-Works Corporation) Charlton v sir John Hay Mr East-wick and others, grossly deceived 17 days’ trial jury divided discharged no verdict, 24 Feb, 1875 [Oil-wells in Ontario Canada property of Prince’s company got up to buy them by Longbottom scheme not accepted in the city taken up at west-end sir John Hay Mr M’Cullagh Torrens Mr Eastwick and others induced to become directors wells bought company collapsed]
Philpotts v Boyd, search Reredos settled by judicial committee of privy council, 24 Feb, 1875
Mordaunt v Mordaunt and viscount Cole, (see also May 1874) divorce granted, 11 March, 1875
Terry v Brighton Aquarium Company, for opening on Sundays verdict penalty £200, 27 April, 1875
Jackson v Grand Junction Canal Company, (research Gunpowder Explosion 2 Oct 1874) company adjudged responsible for damages, 14 May, 1875
Keith Johnston v Proprietors, of Athenaeum for libel in criticism of an atlas Edinburgh damages £1275 24 March new trial damages reduced to £100, 16 June, 1875
John Neave Arthur Keen (or Murrell) and Annie Bolwell, convicted of coining and uttering false coin at railway stations, 12 13 July, 1875
Jenkins v Rev navel Cook, (for excluding him from the communion for heresy (denying personality of Satan and eternal punishment) verdict for defendant in Court of Arches, 16 July, 1875
Col Valentine Baker, sentenced to fine of £500 and 12 months’ imprisonment for indecently assaulting Miss Dickenson in a railway carriage, 2 Aug, 1875
Mrs Gladstone v capt Gladstone, (long case concluded) divorce granted, 6 Aug, 1875
William Thompson Hunt, convicted of manslaughter for administering strychnia to Mrs Hudson (who died) and others as a remedy for intoxication 5 years’ penal servitude, 25 Sept, 1875
William Talley, a solicitor for dissuading a person bound over to prosecute from fulfilling his engagement sentence 1 year’s imprisonment, 25 Sept, 1875
Sugden and others v St Leonards, will case (lord St Leonards’ will missing many codicils left) verdict for plaintiffs affirming the lost will on his daughter’s Miss Sugden’s recollection of its provisions 17-26 Nov, 1875 [Verdict affirmed on appeal 14 March 1876] Whitechapel Murder (which see)
Henry Wainwright, for murder of Harriet Lane and his brother Thomas as accessory before and after the fact before chief justice Cockburn (nine days) Henry sentenced to death Thomas as accessory after fact to 7 years’ penal servitude, 22 Nov-1 -Dec 9, 1875
Smith v Union Bank of London, verdict for defendants, 29 Nov, 1875
Rev H Keet v Rev G E Smith, appeal to privy council verdict for the plaintiff, 21 Jan, 1876
Persons representing the parish of Folkestone v Rev C J Ridsdale, vicar (for ritualistic practices) verdict for plaintiffs the vicar to be admonished and pay costs 3 Feb, 1876
Jenkins v Rev E S Cook, appeal from the dean of Arches to the privy council judicial committee verdict for plaintiff (Rev F Cook resigned), 16 Feb, 1876
Eupion Gas Company (1874) Queen v Aspinall, and others directors for fraud long trial verdict Aspinall and another convicted of improperly obtaining settlement of quotation on Stock Exchange acquitted of charge of fraud, 17 Feb, 1876
The lord chief justice, declared the company to be “a fiction and a sham front beginning to end ” sentence Joseph Aspinall and Charles Knocker 12 months’ imprisonment John Saunders Muir and William Whyte 2 months’ imprisonment 1 July, 1876
W K Vance and Ellen Snee, conspiracy to murder (ostensibly herself) singular case sentenced to imprisonment, 1 June, 1876
Robert Buchanan the poet v P A Taylor MP, proprietor of Examiner libels in papers 27 Nov and i Dec (letter said to be by Mr A Swinburne the poet) damages £150, 1 July, 1876
Twycross (representing many others) v baron Albert Grant, and others to recover money paid for shares in Lisbon tramway company promoted by defendant and others long trial able speech of Grant verdict £700 damages, 13 July, 1876 [Judgment affirmed on appeal 2 June 1877]
Buckhurst peerage claimed by earl Delawarr and by his brother Mortimer Sackville West, house of lords decide in favour of the earl, 18 July, 1876
Blackburn Murder William Fish, convicted of murder and violation of Emily Mary Holland aged 7 (28 March) pleaded temporary insanity, 28 July, 1876
Richard Banner Oakley, manager of Co-operative Credit Bank convicted of obtaining money by false pretences much credulity in victims 5 years’ penal servitude, 9-12 Aug, 1876
Will Frauds Charles Howard (count von Howard &e), sentenced to 5 years’ penal servitude for obtaining £380 from John Harvey for a pretended will (other cases), 26 Oct, 1876
Frederick Henry Vane v sir Henry Ralph Vane, (his nephew) verdict for defendant maintaining his father’s legitimacy chancery division, 25 Nov, 1876
Lewis v Higgins, for alleged slander in speech as counsel verdict for defendant affirming privilege of counsel, 4 Dec, 1876
Coe, (stage manager Haymarket dismissed as accused of receiving payments from actors engaged) v Sothern and Buckstone verdict for plaintiff damages £1035, 13 Dec, 1876
Lord Longford v Wellington Pardon will giving property to the plaintiffs young son set aside the testator Cooke having been under the undue influence of Rev William Lyster (plaintiff not blamed) 25 days’ trial, Feb, 1877
Lynall Thomas v the Queen, (petition of right) for patent of cannon &e verdict for plaintiff with damages, 10 March, 1877
Great Turf Frauds forgery of cheques for £10000 &c about £13000 obtained five sentenced to penal servitude Henry Benson 15 years and Fred Kerr and Chas bate 10 years Edwin Murray accessory 18 months, 12-23 April, 1877
Cresswell and others v Walrond, will of Bethell Walrond set aside by arrangement (he had bequeathed his property to strangers and dogs had been cruel to his children decorated his bed with skulls and hearse plumes &c), 13 June, 1877
Queen v Charles Bradlaugh, grid Annie Besant for publication of ” Fruits of Philosophy” by Dr Knowlton which they defended on grounds of humanity in long speeches verdict the book calculated to deprave but not intended 18-21 June sentence (through the defendants not submitting to the court) 6 months’ imprisonment £200 fine for both 28 June appeal on ground of legal informality disallowed by queen’s bench, 16 Nov, 1877
Nathaniel Druscovitch John Meiklejohn and William Palmer police inspectors and Edward Froggatt solicitor charged with conspiracy to defeat the ends of justice in respect to turf frauds examination began 12 July Froggatt committed 6 Sept chief inspector ‘Clarke arrested 8 Sept 28 days’ examination committed 22 Sept trial began 24 Oct all convicted except Clarke sentence 2 years’ imprisonment with hard labour, 20 Nov, 1877
William Swindlehurst, secretary and Dr John Baxter Langley director of Artisans’ Dwelling Company and Edward Saffery convicted of defrauding shareholders of about £24312 officers sentenced to 18 mouths’ Satlery 12 month’s imprisonment, 23-26 Oct, 1877
Thomas Hyslop (aged 19) and John Denham (aged 18), convicted of highway robbery at Blackheath, 23 Oct, 1877
Penge Case Louis A E Staunton Patrick L Staunton his brother and Eliz Ann his wife and her sister Alice Rhodes, mistress of Louis tried for murder by starvation of Harriet wife of Louis (a woman of weak intellect married for her property and soon deserted) 19 Sept all convicted 26 Sept respited 13 Oct Alice Rhodes pardoned the others sentenced to penal servitude for life announced, 30 Oct, 1877
Coote (solicitor) v Kenealy, for payments verdict for plaintiff, 14 Nov, 1877
Forged Leases Frederick Dimsdale solicitor Chas Burrell Moore clerk and others forged leases and borrowed money on them (above £3000000 many lenders did not appear pleaded guilty sentence Dimsdale penal servitude for life Moore 7 years others less, 16 17 Jan, 1878
Madame Rachel (Levison or Leverson), convicted of misdemeanour obtained money and jewels from Mrs Pearce for ” beautifying” 5 years’ penal servitude, 10 – 11 April, 1878
Eugene Marie Chantrelle, Frenchman convicted of murder of wife at Edinburgh much cruelty disclosed, 10 May,1878
Will case Dublin Christopher Neville Bagot, made a fortune in Australia made will disinheriting his son as illegitimate died 23 May 1877 trial 23 days painful disclosures the will set aside, 20 May, 1878
Harrington v Victoria Graving Dock Company, he claimed remainder of commission for obtaining an order from Great Eastern railway company nonsuited such commissions declared illegal by queen’s bench, 4 June, 1878
Jas T Northcutt Geo Thompson Thos G Wood, (of the Albion Life Insurance company) sentenced to 5 years’ penal servitude for conspiracy and obtaining money on false pretences subordinates sentenced to less imprisonment, 8 June, 1878
Charles Marvin, copying-clerk of foreign office examined for copy of an Anglo-Russian agreement published in Globe 14 June 27 June discharged, 16 July, 1878
Taylor v Gwyn, claim for Jenny estates (search Jenny murders by Rush Trials 1849), claim denied trial set aside by statute of limitations, 5 Aug, 1878
In re Agar Ellis, the husband’s promise before marriage that his children should be brought up Romanists permitted to be withdrawn by chancery, 6 Aug, 1878
The Board of Works v rev F G Lee, of All Saints Lambeth queen’s bench division decide that the incumbent of a church is not its owner and therefore not responsible for keeping it in repair, 11 Nov, 1878
Annie Louisa lady Gooch (with Ann Walker), she tried to pass a child as her own and her husband’s committed for trial 3 Nov indictment ignored, 11 Dec, 1878
Paul and others v Summerhayes, appeal sentence against plaintiffs affirmed (foxhunters may not trespass) queen’s bench, 16 Nov, 1878
Queen v Bandmann (for assault on Mrs Rousby) not guilty, 19-20 Nov, 1878
Henry Sturt Marshall, asst sec of curates’ augmentation fund convicted of embezzling about £7000 confessed, 24 Oct, 1878
Whistler v Ruskin, for libellous criticism in “Fors Clavigera” one farthing damages, 25 26 Nov, 1878
Hill and others v managers, of Metropolitan Asylums District 11 (days) verdict that Hampstead smallpox hospital was a nuisance (verdict affirmed on appeal 28 Jan 1879), 29 Nov, 1878
Mr Wybrow Robertson (manager of Westminster Aquarium) v Labouchere for libel in Truth 27 Nov verdict for defendant, 20 Dec, 1878
Muir and others, court of session decides that trustees who have invested in the “City of Glasgow bank” are responsible [affirmed on appeal to house of lords 7 April 1879], 20 Dec, 1878
Stephen Gambrill, for murder of Mr Arthur Gillow (on 5 Dec when defending agricultural machinery) at Wednesborough near Sandwich Kent convicted, 14 – 15 Jan, 1879
Long firm forgeries Kettle and others convicted sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, 16 – 17 Jan, 1879
City of Glasgow Bank directors and managers convicted, 20 Jan – 1 Feb, 1879
Charles Peace (or John Ward), committed many burglaries in skilful manner convicted of attempting life of policeman 19 Nov convicted of murder of Arthur Dyson at Bannercross near Sheffield 29 Nov, 4 Feb, 1879 [He jumped from a moving railway train near Sheffield and was nearly killed 22 Jan confessed to murders &c exonerated William Habron convicted as an accomplice in a murder (therefore released 18 March) executed at Leeds 25 Feb]
Dr Julius v Bishop of Oxford (for not prosecuting rev T T Carter of Clewer for ritualistic practices) queen’s bench (verdict for plaintiff set aside on appeal 30 May Mr Carter resigned 24 March 1880, 8 March, 1879
Kentish Town murder, Thomas Perryman convicted of murder of his mother, 2 April, 1879
Queen v Booker & Wyman (for libel in Truth against Mr Lambri) verdict against Wyman long trial, 30 April, 1879
Duke of Norfolk v Arbuthnot, claiming ownership of Fitz-alan chapel in Arundel church verdict for plaintiff common pleas, 17 May, 1879 [Decision affirmed on appeal 7 June 1880]
Bagot will case, appeal new trial ordered, 5 June, 1879
Shepherd v Francis (for libel in a review in the “Athenaeum”) damages £150, 16 June, 1879
The Queen v sir Charles Reed the queen’s bench decide that the metropolitan school board have power to borrow money, 27 June, 1879
Sturla v Freccia Antonio Mangini, born 1735 consul here about 1771 died 1803 his daughter married Aquila Brown 1792 after 8 years contest established her disputed legitimacy 1811 died intestate in London aged 93 1871 her property after a trial awarded to the Freccia family 1876 the claim of Madame Sturla set aside by vice-chancellor, 24 June, 1879
Richmond murder Katherine Webster, convicted of murder of Mrs Julia Martha Thomas, 8 July, 1879
Edmund Galley, convicted of murder by error and transported declared innocent by the House of Commons, 25 July, 1879
Euston Square mystery, Hannah Dobbs for murder of Matilda Hacker acquitted, 23 July, 1879
The mutilated remains of Matilda Hacker, eccentric about 50 years old were found in a coal-cellar 4 Euston-square Hannah Dobbs was maidservant there She published her autobiography in which she attacked her former master Sewerin Bastendorff who after bringing an action for libel was convicted of perjury, Dec, 1879 (He was awarded by consent 50o/ damages for the libel 27 Jan 1881)
Rev Christopher Newman Hall v Mrs Hall, and Mr Richardson long trial divorce granted, 8 Aug, 1879
Jonathan Gaydon (or Geyden), for murder of Miss Mary White at Chingford 22 June 1857 confessed retracted convicted (reprieved), 24 Oct, 1879
Adolphus Rosenberg, for libel against Mrs Langtry and Mrs West in Town Talk convicted 18 months’ imprisonment, 25 27 Oct, 1879
Tranmere baby farming case (near Birkenhead) John and Catherine Barns, convicted of manslaughter (they received illegitimate infants with premiums of £30),28 29 Oct, 1879
Dr Arthur H Nowell v George Williams, (for placing him in a lunatic asylum) verdict for the defendant medical men censured by the jury, 13 Nov, 1879
Phillips surgeon v S W railway company, for injury awarded £7000 by justice Field new trial awarded £16000 by lord ch justice Coleridge common pleas new trial refused, 6 Dec, 1879
Smee v Smee and corporation, of Brighton will set aside Brighton loses a free library bequeathed, 5 Dec, 1879
Hilliard v Rose & Todd will affirmed singular case, 12 Dec, 1879
Edward Froggatt (see 20 Nov 1877), sentenced to 7 years’ penal servitude for fraudulent conversion of trust property (£8000), 17 Dec, 1879
Victorian Trials – 1870-1879