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 […]

Elderly Farm Labourer Dies After Fall While Picking Cherries – 1950

Chatham Standard – Wednesday 28 June 1950 FELL WHILE PICKING CHERRIES Misadventure Verdict At Inquest On Farm Labourer As the result of a fall from a ladder while picking cherries, 79-years-old Henry James Lockyer, a farm labourer, of 13, Pembury-st., Sittingbourne, died later in St Bartholomew’s Hospital, Rochester, from shock and a fractured pelvis. The […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

Victorian justice at Bow Street – 1844

Saint James’s Chronicle – Thursday 26 December 1844 BOW-STREET.—On Tuesday Robert Hobson, the keeper of a receiving-house for the postage of letters at Walthamstow, was brought up for final examination, charged with embezzling the sum of 1s. 10d., being the postage of a letter to Calcutta, the particulars of which have already appeared, and fully […]

Worthing Police Court – 1892

Worthing Gazette – Wednesday 28 December 1892 Worthing Police Court Petty Sessions, This Day—Before Mr. T. Gaisford (Chairman), the Mayor (Alderman E. C. Patching), Lieut.-Colonel Wisden, Major A. Henty, Mr. H. H. Hargood, and Mr. C. L. M. Teesdale. Captain Drummond, the Chief Constable, occupied a seat on the Bench. Occasional Licence On the application […]