Victorian Murders


Book Description

This book features fifty-six Victorian murder cases from the files of the Illustrated Police News.




Victorian Murders


Book Description

Victorian Murders contains all the most shocking cases of murder from Victorian true-crime classic Mysteries of Police & Crime. The author, Major Arthur Griffiths (1838–1908), was Inspector of Her Majesty’s Prisons and deputy governor of Millbank and Wormwood Scrubs, and was most famous for his association with the Whitechapel case. He knew many of the greatest detectives of the day, and, as a result, was the first to describe in print the three men – Kosminski, Ostrog and Druitt – that the police suspected of being ‘Jack the Ripper’. This fascinating volume also includes every other case of note in the annals of Victorian crime. From Elizabeth Brownrigg, who whipped her domestic into an early grave, to the horrific tale of Henry Wainwright, who attempted to transport the dismembered body of his lover across London, it is not for the faint of heart. Richly illustrated, including early sketches by Arthur Rackham, and filled with countless tales of poisoners, sadists, serial killers and cases that have never been solved, this is a book that no true-crime fan should be without.




Norfolk Murders


Book Description

Contained within the page of this book are the stories behind some of the most notorious murders in Norfolk's history. The cases covered here record the county's most fascinating but least known crimes as well as famous murders that gripped not just Norfolk but the whole nation. From the Burnham Poisoners of 1835 to the Yarmouth Beach Murders, from the Costessey Horror to the 'last judicial beheading in England', this is a collection of the county's most dramatic and interesting criminal cases.




The Murder of William of Norwich


Book Description

In 1144, the mutilated body of William of Norwich, a young apprentice leatherworker, was found abandoned outside the city's walls. The boy bore disturbing signs of torture, and a story spread that it was a ritual murder, performed by Jews in imitation of the Crucifixion as a mockery of Christianity. The outline of William's tale eventually gained currency far beyond Norwich, and the idea that Jews engaged in ritual murder became firmly rooted in the European imagination. E.M. Rose's engaging book delves into the story of William's murder and the notorious trial that followed to uncover the origin of the ritual murder accusation - known as the "blood libel" - in western Europe in the Middle Ages. Focusing on the specific historical context - 12th-century ecclesiastical politics, the position of Jews in England, the Second Crusade, and the cult of saints - and suspensefully unraveling the facts of the case, Rose makes a powerful argument for why the Norwich Jews (and particularly one Jewish banker) were accused of killing the youth, and how the malevolent blood libel accusation managed to take hold. She also considers four "copycat" cases, in which Jews were similarly blamed for the death of young Christians, and traces the adaptations of the story over time. In the centuries after its appearance, the ritual murder accusation provoked instances of torture, death and expulsion of thousands of Jews and the extermination of hundreds of communities. Although no charge of ritual murder has withstood historical scrutiny, the concept of the blood libel is so emotionally charged and deeply rooted in cultural memory that it endures even today. Rose's groundbreaking work, driven by fascinating characters, a gripping narrative, and impressive scholarship, provides clear answers as to why the blood libel emerged when it did and how it was able to gain such widespread acceptance, laying the foundations for enduring antisemitic myths that continue to present.




Notorious Murders of the Twentieth Century


Book Description

The word 'murder' has always attracted widespread local and national media coverage. Once known, the story becomes the subject of discussion in a variety of places throughout the land. Some grisly tales become part of a culture that lives on for generations, whilst others, even by some of the worst serial killers, are soon forgotten. In this book experienced crime historian Stephen Wade has gathered together a collection of murders covering the entire twentieth century. Although famous in their own day, most are now forgotten by the general public, apart from the best true crime enthusiasts. The first conviction for fingerprint evidence, the last hanging in England and murderous husbands and wives are included; but there are also mysteries, unsolved killings and peculiar confessions. Meet the man who poisoned his rival's scones, a wrongful arrest and the acquittal of a good wife who shot her man dead. There are even tales from the Isle of Man, whose legislators continued to issue death penalties in the 1990s.




Norfolk Mayhem & Murder


Book Description

Maurice Morson has reconstructed, in painstaking detail, several of the most shocking and intriguing episodes from Norfolk's criminal history for this gripping study. He recalls the extraordinary case of Richard Nockolds, the violent weaver who revelled in assault, arson and machine-wrecking; the two cut-throats who were hanged for killing Hannah Mansfield; Herbert Bennett, found guilty of strangling his wife with a bootlace; Rosa Kowen who may - or may not - have battered her husband to death; John Stratford who murdered the wrong man; Samuel Yarham, the prosecution witness and real murderer; William Jacobs and Thomas Allen, both convicted of killing policemen; and, perhaps the most infamous case of all, the Burnham Westgate multiple murders. To these cases Maurice Morson has applied his skill as a historical researcher and his forensic experience as a former detective. Each case is closely reviewed, and the evidence is questioned. He gives a vivid insight into the local background, the personalities of the individuals involved, their relationships, the means by which the crimes were committed, and the workings of the police force and the justice system which often seems, to our modern eyes, clumsy and mistaken. This engrossing new book confirms Maurice Morson's reputation as the leading chronicler of crime in the county.




Yarmouth Murders & Misdemeanours


Book Description

Nineteenth century crime and punishment in Yarmouth.




Murder and Mayhem in Sheffield


Book Description

Sheffield born actor and author Geoffrey Howse delves into his files covering over 200 years of Sheffield's criminality. In Murder & Mayhem in Sheffield he takes a look at some of the events that took place during a period of enormous growth within Sheffield; including a failed plot to murder some of Sheffield's officials, take control of the Town Hall and set fire to the homes of prominent citizens; the series of incidents known as the Sheffield Outrages are also mentioned, as are the notorious Sheffield Gang Wars of the 1920's. Murders from the eighteenth century through to 1947 are covered, including he fascinating case of one of Britain's most notorious murderers, Charlie Peace. The gruesome Shelf Street Hatchet Murder of 1881, is also included as are the Woodhouse Murder of 1893 and the Chinese Laundry Murder of 1922. Two Sheffield murderers who bore the same name, William Smedley, and who were both hanged for their crimes, committed murder in 1875 and 1947 respectively, are also featured. Although not for the feint-hearted, this book is sure to capture the curiosity of all individuals with an interest in the social and criminal history of Sheffield.'




Serial Killers: Murder Without Mercy


Book Description

Charles Manson, Aileen Wuornos, Burke & Hare, the Boston Strangler, the Zodiac Killer, and other remorseless serial murderers whose crimes made history. From Victorian era graveyards to a rented room in Paris to an isolated Indian farm and the California hills, the shocking murders collected in this true crime anthology span the century and the continents. The motivations are just as varied: sex, greed, bloodlust, hatred, and the sheer thrill of it all. But the more than thirty serial killers profiled here share one perverse trait: they killed without conscience, regret, or shame. Money did it for dapper French ladykiller Henri Landru, homicidal housewife Nannie Doss, Lady Bluebeard Belle Gunness, and Lonely Hearts Killers, Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck. Deadly desires moved Green River Killer Gary Ridgway, Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, and John Christie, whose Notting Hill home was a burial ground. And rage was the trigger for Edmund Kemper, who used his mother’s head for a dart board, and for nomadic prostitute Aileen Wuornos who turned her tricks into road kill. In crime journalist Nigel Blundell’s criminally fascinating collection, you will meet the loners, outcasts, lethal lovebirds, twisted fetishists, pleasure seekers, body snatchers, and angels of death who are the very definition of cold-blooded.




Murder at the Inn


Book Description

In which pub was the notorious murder that led to the Kray twins becoming Britain's most feared gangsters? Where is the hostelry in which Jack the Ripper's victims drank? How did Burke and Hare befriend their victims in a Scottish watering hole before luring them to their deaths? What is the name of the pub where the Lord Lucan mystery first came to light? And how did a pub become the scene of the murder that led to Ruth Ellis going to the gallows? For centuries, the history of beer and pubs has gone hand in hand with some of the nation's most despicable and fascinating crimes. Packed with grizzly murders – including fascinating little-known cases – as well as sinister stories of smuggling, robbery and sexual intrigue, Murder at the Inn is a treasure trove of dark tales linked to the best drinking haunts and historic hotels across the land.