News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime

News of the Times Episode 108 | 1892 Dr Neil Cream - The Lambeth Poisoner: Serial Killer Saturdays Dr Thomas Neil Cream left a known killing trail across 3 countries.  Starting in Canada, then the United States and finally ending up in the poorer section of South London, Cream created his own killing formula and encouraged women he met, prostitutes in the UK, to swallow his bespoke medicine with a...

News of the Times Episode 107 | 1846-1956 The Victorian Sex Cult of The Agapemonites - Part 1: Wicked Wednesdays "The Agapemonites, or the Abode of Love, Victorian sex cult was founded in 1846.  It started with the premise of free love, but, eventually became the all too familiar story of dynamic leader, believing in his own myths and taking full advantage of his devotees in more ways than on...

News of the Times Episode 106 | 1865-1920 1831: Madness, Mayhem and Murder on the Railways: Twisted Tuesdays | Episode 106 "In today’s Twisted Tales, we look at Railway madness mostly during the Victorian era.  With the advent of the super-fast trains, it was thought the speed from the trains negatively impacted the delicately intelligent mind’s lunacy which could lead to a type of madness. ...

News of the Times Episode 105| 1919 The Murder of Mabel Greenwood: Murderous Mondays We thoroughly enjoyed this story form 1919 in the tiny town of Kidwelly in Wales.  The story, on the surface, seems almost formulaic.  And yet, the case remains officially unresolved.  Was he unfairly unpunished for not following the social norms of the day in a tightly knit small Welsh village?  Or did he do the...

News of the Times Episode 104 | 1875-1947 Aleister Crowley: The Great Beast 666: Eccentric Sundays It is difficult to encapsulate a personality such as Aleister Crowley.  Regardless of one’s thoughts on his exploration of the dark side of everything, he still was a person larger than life in all kinds of ways.  This episode focuses on his later years and the trials which brought his unique philoso...

News of the Times Episode 103 | 1828 Jane Scott - The Bad Girl of Preston: Serial Killer Saturdays Jane Scott, the quintessential bad girl in Preston, Lancashire in 1828.  Undoubtedly despaired of by her parents, rebellious, promiscuous, overweight and a girl who likes to party. Would she be so different  in the 21st century? Seeing few prospects and wanting the man she set her sights on to marry...

News of the Times Episode 102 | 1700-1900's The Rough Guide to Naughty England: Wicked Wednesdays "***CONTAINS ADULT CONTENT*** This episode was going to be solely on Mrs Whipping, the S&M governess, who had a highly successful career of some 45 years.  We found, though, a larger picture emerging of this world in Regency through Victorian England and realised that Mrs Whipping, altho...

News of the Times Episode 101 | 1881-1899 The West Ham Child Vanishings: Twisted Tales Tuesdays Between 1881 to 1899, a series of child vanishings took place in a relatively small area.  Three of the children had lived in the same street.  The stories were somewhat overshadowed by the ripper killings, although the child vanishings that took place were less than 10 miles away.  In this episode we r...

News of the Times Episode 100 | 1868 Frances Kidder– the Last female Public Execution In 1868, Frances kidder became the last female to be publicly executed in England.  The case of Frances kidder depicts a woman on the edge and the poor child she to be a step-mother too seemed to receive the brunt of it.  A word of warning: This case involves tremendous cruelty. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheT...

News of the Times Episode 99| 1913 Dr Barber - and the International iIentity Theft : Eccentric Sundays We are fascinated by identity theft cases; it is like living a lie 24/7.  This is even more of a reach when the field is in something you know nothing about!  This story of Dr Barber - or is he Dr Barber?  spanned two continents and almost seemed to be a compulsion for the man. This fascinating...

News of the Times Episode 98 | 1915 The Brides in the Bath Murderer: Serial Killer Saturdays A true Bluebeard story, the Brides in the Bath murders gripped the nation in 1915.  Not only are the crimes themselves fascinating, but how he was caught is a story in itself.  A strange pattern catching the eye of a member of the public and some forensic science worthy of the 21st century.  This story is...

News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 The Notorious Hell-Fire Club: Wicked Wednesdays Today's episode looks at the dark side of Jane Austin's world with the mad, bad and dangerous to know lads of the 18th century.  Priveleged and rich, every type of debauchery was to be explored.  Today's episode is the Hell Fire Club. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #His...

News of the Times Episode 96 | 1927-1934 Trunk Murder Tales: Twisted Tales Tuesdays Today’s episode investigates 3 Trunk murders that occurred between 1927 and 1934.  Three gruesome discoveries all left in trucks.  Some of them dismembered.  One of them pregnant.  And one of them, with the body still inside, used as a spare coffee table for poker games. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #Vict...

News of the Times Episode 95| 1876 The Blackburn Sweeney Todd: Murderous Mondays This case was nicknamed the Blackburn Sweeney Todd in the papers.  The incredibly horrific crime, even by today's somewhat less shockable standards, made the national headlines.  For those who followed the Whitechapel Wednesdays, this is one of the cases that was referred to for the argument to use dogs to catch...

News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber Legendary Sweeney Todd - Is he fact or fiction?  In today's episode of Eccentric Sundays we look at the evidence regarding Sweeney Todd and the stories related to the tortured barber and the genial baker. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #VictorianMurders YouTube: https://w...

News of the Times Episode 93| 1896 Amelia Dyer - The Ogress of Reading: Serial Killer Saturdays Amelia Annie Dyer, arguably Britain’s most notorious serial killer, targeted vulnerable women with children, and preyed upon babies and small children.  Her murder toll has been estimated as approaching 400.  She strangled the children trustingly placed in her care.  With the number of killings and with...

News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 Whitechapel Wednesdays - 13 Final Episode In today’s final episode of the Whitechapel series, we review the unresolved recent spate of gruesome deaths.  There is a real difference in the number of slayings attributed to the ripper between the police, the medical inquests, and the papers.  The papers, perhaps, better reflecting the man on the street:  whether all...

News of the Times Episode 91 | 1667 - 1935 Stories of Being Buried Alive Today's collection of stories focuses on the many cases found in pamphlets and the papers of being buried alive.  Some of those who were buried alive, or nearly buried alive, were discovered in time.  Others, with fresh contusions and bloody hands from rapping at the inside of the coffin, tell a different tale.  This epi...

News of the Times Episode 90 | 1815 The Case of Elizabeth Fenning This famous case from 1815 had a long-lasting impact in many ways. An attractive young girl as cook in a new household, the poisoning of the family through arsenic, and the "did she or didn't she" aspect ensured this case remained in the Victorian consciousness for a very long time. You will never look at British dump...

News of the Times Episode 89| 1866-1874 Arthur Orton  - Butcher or Baronet? : Eccentric Sundays This exceptionally famous case wins the prize for sheer audacity. A butcher from Wagga Wagga Australia, reading the adverts begging for news of a long lost son, decides to pretend to be the missing heir.  This case was even presented in Whitehall and rippled around the world. Certainly the old adage: If...

News of the Times Episode 88 | 1903 George Chapman - The Ripper Suspect Still recovering from the series of brutal slayings in London, a new serial killer emerges, George Chapman.  Violent, brutal, and with a trail of newly married wives and their long lingering painful deaths within a short time of their "marriage" to Chapman, this series of slayings became a huge case of its time.  See...

News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 Whitechapel Wednesdays 12 - Mary Kelly In this, the penultimate series of Whitechapel Wednesdays, Mary Kelly is brutally murdered, in possibly the most horrific manner of the canonical 5.  This episode recounts the doscovery of her murder and describes the atrocities she endured. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStori...

News of the Times Episode 87| 1830's-1910's Stories From Penny Dreadfuls: Twisted Tales Tuesday One could argue that Victorian Penny Dreadful stories brought us Dracula, Frankenstein, Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde, The Mummy and, of course, the highly popular Sweeney Todd.  This episode takes a whirlwind tour of Penny Dreadfuls. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #Hist...

News of the Times Episode 85| 1887-1889 The Thames Torso Murders: Murderous Mondays Between 1887 and 1889, within 10 miles of Whitechapel, 3 brutally dimembered bodies of women were found washing up on the banks of the River Thames.  One of the bodies in particular was eviscerated with spleens, etc, washing up along the shoreline. This episode looks at these 3 cases and questions their relationshi...

News of the Times Episode 84 | 1806-1880 Madame Rachel - Beautiful Forever Were Madame Rachel to turn up in our day, she would undoubtedly be a tremendous success!  This story absolutely captured Victorian news stories of the day as the masses watched the now exposed lives of the rich and priveleged.  A favourite story of our team which has been waiting in the wings for awhile. Hosted by Robin Col...