News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime

News of the Times Ep44v | 1837 The Jack the Ripper Precursor - Francois Courvoisier 50 years before the series of slayings in Whitechapel, a similar series of murders occurred n London in and around the Whitechapel area.  Add setting a person on fire after slashing, and Francois Courvoisier falls into the category of Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to know. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #Victoria...

News of the Times Story 137 | 1693 The Poplar Witch - Mary Compton An infamous historical case that was still referred to a hundred years later.  Mary Compton, the elder, was not a witch in the sense of weaving spells, but rather her deliberate starvation of infants placed in her care is what gave her the name of the Poplar witch, as the case took place in Poplar, London.  A very early case of a f...

News of the Times Story 162v | 1879 The Hornsey Murder - Murder of a Newborn This story from 1879, recounts the violent murder of an illegitimate child, believed to have been done by the father.  The little girl born was known to have been well cared for by the mother, but suddenly vanishes with the child’s dead body found discarded the day after the father returns.  Hosted by Robin Coles. #Newsof...

News of the Times Story Ep43v | 1846 Serial Killer Sisters -  Catherine Flannigan & Margaret Higgins A huge story in its day which drew considerable attention to the practice of "Burial Clubs" which allowed anyone to insure another's life provided they paid the premiums.  It has been speculated that they killed up to 17 people, but only 4 were proven.  A true creep Serial Killer...

News of the Times Story 159v | 1551 The Man Who Escaped Death 7 Times - Alice Arden Love Triangle This fascinating love triangle story from 1551 was so infamous in its day, it was made into a play: Arden of Favesham.  The suspected authour of this popular play?  William Shakespeare. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #Victorian Murders YouTube: ht...

News of the Times Ep42v | 1658 - 1879 Stories of Baby Farmers in England In this epsiode we explore 3 stories of baby farmers in England.  1658 Abigail Hill -who took the money for orphans to raise and then quietly killed them, 1865 Charlotte Winsor - the Baby Assassin for Hire, 1879 Annie Tooke who smothered then cut up a child on her care.  Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeS...

News of the Times Episode 41v| 1888 Whitechapel Wednesdays - Episode 2 In this second episode, newspaper articles recount the attempts at discovering the identity of the unknown victim found on the landing and stabbed 39 times.  The initial suspects are reviewed. Tension, from the police perspective, mounts, as the papers are not completely fixed. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianC...

News of the Times Episode 40v | 1767 - 1829 Employers Who Torture In this episode we look at two cases of women executed for torturing their employees to death.  The 1767 famous case of Mrs Brownrigg, and the less famous, although equally gruesome case, of Esther Hibner the Elder in 1829. Quite horrific. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #Victori...

News of the Times Story 156 | 1488 - 1561 Mother Shipton - England's Nostradamus England has its own version of Nostradamus - Mother Shipton!  Mother Shipton, a cunning woman of her day.  In addition ro being a renowned herbalist, she was also known as a seer.  In this episode we look at some of the history of Mother Shipton as well as some of her more well known prophecies. Hosted by Robin C...

News of the Times Story 154 | 1820 Catherine Wilson and her Shotgun Marriage as a Man In 1820, a 14 year old girl, with no parents or protector, takes on the clothes of her dead brother and becomes John Thompson.  From this, her life takes on strange dramas that could not be predicted including a shotgun marriage as a man.  Better than your average drama from a "you could not make it up"...

News of the Times Episode 39 | 1862 Catherine Wilson - Serial Killer Saturdays Catherine Wilson, also sometimes referred to as the female Palmer (see our episode of William Palmer), poisoned for profit - even for as comparaitively little as £9.  This episode recounts her murderous deeds and high body count. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #Vict...

News of the Times Story 152v | 1787 The Dangers of Living in Regency and Victorian England - Sudden Paralysis A family in 1786 are struck down one by one with great pain and loss of feeling in their limbs.  An unexpected cause is discovered. Just one example of what could kill you back in the day. This episode also explores what the causes and repairs to onset paralysis in the day. Hosted by Robin...

News of the Times Episode 37v | 1726 - 1893 Stories of When Love Goes Bad What happens if you find you cannot divorce your wife or your husband for whatever reason?  These stories recount some of the desperate measures taken. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #Victorian Murders YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes Email: newsofthetime...

News of the Times Episode 38v | 1888 Whitechapel Wednesdays - Episode 1 Begin at the beginning, it has been said.  From culling through the wealth of newspaper articles of Whitechapel, in this series we chronologically go through the papers of events in Whitechapel in 1888 leading to the accepted slayings of Jack the Ripper with a few others of a similar sort thrown in. In our first episode, newsp...

Murder Stories from Ireland For our Irish listeners, or those with a bit of the Irish in them! In this episode we look at 3 crime stories from Ireland's history.  The famous changling case of the murder of Bridget Cleary,  Serial Killer baby farmer Maria Dunne, and the 11 year old child serial killer Mary Maher. If you are watching or listening to this show sometime in March - the News of the...

News of the Times 151 | 1580's Sawney Bean and his Cannibalistic Family The infamous story of Sawney Bean and his Cannabilistic Family is a ghoulish story of a remote family living on the outskirts of Galloway, Scotland.  Their estimated 25 year reign of terror had a severe impact on that area of the country.  King James VI himself became involved in their eventual capture.  Their estimated k...

News of the Times 146v | 1726 The Story of Murderous Catherine Hayes - Murder as Petty Treason Murderous Catherine Hayes, who took on her son as her lover, then simultaneously  took on her husbands friend as an additional lover, and convinced both to murder her husband.  She held the candle to facilitate light as well as holding the bucket whilst they worked togeterh to dismemember her husband.  C...

News of the Times Ep35v | 1855 Serial Killer Saturday - Dr William Palmer We start our new series of Serial Killer Saturdays with this infamous case of the "Prince of Poisoners". To Palmer, no one safe from his killing spree: wife, children, mother-in-law, brother, friends, employees. Palmer was referenced by Charles Dickens who called Palmer "the greatest villain that ever stood in...

News of the Times 148v | 1777 - 1829 England's Grave Robbers - The Resurrectionists In this episode we look at a number of stories detailing the life and work of grave robbers - otherwise known as resurrectionists - between 1777 and 1824.  Not a Burke or Hare in sight! Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #Victorian Murders YouTube: https://www...

News of the Times Episode 34v | 1808-1896 Children Death Challenges in Regency and Victorian England In this episode we look at the many challenges facing children in Regency and Victorian England through newspaper articles of the day.  These challenges included being atacked by rats, being poisoned by parents to avoid a life of misery, being abndonned on the streets as unwanted, being insured in...

News of the Times 149v | 1837 Spring-heeled Jack - Victorian England's "Bogeyman" England has its own night time terror bogeyman, called Spring-Heeled Jack!  From news accounts of women being attacked by a mysterious cloaked figure spouting white and blue flames who could leap onto rooftops.  Natch! Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStorie...

News of the Times Short #33v | 1542 - 1684 Unique Execution Methods in English and French History 1542 to 1684 In this episode, we focus on the execution methods that went outside the usual bounds of hanging or deportation through real cases of the time. The execution methods covered include being boiled alive, burned at the stake, drawn, hung and quartered, Shredded alive by 15 maddened wildcats...

News of the Times Short #145 | 1871 Murder in the Black County A sad story of a man whose financial woes are preying upon his mind, He then takes up the belief that his wife is inconstant.  The story recounts the aftermath that follows. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #@newsofthetimes #victorian Murder YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@newsofth...

News of the Times Short #144 | 1800 Revenge through murder of her newborn child A young lady of 17, seduced in 1800 with promises of marriage.  Only to find that when she becomes pregnant, she is abandoned.  With few options in 1800, this is the sad story of her plotted revenge on the father of her baby. Hosted by Robin Coles. #NewsofTheTimes #VictorianCrimeStories #HistoricalCrimeStories #@newsof...

News of the Times Short #143v | 1817 Murder of Mary Ashford - England's Last Trial by Combat Case A huge case in its day which had the distinction of closing down a loop hole in the law of the day.  Mary Ashford is found dead and what would seem to be a rather obvious suspect is found.  When the suspect is let off, he is pursued again in the courts using a legal loop hole of the time.  The su...