By coincidence another cab-related case from 1862 that I just had to share. This time it seems as if the boot is on the other foot. There is more than a hint of irony that after driving like a crazy and not knowing the way to King’s Cross, Sam Simmons started abusing poor Mr Keith… Continue reading This time it’s the gabby cabby
Tag: crime and punishment
Three murders; three verdicts
For those incensed over the waywardness of justice these days, where ‘human rights’ trump human wrongs, it’s worth thinking about the way things were. On one evening in April a visiting judge arrived with a fanfare and civic reception to work his way through the prisoners gathered before him at the Spring Assize. The town was Taunton, Somerset; the year was… Continue reading Three murders; three verdicts
Diamonds are Forever
Though it’s by no means the full story — to find that you might want go to my book, An Infinite Deal Of Nothing — and it does not even reveal the name of the man who was actually guilty of the biggest con tricks in history, it’s good to see that a part of the… Continue reading Diamonds are Forever
The worst slum in London
In Victorian London most of the poor lived in what would be called slum housing. During the 18th century many ramshackle ‘courts’ had been built as a result of speculative infilling behind street frontages. However, the reputation of one court stands out. For at least 40 years, from the 1830s, there was an enclave in The Royal Borough… Continue reading The worst slum in London
(I do not) Want Ad
You did not want to mess with this lady, Mrs Nancy Turtle. She surely believed in the power of advertising, though her forgiveable spluttering volcano of anger could have been phrased better, this stream of consciousness rant paints a perfect picture of her lantern-jawed, one-eyed philanderer excuse for a husband
Oranges and Lemons
Interesting piece in the NYT about the potential for analysis of digitised historic records. The particular research looks at the changing attitudes to violent crime as compared with property crime using keywords, though I am not wedded to believing in the reporter’s example of ‘kick’ as a strong trigger word — read the piece. The… Continue reading Oranges and Lemons