British News

55 posts

Birmingham Trip in Stolen Motor Lorry – 1945

Birmingham Trip in Stolen Motor Lorry – 1945

Coventry Evening Telegraph – Wednesday 30 May 1945 Birmingham Trip in Stolen Motor Lorry Receiving a telephone message from the Birmingham police that a lorry from Coventry had collided with a trolley-bus pole there, and they were detaining a youth who was in the lorry at the time, Detective Dickens […]

Alleged Theft of Over 14,000 Rounds of Ammunition – 1884

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 […]

Battersea Boys Charged with ‘Highway Robbery’ – 1923

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 […]

The Salvation Army Nuisance and an Embezzlement Case – 1883

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 […]

Unrest in Edwardian London: Tower Hill Unemployment Protest – 1905

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 […]

Diamond Heist Allegations: Defendant Too Ill for Court Appearance – 1901

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 […]

Justice and Social Order: Victorian Law through the Yorkshire Gazette – 1862

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 […]

Drunken Injury, Burglaries, and Brawls: Crime and Conflict in Sheffield and Doncaster – 1874

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 […]

The West End Scandals: Courtroom Intrigue, Conspiracy, and the Cleveland Street Saga – 1890

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 […]

Worthing Police Court – 1892

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. […]

War News Reporting – 1705

War News Reporting – 1705

In December 1705, Britain was involved in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714). This conflict arose from disputes over who should succeed to the Spanish throne after the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in 1700. The war pitted two major alliances against each other: The Grand […]

Charges of Theft – 1889

Charges of Theft – 1889

Birmingham Daily Post – Tuesday 22 January 1889 WEST BROMWICH. CHARGES OF THEFT.—Yesterday, at the Police Court, John Rhodes (45), of no fixed abode, was charged with stealing 3lb. of pork of the value of 1s. 6d., the property of Thomas Davis, of Great Bridge Street, West Bromwich. On Saturday […]

Stray Cattle at Winslow – 1892

WINSLOW PETTY SESSIONS, DECEMBER 14 1892 Before Geo. R. Greaves, Esq., and the Hon. C. Fremantle. STRAY CATTLE AT LITTLE HORWOOD William King, farmer, was charged with allowing his cows to stray on the highway at Little Horwood on the 19th Nov. P.C. Tredway said shortly after one o’clock in […]

Rogue Stockbroker – 1905

Rogue Stockbroker – 1905

Morning Post – Wednesday 20 December 1905 [Stanley Gardner, a rogue stockbroker, was charged with obtaining money by false pretences in a high-profile fraud case. Victims across the UK lost hundreds of pounds in fake share schemes. #OnThisDay #History #TrueCrime] Stanley Gardner, 35, described as an outside stock and share […]

Forging, Tampering with Family History – 1898

Forging, Tampering with Family History – 1898

October 26, 1898 | ST. JAMES’S GAZETTE THE ANTIQUARIAN ROMANCE. MORE REMARKABLE EVIDENCE. Mr. Lushington sat again specially at Bow-street yesterday for the further hearing of the charges against Herbert Davies, twenty-five, “private surgeon,” of Castlenau-gardens, Barnes, of forging entries in Mangotsfield parish register, tampering with monuments and coffins, forging […]

Rare and Short-Lived Newspapers

Rare and Short-Lived Newspapers

Throughout history, many newspapers have had fleeting existences, often created in response to specific events, movements, or ambitions that were unsustainable in the long term. These rare and short-lived publications offer unique insights into the moments they captured, often serving niche audiences or addressing radical ideas. Their limited runs and […]

Rediffusion Radio – 1947

Rediffusion Radio – 1947

Thanet Advertiser – Friday 04 April 1947 This is a fascinating newspaper advertisement from 1947 for a service called Rediffusion. Here’s a breakdown: Rediffusion Technology in 1947 What is Rediffusion? Rediffusion was a service that allowed people to listen to crystal-clear radio broadcasts without owning a traditional radio set. Instead […]

Bad Meat – 1867

The handling of meat in Britain during the 1800s was an area of significant concern due to the lack of comprehensive food safety regulations, leading to widespread public health issues and increasing media coverage of scandals and legal cases. Thame Gazette – Tuesday 17 September 1867 A butcher in Walworth […]

The Poor Man’s Guardian – 1830s

The Poor Man’s Guardian – 1830s

In its era, “The Poor Man’s Guardian” was a defiant voice of the working class, a radical, illegal newspaper that challenged oppressive laws and censorship, pushing for press freedom, workers’ rights, and social reform during a time of political repression and economic inequality. Poor Man’s Guardian – Saturday 26 December […]

Riots in Trafalgar Square – November 1887

RIOTS IN TRAFALGAR SQUARE. Illustrated Police News – Saturday 19 November 1887 Sunday’s proposed demonstration in Trafalgar Square to demand the release of Mr. O’Brien and other Irish patriots ended in a most futile manner. It is absurd to suppose that an unorganised body of men like the demonstrators proved […]

Protecting the ‘unknown’

Protecting the ‘unknown’

Since auction websites like eBay entered the online arena the success of moneymaking ventures by some has in a way caused serious social and devastating historic damage. I am referring here to the thousands who have unwittingly taken advantage of these websites by selling off literally tons of “family junk”, […]

The Lost Exeter Bank note – 1776

The Exeter Bank had been established in 1769 along with England’s first hotel, The Royal Clarence, destroyed by fire in 2016. Mr. Short was in Oxford in July 1776 and placed this advertisement in the Oxford Journal on Saturday 6th July: Oxford, 5th July. 1776. LOST, last Night, – An […]

Devon Olympic Hero – Fred Holman

Devon Olympic Hero – Fred Holman

Friday 24th July 1908 and crowds of Edwardian Devonians welcome home their Olympic sporting hero Fred Holman when he arrived by train at Queen Street (Central) Railway Station. Dawlish man Fred had victoriously won the 200 metres Breast Stroke Contest in London. Hundreds were ready to carry Fred shoulder high […]

The Race for Flight – 1899

The Race for Flight – 1899

As the Victorian age was slowly coming to a close the brave and exciting Edwardian era was to bring a brief and thrilling period for invention and development. Experiments in wireless broadcasting were already underway, cable telegraph transmissions throughout the Empire were already established, the motor car was beginning to […]