News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime

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 …

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 …

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: Ar…

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…

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 la…

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,…

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 r…

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 Jo…

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…

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 li…

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 d…

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 w…

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 murde…

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…

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 fri…

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…

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 res…

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 thr…

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 …

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 …