Boiled to Bones: The Gruesome Murder of Julia Martha Thomas

We're back in Victorian South London with a case so grim it became known as the Barnes mystery. In March 1879, widow Julia Martha Thomas hired a new servant, Kate Webster - a decision that would prove fatal. Within weeks Julia was dead, dismembered in her own kitchen copper, and Kate was strutting around Richmond in her employer's clothes, even trying to sell off the furniture. 

In this episode we unravel the murder, the cover-up, and the sensational Old Bailey trial that made Kate infamous as the "Richmond Murderess". Along the way, we talk about whether we thrive under our own jurisdiction (spoiler: no), how not to make coffee when you're already in a mood, and the ongoing curse of smashed plates and dead mice. 

Sources include:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14034969

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9dORAA9Ll4

https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/file/5536ba5a-c8d3-4492-ae2d-2836a0f6cad3/1/Chapter%206%20Kilday%20%28True%20Crime%20Histories%29.pdf

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104299579/julia_martha-thomas

https://historianandrew.medium.com/why-kate-websters-murder-of-julia-martha-thomas-captivated-london-in-1879-adbc17dd0b63

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lfwfjc

https://truecrimearchives.blog/kate-webster-axe-murderess-of-richmond/

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43653402

https://www.irishpost.com/features/ten-facts-kate-webster-irish-maid-hanged-dismembering-employer-victorian-london-131185

Support the show

Thanks for tuning in! If you loved diving into the dark corners of South London with us, don't forget to hit that subscribe button to never miss an episode of "Sinister South."

Also, follow us on Instagram @SinisterSouthPodcast for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes content, and more cheeky banter, or www.sinistersouthpod.co.uk. Remember, every crime tells a story... and South is the best side of the river...

Produced and hosted by Hannah Williams & Rachel Baines
Mixed & edited by Purple Waves Sound (A.K.A Will)