In 1743, apprentice Elizabeth Cannon and lodger Ann Ellard robbed their bedridden mistress after a night of drunken planning. Caught within hours, they confessed and were sentenced to death. This tragic Old Bailey case reveals how quickly crime, drink, and desperation could lead to the gallows in Georgian London.
Tag Archives: Georgian London crime
This Day in History: 2 April 1788
n 1788, tailor David Clary was convicted of deliberately setting fire to his own home in London—triggering a blaze that endangered neighbouring properties. With no direct witnesses, the case relied entirely on circumstantial evidence, revealing one of the earliest and most striking examples of suspected insurance fraud.
This Day in History – 26 March 1735
In 1735, George Ward led a violent armed robbery in a Clerkenwell bakehouse, shooting and robbing Thomas Gibson. This Old Bailey case reveals a brutal insider-led burglary, a chilling confession, and the unrepentant final days of a condemned man in Georgian London’s criminal underworld.
This Day in History – 25 March 1797
In 1797, Elizabeth Willoughby was caught smuggling escape tools into Newgate Prison for condemned prisoner William Harper. This Old Bailey case reveals a bold jailbreak plot involving saws, chisels, and deception—offering a vivid glimpse into crime, punishment, and prison life in Georgian London.
This Day in History – 24 March 1839
A drunken quarrel in Deptford in 1839 led to a brutal knife injury and a courtroom drama revealing mutual violence and desperation. This Old Bailey case explores the blurred line between assault and self-defence in Victorian London, where candlelight, jealousy, and alcohol combined with devastating consequences.
This Day in History: 25 February 1784 — John Smith and the Harley Street Robbery
On 25 February 1784, John Smith was convicted at the Old Bailey for robbing Francis Franco at pistol-point in Harley Street. Though sentenced to death for stealing over sixty pounds in gold and a watch, his sentence was commuted, and he was transported to America for seven years.
This Day in History: 24 February 1790 — James East, William Wilson, and the Black Horse Burglary
On 24 February 1790, James East and William Wilson were tried at the Old Bailey for a night burglary at the Black Horse in Kingsland Road. After breaking through a wall and stealing casks of spirits and china bowls, both men were sentenced to death, while two young women were transported to New South Wales.
This Day in History: 21 February 1787 — Charles Shaw and the Robbery at St Paul’s
On 21 February 1787, Charles Shaw was tried at the Old Bailey for robbing John Hughes near St Paul’s Churchyard. Accused of tripping him and stealing a silver watch worth forty shillings, Shaw was found guilty of highway robbery and executed at Newgate Prison on 26 April 1787.
This Day in History: 5 February 1808 — Edward Westbrooke and the Stolen Cotton
On 5 February 1808, London’s highest criminal court, the Old Bailey, heard the case of Edward Westbrooke, who stood accused of stealing hundreds of printed cotton handkerchiefs and other textiles — goods of considerable value in the commercial heart of Georgian England. His trial, conviction and ultimate fate reveal much about how property, punishment andContinue reading “This Day in History: 5 February 1808 — Edward Westbrooke and the Stolen Cotton”
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