Tag Archives: true crime history

This Day in History – 16 September 1812

16 September 1812 — Old Bailey Manslaughter: Thomas Oakley was tried for manslaughter at the Old Bailey after a death for which the court found him responsible but not guilty of murder.

This Day in History – 5 August 1879

James Dilley & Mary Rainbow — The Tragedy of an Infant, Hidden in Paper (5 August 1879)
Charged with the murder of their unnamed newborn, Rainbow and Dilley were swiftly convicted. The child’s body was found wrapped in paper—the crime and secrecy both haunting in Victorian London.

📜 This Day in History – 31 July 1784

John Romaine — The Overcoat Theft That Ended in Exile (31 July 1784)
When John Romaine stole a cloth great-coat from a Westminster house, he was caught within minutes, confessed immediately, and was sentenced to seven years transportation. A quiet crime with life-changing consequences.

This Day in History – 30 July 1802

Joseph Wall — The Governor Who Whipped a Man to Death (30 July 1802)
Hanged before a crowd of thousands, former Governor Joseph Wall was brought to justice for ordering the brutal flogging of a soldier. His trial marked a rare moment of colonial accountability in Georgian Britain.

This Day in History – 29 July 1799

Rebecca Clift — A Servant’s Crime and Punishment (29 July 1799)
Found guilty of stealing fine linens from her employer, Rebecca Clift was sentenced to be whipped and transported. Her silence in court remains a haunting footnote in a justice system slow to offer mercy.

This Day in History – 23 July 1783

Ot en Batley – The Great Linen Heist (23 July 1783)
A servant’s bold theft of luxury damask linens led to public whipping and discharge—a rare mercy amid harsh Georgian justice.

This Day in History – 22 July 1850

The Bread Coiner – This Day in History (22 July 1850)
On this day in 1850, Frances Henesey was tried at the Old Bailey for passing a fake shilling at a bakery, grabbing a loaf of bread, and fleeing into the London streets.

This Day in History – 21 July 1751

Horse-Turnpike Highway Robbery – This Day in History (21 July 1751)
On this day in 1751, William Elkins stood trial at the Old Bailey for highway robbery after allegedly holding up travellers at a turnpike while on horseback.