Tag: History of London

19th Century, History

Jack the Ripper: the Whitechapel Murderer

In the early hours of 31 August 1888, a killer came out of the shadows in the narrow streets of Whitechapel, London, and claimed the first of his five victims. On the 9 November 1888, after slaughtering his final victim he evaporated seemingly into thin air. Who was the notorious Jack the Ripper? With a list of suspects that seems to grow at least one … Continue reading Jack the Ripper: the Whitechapel Murderer

HistorianRuby15 Comments
18th Century, History

More from the Philanthropic Society

In my recent post the Philanthropic Society I introduced you to ten-year-old George Lefoy the first ‘subject’, as the children of the Philanthropic Society were called. In this article I give you Thomas Mitchell and Nicholas Sweetman, subjects number two and three. Children admitted into the Society’s Reform were the offspring of the criminal classes or those destitute and in need of rescuing from penury … Continue reading More from the Philanthropic Society

HistorianRuby2 Comments
18th Century, History

The Philanthropic Society

My Master’s dissertation was a study of the Philanthropic Society founded in the late eighteenth century. Having changed computers since my original research, with the majority of it lost, I was thrilled to come across this photograph in my ‘old’ emails. The Philanthropic Society was founded in London in 1788 and its mission was to resolve the problem of homeless and criminal children.  It was … Continue reading The Philanthropic Society

HistorianRuby1 Comment
17th Century, 18th Century, 19th Century, History, Women's History

Witchcraft, Petty Treason and Poisoner? Women on Trial at the Old Bailey, London

The Proceedings of the Old Bailey Online is a fantastic resource for historians and it is one I return to time and again. I’ve used it as a basis for the study of poisoning crimes in nineteenth-century London and for various assignments that needed the bolstering of a primary source or two. It’s a fascinating insight into centuries of crime in London; the crimes that … Continue reading Witchcraft, Petty Treason and Poisoner? Women on Trial at the Old Bailey, London

HistorianRuby10 Comments
18th Century, Academic Research, BAME History, History

The ‘Black Boy’of the Philanthropic Society

This article was first published on history@kingston, February 2015 So much of London’s fascinating black history is hidden from the historical record, so when I noticed the phrase ‘Black Boy’ written in the minutes of the Philanthropic Society during research for my recent MA dissertation on juvenile delinquency and philanthropy in the late eighteenth century, I was intrigued.  It was the first time that I … Continue reading The ‘Black Boy’of the Philanthropic Society

HistorianRuby13 Comments