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A Rebel Hand: Nicholas Delaney of 1798 - the book
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Tag Archives: crime
Criminal Lives, 1780-1925
Exhibition – Criminal Lives, 1780-1925: punishing Old Bailey convicts Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Transportation
Tagged Australia, Convicts, crime, London, Newgate, Old Bailey
3 Comments
Celestina’s life in Millbank Prison: a Christmas tale pt 22
In the previous post in this series, Celestina Sommer arrived at Millbank Prison on 6 September, 1856, to begin her sentence for murdering her daughter, Celestina Christmas. Her hair was cut off, she was given prison clothes and put in … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina, Convicts
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, Murder, prison, women, women convicts
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Celestina arrives at Millbank Prison: a Christmas tale pt 21
Celestina Sommer’s death sentence was commuted to transportation for life on 22 April 1856. Because she was still waiting for her sentence to be carried out, she was taken back to Newgate Prison (which was a ‘detentional’ prison, only used … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, Convict, crime, Murder, prison, women
5 Comments
Will Celestina hang? A Christmas tale pt 20
Celestina Sommer had been sentenced to death for the murder of her daughter, Celestina Christmas. On Thursday, 10 April, 1856, she was taken back to Newgate Prison, which was used only for prisoners awaiting trial, execution or transportation. At the … Continue reading
Posted in Celestina
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, death, Murder, Newgate, Somner
6 Comments
The mob chases the witnesses: a Christmas tale pt 13
In the last post in this series, we looked at the inquest into the murder of Celestina Christmas by her mother, held at the North Pole tavern on New North Rd. This time I’ll focus on what happened immediately afterwards: … Continue reading
Posted in London
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, London, Murder
15 Comments
The inquest in the pub: a Christmas tale pt 12
Where’s the obvious place for a Victorian coroner to hold an inquest into the cause of death of a murdered child? The pub, of course. No, really. It’s not as daft as it may seem. Some inquests into ‘suspicious’ deaths … Continue reading
Posted in London
Tagged #victorianmurder, Celestina, Celestina Sommer, Christmas, crime, Harrington, inquest, Murder
7 Comments
The cook, the thieves, the prostitute and the postillion – convicts transported to Australia
My convict ancestors were an unusual lot – but three of them were also really common. That’s the conclusion I came to after looking at a clever take on transportation statistics on one Australian website. Three out of four of … Continue reading
Posted in Convicts, Transportation
Tagged Convicts in Australia, crime, history, irish rebels, Murder, occupation, tailor, theft, United Irishman, waterman
9 Comments
A Rebel Hand 