Leather Apron and the City on Edge - Whitechapel Chronicles4
News of the Times Episode 503 | 1888
As fear gripped Whitechapel after the brutal murder of Annie Chapman, the press gave that fear a name: Leather Apron.
This episode of The Whitechapel Chronicles follows the frantic days after Chapman's body was found—when suspicion fell on local bootmaker John Pizer, infamously dubbed “Leather Apron.” His arrest, driven by media frenzy, raised more questions than it answered.
Using only 1888 newspaper reports, we trace the missteps of the investigation: false leads, public panic, and a press beginning to question not just the killer, but the world that let him flourish. Whitechapel wasn’t just the setting—it was part of the story.

Plus, in our Further Particulars segment: a lighter (and stranger) slice of 1888 life with a tale of frog swallowing. Yes, really.
Maybe don’t listen over breakfast.😉
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history #serialkillerfacts

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
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1889: The Mystery of the Hansom Cab Murder | EP368
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1884: The Vienna Murders - Serial Killer Hugo Schenk | EP387
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***
Who are News of the Times?
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The Butcher Escalates - Whitechapel Chronicles 3
News of the Times Episode 502 | 1888
By September 1888, fear in Whitechapel had turned to full-blown panic. When Annie Chapman’s mutilated body was found in a narrow yard on Hanbury Street, it became clear—these murders were no longer isolated horrors, but part of something far more chilling.

In this episode, we revisit the scene through the eyes of Victorian newspapers, witnesses, and police reports.
A whispered sound before the violence.
A cryptic message: “Five: Fifteen more, and then I give myself up.”
A killer growing bolder.

False arrests, whispered rumours of “Leather Apron,” organs missing with surgical precision—the East End was unraveling.

And in today's Further Particulars: a bizarre 1888 hoax involving 80 people, a ruined farmer, and a vanishing £6,000.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history #serialkillerfacts

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1880 - 1885: Disturbing Cases of Severed Heads | EP397
https://youtu.be/2y4MQWn4eV8
1808 & 1888: The Butcher Bichel - The Butcher and the Ripper | EP408
https://youtu.be/NL-BKDIkpYk
1888 - 1925: A Round Robin of December Murders | EP417
https://youtu.be/wnIVPmRuEUY
1888: The Huddersfield Murder | EP429
https://youtu.be/5wdWCcatYKc
1888: Case of the 1888 Marylebone Murder Mystery | EP435
https://youtu.be/JgLiiT-f_xY
1883 & 1927: The Curious Case of James Kelly - | EP442
https://youtu.be/JlPJSl6iTlY

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Blood in Buck's Row - Whitechapel Chronicles2
News of the Times Episode 501| 1888
Episode Two: The Murder of Mary Ann Nichols
August 31, 1888 — a woman is found brutally murdered on a quiet East End street. Her name is Mary Ann Nichols, known as Polly, and her death marks a turning point in Whitechapel’s descent into fear.
This episode dives into the chaos that followed Polly’s killing: eerie silences, vanishing cries for help, and a bloodied crime scene that offered more mystery than clarity. Was the killer a lone madman? A ruthless gang? Or something far worse, stalking the gaslit alleys?
Using only newspapers from the time, we uncover the frantic early theories, shifting eyewitness accounts, and the public hysteria surrounding “Leather Apron” and the feared High Rip Gang.
Polly's murder wasn't just a tragedy.
It was a rupture. A warning.
The first real glimpse of what was to come.

And in today’s Further Particulars: a courtroom case with twilight breakfasts, flaming carpets, and one very peculiar gentleman indeed.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history #serialkillerfacts

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1881: The Case of the Cambridge Killing | EP449
https://youtu.be/lZvxvOwnjPA
1881: A Hatchet, A Gunshot & A Widow’s Denial | The Chilling Case of David Buchanan | EP451
https://youtu.be/c9vHh0p9wb0
1884 - 1887: Deadly Love Turns Into Murder In Shocking True Crime Cases | EP454
https://youtu.be/aCirfAOQoHs
1881: Jealousy and Murder Near St Columb || Exploring a Deadly Case of Jealousy and Murder | EP456
https://youtu.be/Oxo-TuZLHXw
1880: the Harley Street Mystery | EP458
https://youtu.be/F6V2OuSfi68
1885: The Walsoken Tragedy | EP474
https://youtu.be/4TvLBlRHbCY
1887: The Grimsby Murder of 1887 | EP480
https://youtu.be/D_YT-9LFTPE

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Before Jack: The Cases They Dismissed - Whitechapel Chronicles1
News of the Times Episode 500 | 1888
"Before the name carved itself into history… before the letters, before the myth… there was only blood.”
Step into the smoke-choked alleys of 1888 Whitechapel, where dread slinks behind every corner and the gaslight barely pierces the gloom. In this premiere episode of Whitechapel Chronicles, we delve into a London not yet haunted by Jack the Ripper — but already gripped by his shadow.
The world remembers the Canonical Five. But before them came other names, almost forgotten:
Ada Wilson. Annie Millwood. Emma Smith. Martha Turner.
Women struck down with ferocity, their stories scattered and dismissed — victims of what the press called chance, what the police called coincidence. But something far more insidious was taking root.
Drawing solely from the newspapers of the era, we retrace the mounting horror that clawed through the East End long before the Ripper’s signature arrived. There were suspects — soldiers with bloodied hands, women with secrets, whispers in every tenement and tavern. Testimonies changed. Witnesses vanished. And still, the city looked away…
Until it was too late.

This is not yet the legend.
This is the forewarning.

And in our Further Particulars segment: it is the year 1887, and the Old Bailey hears a most peculiar case — a widow sues a dead man for breach of promise. Truth, as ever in Victorian England, is stranger than fiction.

Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1845 - 1888: Murder and Cannibalism | Ep247
https://youtu.be/5NTs38FEmBA
1808 & 1888: The Butcher Bichel - The Butcher and the Ripper | EP408
https://youtu.be/NL-BKDIkpYk
1888 - 1925: A Round Robin of December Murders | EP417
https://youtu.be/wnIVPmRuEUY
1888: The Huddersfield Murder | EP429
https://youtu.be/5wdWCcatYKc
1888: Case of the 1888 Marylebone Murder Mystery | EP435
https://youtu.be/JgLiiT-f_xY

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Murder, Matrimony & Misfortune: The Curious Case of Mrs Portbury
News of the Times Episode 499 | 1872
In 1871 London, scandal brews as the respectable widow of a beloved doctor, Amelia Muldola, shocks society by marrying her 17-year-old groom, Henry Portbury. What begins as a salacious romance spirals into a Victorian nightmare: theft, kidnapping, and ultimately—matricide.
When Amelia’s fortune vanishes, and her children are taken by the courts, chaos erupts. A courtroom circus, deceitful oaths, and a violent family feud culminate in the death of her mother under deeply suspicious circumstances.
Was it a tragic accident or a calculated killing?
This tangled web of greed, betrayal, and scandal gripped the Victorian press.
And in today's end of episode Further [particulars segment, we have a darkly humorous bonus tale from the gallows that only Georgian / Victorian black comedy could deliver.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
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1877?: The Case of Edinburgh's Last Public Execution | EP437
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1878: The Case of the Bodies in the Dung Heap | EP445
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1851 & 1875: Cases of Double Black Widows | EP464
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***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
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If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Hidden Wealth, Brutal Death: The Murder That Rocked Blaw Wearie
News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840
When greed turns deadly in the Scottish hills
In today’s episode, we travel back to 1844, to the windswept isolation of Blaw Wearie, near West Calder, Scotland.
A remote and quiet community is shaken to its core by the brutal murder of 60-year-old John Geddes — a solitary man, whispered to be sitting on hidden wealth.
When neighbours grow concerned after days without sight of him, they force open his door... and uncover a scene of unthinkable violence. Geddes is found with his eye crushed into his fractured skull, ribs shattered, nose and finger severed. It is a scene of sheer horror.
What happened in that lonely house? And who could carry out such a savage killing?
Then, in our end-of-episode "Further Particulars" feature: the year is 1801. A mysterious teak box washes ashore. Inside — wrapped in tea leaves — lies a corpse.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1844: Murder of Sarah McFarlane | EP367
https://youtu.be/5UlAJcSm9g0
1842 - 1929: Scotland Yard Case Files Crime Compilation | EP370
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1766 - 1848: Shocking Dark Crime Tales of Britain | EP373
https://youtu.be/WIvzA4DAwUA
1849: The Curious Case of the Harvard Murder | EP378
https://youtu.be/n23PlQFqhlw
1844: The Case of The Colwick Murders And The Subsequent Tragedies | EP389
https://youtu.be/GgyyTQFkL6A
1836 & 1843: The Trouble with Harriet | EP398
https://youtu.be/BrZh10eMQ0s
1844: The Demon Drummer of Cartechy Castle | EP401
https://youtu.be/9PYsoYkqLhA

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

The Blood-Covered Publican: David Owen’s Rampage in 1818 London
News of the Times Episode 497 | 1818
Step back in time to the year 1818, in the quiet suburb of Edmonton, North London—where a shocking and violent event gripped the local community.
David Owen, a 50-year-old widower and well-known publican, was regarded as a mild and peaceful man. But one day, in a fit of apparent madness, he arrives at his sister’s home armed with several knives—and attempts to kill her, her husband, and their maid.
As chaos erupts inside the house, it takes a team of policemen and a crowd of neighbours—wielding crowbars—to force their way in and confront Owen, who stands blood-soaked and frenzied, like a man possessed.
What could have caused such a horrifying transformation in a man once thought so unassuming? And what buried seed from his past may have led to this moment of horror?

📌 In our “Further Particulars” segment at the end of the episode, we explore a bizarre court case from 1888: What is the cost of a wife? At that time, the going rate was roughly £330 in today’s money. But what happens when the first husband—who sold his wife—tries to renegotiate the price?
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
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https://youtu.be/BWXNgZzifPU
1810 & 1833: Scandal, Murder and the Duke of Cumberland | Ep202
https://youtu.be/fMAtB5QHQ0w
1815 - 1882: History Compilation Special –Crime Stories That Made History | Ep228
https://youtu.be/m1_tkiiay20
1809-1811: The German Brinvillier - Anna Margaretha Zwanziger | EP352
https://youtu.be/BxOsIxpNCrs
1816 & 1898: Deadly Relations: Shocking In-Law Murders | EP365
https://youtu.be/RWwLJ3nLr30
1814: The Disturbing Case of Sarah Stone | EP430
https://youtu.be/RjMEECXEwro
1812: The Infamous Murderous Lomas Morrey Love Triangle | EP436
***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

The Mysterious Tragic Affair at Kidwelly
News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840
Southwest Wales, 1881.
Eleven-year-old John Thomas sets off on a simple errand — to deliver a pair of shoes made by his father, a local shoemaker. He completes his task, collects ten shillings, and begins the short walk home.
But he never arrives.
Along the way, John encounters two local boys — David Mazey, aged 12, and his younger brother Benjamin, aged 10. A neighbor watches him enter the Mazey home… and that is the last time John Thomas is seen alive.
What follows is a disturbing tale that shocked Victorian Britain:
John's body is discovered in a nearby ditch — a place that had already been searched the day before. His small frame is battered, broken, and drained of blood, with injuries so horrific they defy belief — especially if inflicted by children.

The case becomes national news, not only for its sheer brutality, but for the eerie disappearance and reappearance of the boy’s body… and the disturbing youth of the suspected murderers.

And in our “Further Particulars” segment: a Victorian tragedy unfolds — a young woman dies shortly after childbirth. But days later, a horrifying truth emerges… she was buried alive.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1888: Case of the 1888 Marylebone Murder Mystery | EP435
https://youtu.be/JgLiiT-f_xY
1883 & 1927: The Curious Case of James Kelly - | EP442
https://youtu.be/JlPJSl6iTlY
1881: The Case of the Cambridge Killing | EP449
https://youtu.be/lZvxvOwnjPA
1881: A Hatchet, A Gunshot & A Widow’s Denial | The Chilling Case of David Buchanan | EP451
https://youtu.be/c9vHh0p9wb0
1884 - 1887: Deadly Love Turns Into Murder In Shocking True Crime Cases | EP454
https://youtu.be/aCirfAOQoHs
1881: Jealousy and Murder Near St Columb || Exploring a Deadly Case of Jealousy and Murder | EP456
https://youtu.be/Oxo-TuZLHXw
1880: the Harley Street Mystery | EP458
https://youtu.be/F6V2OuSfi68
1885: The Walsoken Tragedy | EP474
https://youtu.be/4TvLBlRHbCY

NEWS OF THE TIMES PLAYLISTS

News of the Times MURDEROUS MONDAYS
We look at a famous historical murder case of its day in detail
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuj5alJ9fVqsjz8

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd