Wednesday, 2 November 2011

CHARLES PEACE victorian cat burglar

Research into my three chosen facts.

CHARLES PEACE 1879


Illustrated Police News, 22 February 1879

Notes taken from a selection of websites

http://www.executedtoday.com/2008/02/25/1879-charles-peace/

- 1879, hung, Victorian cat burglar
- one of the most colourful and romanticised career criminals of 19th century England
- told a clergyman shortly before execution he hoped that after he was gone he would be entirely forgotten by everybody and his name never mentioned again
- copious string of home burglaries...audacious in nature and extent (South London 1877-8)
- aroused fear of the communities 
- assumed an entire gang was at work
- superb technique

http://www.rotherhamweb.co.uk/h/charlespeace.htm

- played the violin, used the case to carry the instruments of his other trade - burglary
- in 1846, leg became cripple
- first exploit = stealing of an old gentleman's gold watch
- oct 26th 1851 moved onto greater things...houses
- fascination of 'nocturnal adventure'
- became known as a 'portico-thief' (a structure consisting of a roof supported by columns at regular intervals, typically attached as a porch to a building, google definition)







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