
News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime
Welcome to News of the Times!
Step into the shadowed alleyways and gaslit parlours of the 18th and 19th centuries with News of the Times — a meticulously curated journey through historical crime. Each episode draws from authentic reports and court records, bringing you the darkly fascinating tales that gripped Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian Britain.
With over 500 episodes and counting, we explore true accounts of mischief, murder, and mayhem from days gone by — all delivered with a wry nod and a love for the curious corners of the past.
🕵️ For those with a taste for the peculiar, you may also enjoy our new side project: Volume 1: Slightly Unreliable Memoirs — a whimsical collection inspired by the lives (and occasional misadventures) of our research team. Think cravats, crumpets, and the occasional cactus on the lam. Intrigued? Find it here:
👉 https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e
News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime
The Body in the Cupboard: A Mystery That Baffled Victorian London
The Body in the Cupboard: A Mystery That Baffled Victorian London
News of the Times | Episode 528 |1868
In this chilling Victorian true crime, a decomposing body is discovered hidden in a cupboard beneath the stairs of a half-built house. With no missing persons report and only a single glove as evidence, the authorities must untangle a web of bizarre clues and duelling identities.
Was the victim an asylum escapee who believed himself already dead?
A vanished spirit merchant with secrets to hide?
Or someone else entirely?
🔍 Featuring:
Mysterious poisons & forensic puzzles
Conflicting widows & disputed scars
A coroner’s verdict that leaves more questions than answers
📰 Drawn from original 1860s newspaper accounts and inquest records, this astonishing case captures the fears and failures of Victorian mental health care — and a society unprepared for the shadows in its own cupboards.
🎭 PLUS:
In our Further Particulars segment, a church pew dispute escalates into holy fisticuffs in 1880s Wales. One farmer. One tailor. One divine dust-up over seating rights. (Yes, really.)
👉 If you enjoy historical true crime, Victorian mysteries, and stranger-than-fiction stories, do like, subscribe, and share with a friend.
And if you suspect your own cupboard may be hiding something… maybe check it. Carefully.
👤 Narrated by Robin Coles
📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
📚 Related cases from the archive:
1868: Frances Kidder– the Last female Public Execution | Ep100
https://youtu.be/zK4WuKx9p8k
1868 - 1900: The Missing | Ep201
https://youtu.be/hKFKHT1k44A
1868: Baroness Killing of a Countess | EP288
https://youtu.be/eJ-zRG4G8eA
❤️ Support Independent History
If you enjoy our ad-free, archive-based storytelling, help us keep the lantern lit:
👉 **Patreon** – Full archive, early access, bonus compilations (and it keeps us independent):
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☕ Prefer a one-off thank-you? We tip our top hats:
https://ko-fi.com/robinandco
📖 New! *Slightly Unreliable Memoirs* (Vol 1 & 2)
Humorous 24-page PDF curiosities in the tradition of Wodehouse and Saki — available here:
https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e
🕯 About the Channel
We’re an independent team o
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Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs.
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