Stoke-on-Trent Murders and Misdemeanours

Stoke-on-Trent in the century between 1850 and 1950 witnessed huge changes. In the Victorian period the population in the area grew rapidly, attracted by the opportunities in the heart of the country’s pottery industry, and 1910, a new borough of Stoke-on-Trent was formed from a confederation of six towns. Alongside the potteries, many more worked in coal mining, manufacturing or other heavy industries and wealth and poverty often lived close together. The local police force not only had to deal with the ‘high crimes’ of murder and large-scale robberies and frauds, sometimes with the help of Scotland Yard, but also ‘low level’ crimes such as burglary and housebreaking, with constantly evolving criminal tactics and techniques. Delving into original sources, court reports and newspaper archives, the authors also look at the effects of crime and its punishment, as well as cases where the defendants were eventually adjudged insane.

This collection of true-life crime stories gives a vivid insight into life in Stoke-on-Trent in the past. This book will fascinate anyone with an interest in the history of crime as well as those who want to know more about the history of Stoke-on-Trent.