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Phil Hill
Chief Inspector
Username: Phil
Post Number: 559
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - 1:33 pm: | 
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In the current thread about the Sun newspaper articles on Cutbush, there is mention of the famous Victorian criminal, Charles Peace.
...Oftentimes a man, sentenced as a petty thief, turns out to be a long suspected and long sought for murderer. Charles Peace was first charged as a burglar; it was not till some time after he had been imprisoned that he was found to be the daring ruffian who had committed more than one murder, and for years had successfully defied all efforts to discover him.
Now I remember being frightened half to death by the waxwork of old Charlie in Madam Tussauds when I first went there in the 60s. I still have the illustrated guide book I bought that day somewhere, with Peace's picture in it (as I recall there may even have been two wax effigies: one of Peace as himself dressed in his own clothes, the other wearing a disguise). I don't know whether he is even on display now - he was in the "Chamber of Horrors" then.
Later I did some reading up about him, though I have forgotten much, if not all, of what I ever knew.
Does anyone on Casebook know anything about Peace, in detail. I recall him as being fascinating.
I'd love to hear about it if anyone knows.
Thanks in anticipation,
Phil |
Stanley D. Reid
Detective Sergeant
Username: Sreid
Post Number: 149
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - 6:57 pm: |
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Hi Phil,
Have you seen the 1949 movie about this killer called The Case of Charles Peace? I stumbled across it late one night on an art channel and it was great! There's also a 1905 film entitled The Life of Charles Peace which may no longer be extant. Using the minimalist definition of two, this would be one of the earliest true-crime serial killer based movies.
Regards,
Stan |
Jeffrey Bloomfied
Chief Inspector
Username: Mayerling
Post Number: 672
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - 8:57 pm: |
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Hi Phil,
There was a useful volume in the Notable British Series THE TRIALS OF CHARLES PEACE (he was tried once for burglary and once for the murder of Arthur Dyson). Also there is Richard Altick's VICTORIAN STUDIES IN SCARLET (New York: Norton, 1970), which has a nice chapter "Charlie's Music Hall Turn". Finally there is an old biography, KING OF THE LAGS by David Ward, published in 1963.
Peace was a remarkably gifted burglar. He could be entertaining (he played a one string violin, and gave dramatic readings). He was inventive - even taking out a patent on some salvage machinery with a neighbor. But he had miserable and dangerous temper. Having pursued Mrs. Arthur Dyson (apparently with that lady's full approval at first, then she became worried about his demanding ways), he killed Dyson at Bannercross, where that unlucky man moved to get away from Peace. He also killed a police constable (whose name gets blipped on this web site because it is mildly scatalogical) who tried to arrest him. In fact, his arrest by P.C. Robinson in 1878 was only after a hard fight, in which Peace shot and wounded the bobbie. There was an article about P.C. Robinson in THE RIPPEROLOGIST a year ago.
He was definitely a dangerous man, but he had a flair which made the public sort of like him. For example, another man (William Habron) was sentenced to life imprisonment for the killing of the bobbie. A few days before his execution, Peace told the police he was the killer, so that Habron was eventually pardoned and given money in damages for false imprisonment.
Best wishes,
Jeff |
Phil Hill
Chief Inspector
Username: Phil
Post Number: 563
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 1:52 am: |
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Thanks Jeff - that rings a few bells from my reading long ago, but also provides stuff i didn't know, Fascinating. No wonder he was such a "character" to the Victorians!!
Thanks again,
Phil |
AIP
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2005 - 5:37 pm: |
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Try reading King of the Lags The Story of Charles Peace by David Ward, Elek Books, 1963, or The Trial of Charles Peace in the Notable British Trials series, plenty of info in these books. |
Phil Hill
Chief Inspector
Username: Phil
Post Number: 567
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, June 02, 2005 - 11:47 am: |
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It's a shame!! I have just cancelled my subscription to the London Library. I'll have to resort to the inter-library loan service, methinks.
Thanks for the tips,
Phil |
rebecca gent
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 2:00 pm: |
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Hi Phil
Found this page whilst doing a search on Charlie Peace. I found out about him through tracing my family tree. Somehow along the line I am related to Charlie Peace but still trying to stumble through all the confusion of whos who to determine the family link back to me. Think probably it is very very distant cousins. but when i work it all out I'll be sure to let you know what I know !!!
none the less all interesting stuff.
Take care
beck |
Marshall sambrooks
Police Constable
Username: Marsh
Post Number: 8
Registered: 5-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 1:41 am: |
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Hi Phil,try listening to Martin Fido"s account on his murder at midnight radio program,now only available on cassette called serial killers.
marsh.
M Sambrooks
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George Hutchinson
Chief Inspector
Username: Philip
Post Number: 730
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, September 12, 2005 - 4:30 pm: |
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Phil - I have a copy of this if you want to contact me (it's now deleted I think). Though I doubt if you will because you never do! 
I also have - bound - the 1903 Harold Furniss FAMOUS CRIMES series on Peace. But you ain't getting that.
PHILIP
Tour guides do it loudly in front of a crowd!
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wiganthorpe
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, December 01, 2005 - 5:00 pm: |
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Hi Rebecca,
My uncle, Kenneth Hutson, was the grandson of Peace's daughter, Mrs. Bolsover. I have a photograph of her at a family wedding when she was a very old lady - around 1945-7 I think.
Mike |
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