Was Justice Served?

• The wealthy widow of Stepney with Rav Wilding

  ‘Save the ghastly corpse, still bleeding from a frightful wound in the head, they had not left a trace of the dark deed which had been but too successfully accomplished...’  In the summer of 1860, a wealthy 70-year-old widow was found murdered at her home in Stepney. She lay in a pool of her own blood, with her scalp pulverised and her petticoats thrown above her head, for four days before being discovered. Curiously, there were no signs of forced entry into her home. Was her killer an acquaintance - or worse, a friend? What did they have to gain from her murder?   Presenter and former police officer Rav Wilding joins Jen and David to examine how the grisly murder of Mary Emsley played out in court, reflecting on Victorian investigation methods and the central themes of class and poverty. With Rav’s firsthand insight, they reflect on how police would handle this perplexing case today.   Discover the details for yourself in the episode's Case Files - a collection of all the key newspaper reports - available to browse for free on Findmypast: www.findmypast.co.uk/wasjusticeserved  Was justice served? Share your judgement with the WJS community:  @wasjusticeservedpod #wasjusticeserved  Producer - Madeleine Gilbert  Assistant Producer - Daisy Goddard  AV Editor - Callum Main  Video Lead - Andrew Farrell  Researcher - Jen Baldwin  Voiceover - Tanya O’Sullivan  AV Lead - Mark Asquith 

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• Bonus: A criminal in Jen's family tree

  Join Jen for a special bonus episode, in which she dives into her own family tree and reveals the fascinating story of her Irish ancestor: Archibald McKenzie. Research by Findmypast revealed that 1 in 6 people have a criminal in their family tree, and Jen's research has led her to uncover the details of Archibald's crimes in historical records and newspapers. Follow the story from a brush with the law in Ireland to a second offence in Wales before he emigrates to America. Get to know the world in which Archibald lives, which might lead you to question - was justice served? As always, you can review the Case Files for yourself at www.findmypast.co.uk/wasjusticeserved Instagram - @wasjusticeservedpod TikTok - @wasjusticeserved Producer - Madeleine Gilbert Assistant Producer - Daisy Goddard AV Editor - Callum Main Researcher - Jen Baldwin AV Lead - Mark Asquith

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• Shotguns and Scandal at Ardlamont

  “There were infinite possibilities as to how he might be shot. There was room for conjecture and for difference of opinion in this matter...” On the morning of 10 August 1893, a party of three gentlemen leave for a morning of shooting on the sprawling Scottish estate of Ardlamont. One loses his life in the woods, at the wrong end of the barrel of a shotgun. The survivors – the only witnesses – were the two men with the most to lose and the most to gain from his demise. Were they responsible for plotting his death and covering it up as a tragic accident? Jen and David take their expertise to this case, which inspired the characters of Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson. They look at the characters involved, all with something to hide, and examine what brought them together on this fateful day. They follow the major twists of the trial, including revelations around money, love affairs, and criminal pasts. And they look at the fall-out of the case, where the those involved revealed their true characters… Discover the details for yourself in the episode's Case Files - a collection of all the key newspaper reports - available to browse for free on Findmypast: www.findmypast.co.uk/wasjusticeserved Was justice served? Share your judgement with the WJS community: Instagram - @wasjusticeservedpod TikTok - @wasjusticeserved Producer - Madeleine Gilbert Assistant Producer - Daisy Goddard AV Editor - Callum Main Videographer - Angus Webster Video Lead - Andrew Farrell Graphics/Design - Kate Benzie, David Bradley and Graham Jacobs Researcher - Jen Baldwin Voiceover - Elliot Hardman AV Lead - Mark Asquith  

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• Sudden Death in Southend

  “...she asked me to fetch the police, but my husband would not let me interfere... he had threatened to rip her inside out. I said to her: “He is not safe to live with”...” In the early morning of 2 June 1906, a woman is discovered lying dead on the floor of her bedroom. She had gone to bed in good spirits but never woken up. An autopsy revealed a ruptured spleen – an injury which could have been caused by a nasty fall, or just as easily by the toe of a boot. What happened overnight in the small, terraced house in the Essex coastal town of Southend on Sea? Was her partner to blame? In this episode, Jen and David pick apart the complex relationships between a woman, her partner, and her close family, all living in close proximity in Victorian terraced housing. They discuss issues of masculinity and historical attitudes towards domestic abuse, which played a central role in the case. This mysterious and tragic death was discovered and sent in by Findmypast community member, Tom Fitton. Discover the details for yourself in the episode's Case Files - a collection of all the key newspaper reports - available to browse for free on Findmypast: www.findmypast.co.uk/wasjusticeserved Was justice served? Share your judgement with the WJS community: Instagram - @wasjusticeservedpod TikTok - @wasjusticeserved Producer - Madeleine Gilbert Assistant Producer - Daisy Goddard AV Editor - Callum Main Videographer - Angus Webster Video Lead - Andrew Farrell Graphics/Design - Kate Benzie, David Bradley and Graham Jacobs Researcher - Jen Baldwin Voiceover - Elliot Hardman AV Lead - Mark Asquith  

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• A Murderous Affair in Peasenhall

  “He there saw the deceased lying upon her back on the floor, a pool of blood surrounded her head, her throat was cut, and she was dead...” During an unseasonal storm on the night of 31 May 1902, a young unmarried woman is brutally murdered in the quiet village of Peasenhall, Suffolk. Her death reveals her secret: she is six months pregnant. Rumours have circulated for years about an illicit affair with a fellow member of the local Primitive Methodist chapel, while a letter discovered in her bedroom appears to show she is in contact with a mystery lover who lives just meters from her house… So who was the father of her baby, and was she killed to cover it up? Jen and David look at the short life of the victim, Rose, working as a domestic servant and carrying a ruinous secret. They discuss the relationships in this small, close-knit rural village, and the hearsay surrounding the trial that centred on the Primitive Methodist community. They take a closer look at the aftermath of the case, including examining false confessions and how the people involved were affected long after the trial ended. Discover the details for yourself in the episode's Case Files - a collection of all the key newspaper reports - available to browse for free on Findmypast: www.findmypast.co.uk/wasjusticeserved Was justice served? Share your judgement with the WJS community: Instagram - @wasjusticeservedpod TikTok - @wasjusticeserved Producer - Madeleine Gilbert Assistant Producer - Daisy Goddard AV Editor - Callum Main Videographer - Angus Webster Video Lead - Andrew Farrell Graphics/Design - Kate Benzie, David Bradley and Graham Jacobs Researcher - Jen Baldwin and Karen de Bruyne Voiceover - Elliot Hardman AV Lead - Mark Asquith  

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