Tales from the Hanging Court

Tales from the Hanging Courtdraws on published accounts of Old Bailey trials from 1674-1834, a rich seam of social, political and legal history. Through these compelling true stories of theft, murder, rape and blackmail, Hitchcock and Shoemaker capture the early history of the judicial system and the colorful, vibrant and sometimes scandalous world of pre-industrial London. In its heyday the court was a soap opera of intrigue, sensation and murky goings on where authors such as Dickens and Defoe would go for inspiration. Thieves and murderers were often caught by members of the public and prosecutions brought by victims. Hitchcock and Shoemaker chart an increasingly sophisticated society taking crime and punishment away from the anarchy of the London mob to put it into a court where a judge and jury meted out justice. The authors paint a vivid picture of a flourishing city where market capitalism and Enlightenment thinking battled to impose order on the chaotic crime that accompanied Britain's economic miracle. Robert Shoemaker and Tim Hitchcock are the Editors of the online proceedings of the Old Bailey archives. Tales from the Hanging Courtdraws on published accounts of Old Bailey trials from 1674-1834, a rich seam of social, political and legal history. Through these compelling true stories of theft, murder, rape and blackmail, Hitchcock and Shoemaker capture the early history of the judicial system and the colorful, vibrant and sometimes scandalous world of pre-industrial London. In its heyday the court was a soap opera of intrigue, sensation and murky goings on where authors such as Dickens and Defoe would go for inspiration. Thieves and murderers were often caught by members of the public and prosecutions brought by victims. Hitchcock and Shoemaker chart an increasingly sophisticated society taking crime and punishment away from the anarchy of the London mob to put it into a court where a judge and jury meted out justice. The authors paint a vivid picture of a flourishing city where market capitalism and Enlightenment thinking battled to impose order on the chaotic crime that accompanied Britain's economic miracle. Tales from the Hanging Courtdraws on published accounts of Old Bailey trials from 1674-1834, a rich seam of social, political and legal history. Through these compelling true stories of theft, murder, rape and blackmail, Hitchcock and Shoemaker capture the early history of the judicial system and the colorful, vibrant and sometimes scandalous world of pre-industrial London. "Anybody who has struggled with historic legal records knows they can be a complex subject, but the authors offer a clear introduction to court procedure and, more importantly, to the 18th century criminal system.... The book is largely about the men and women who appeared before the court, as well as the witnesses and victims. Their accounts offer a unique and fascinating glimpse into ordinary life in the 18th century, from the clothes worn to the few precious possessions people owned.... This is an important and serious book on 18th century society, but it is also one that brings the lives of ordinary people very much to life."Simon Fowler,Ancestors "This thoughtful collection of criminal trials provides a fascinating insight into the murky world of 18th-century London. The authors have assembled a wealth of extracts from proceeding at the Old Bailey and the reader will meet an astonishing cast of characters: murderous husbands, highwaymen, prostitutes, and the rest. The workings of the criminal justice systemfrom arrest through to public executionare closely examined, but this book is far more than social history. Devotees of Defoe and Fielding will enjoy glimpsing the real world behind those writers' famous fictions."&am

Robert Shoemaker and Tim Hitchcock are the Editors of the online proceedings of the Old Bailey archives.