The Case of The Vengeful Grandmother
News of the Times Episode 489 | 1874
Frances Stewart, 42, lives with her daughter, son-in-law, and their one-year-old child. But life under one roof has become tense. Frances, whispered to have a drinking problem, has worn out her welcome.

The young family makes a decision: they’re moving to new lodgings—and Frances is not coming with them.

What happens next is shocking.

Determined to express her heartbreak in the most devastating way, Frances disappears from the house… taking her infant grandson with her.

Left behind is a chilling note:
“We shall soon be in the water.”

What begins as a suspected abduction quickly unravels into something far more harrowing. Frances is eventually found—but she refuses to reveal where the child is. Not to the authorities. Not even to her own daughter.

Days drag on. There are whispers. Possible sightings. Then—silence.
Until the River Thames speaks.

This tragic case gripped Victorian England and was considered one of the first of its kind.

In this episode, we explore the heartbreaking background, the crime itself, and the dramatic courtroom verdict.

And stay tuned for our “Further Particulars” case, where we leap ahead to 1894—and the astonishing tale of a real live mermaid said to have been caught by accident.
If you're in the United States, you might just find her… at the Smithsonian Museum. We tell the strange and salty story.😉
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1872: The Victorian Borgia- Lydia Sherman | EP353
https://youtu.be/mHSeZwy02N0
1875: Victorian Strychnine Stories | EP354
https://youtu.be/AziIspnr9KA
1877: Case of the Body in Parts - The Case of the River Packages | EP371
https://youtu.be/I2FPE4NrSqE
1878: Murder in Edinburough | EP375
https://youtu.be/zpPiP7C6nuY
1873 - 1898: Crime Tales from The Raj | EP376
https://youtu.be/F_Q1Rw-7bXQ
1874: FRANCE Murderous Mother Daughter Love Triangle | EP377
https://youtu.be/22HllMIaXH4
1877: The Case of Serial Killer Count De Tourville | EP379
https://youtu.be/C-2LGyCAMqw

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten storie

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Murder at Plummers Plain House
News of the Times Episode 488 | 1927
In today’s episode, we journey to 1927 Sussex—where autumn’s quiet beauty masks something far more sinister.

At a peaceful country home, a brutal attack leaves a young woman fighting for her life... and her brother accused of an unthinkable crime.

James Gillon, a gardener from Scotland, allegedly turned on his sister with a knife and razor—over a breakfast dispute and a trip to Brighton. The result? A severed spine... and a family shattered.

What truly happened that morning?
And how did a sibling bond twist into something so violent?

In today's emd of episode “Further Particulars” segment, we are in Hyde Park, 1900—where free speech meets fierce resistance.

A lone clerk preaches on his interpetation of religion at Speakers’ Corner… and nearly pays the price for his words.

Two crimes. Two very different scenes. One haunting thread: when ordinary moments spiral into the extraordinary.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1384 to 1922: Dark International Murder Cases from 1384 to 1922 | EP386
https://youtu.be/7P8dVj2lEp8
1924: The Byfleet hotel Murder | EP413
https://youtu.be/UH5xnUF5kpk
1888 - 1925: A Round Robin of December Murders | EP417
https://youtu.be/wnIVPmRuEUY
1924: The Shocking Chicken Farm Case: Murder Most Fowl | EP418
https://youtu.be/zPqmEb8BBrs
1922: A True Case of Murder - Scotland Yard Casebook | EP430
https://youtu.be/jo4AcvPbLfk
1926: Case of The Dykebar Murder Affair | EP437
https://youtu.be/XvHNAVkad6Y

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

The Case of Backstabbing Henry Bevan
News of the Times Episode 487 | 1887
In today’s episode, we journey back to the year 1887—Crewe, Cheshire. A modest labourer, Henry Griffiths, returns home for a quiet midday meal… only to stumble upon a scene of unimaginable horror.

His wife lies savagely beaten, ribs shattered and torn from her spine—as though someone had trampled her with brutal intent. Beside her, nine-year-old Mary—his niece—clings to life, battered nearly beyond recognition, the fireplace tongs used in the attack now twisted and warped from the force.

But before slipping once more into unconsciousness, young Mary names her attacker: her own half-brother, Henry Bevan.

Today, we peel back the layers of this chilling case: the crime, the investigation, the motives, and the verdict that followed.

And in our ‘Further Particulars’—we jump ahead to 1910, where whispers are circulating in government halls… Nurses, it seems, are offering massages of a most unorthodox kind—and those receiving such pleasures are finding themselves the targets of a cunning blackmail scheme…
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1888 - 1925: A Round Robin of December Murders | EP417
https://youtu.be/wnIVPmRuEUY
1888: The Huddersfield Murder | EP428
https://youtu.be/5wdWCcatYKc
1888: Case of the 1888 Marylebone Murder Mystery | EP434
https://youtu.be/JgLiiT-f_xY
1883 & 1927: The Curious Case of James Kelly - | EP441
https://youtu.be/JlPJSl6iTlY
1881: The Case of the Cambridge Killing | EP448
https://youtu.be/lZvxvOwnjPA
1881: A Hatchet, A Gunshot & A Widow’s Denial | EP450
https://youtu.be/c9vHh0p9wb0

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd