By Tim Lambert A gruesome murder happened in Portsea, Portsmouth in 1923. The victim was Mary Frances Pelham, aged 37. According to newspaper reports, she was born in ‘the north of England’. During the First World War, she moved to Brighton and later to Portsmouth. She was separated from her husband. Mary was a kind… Continue reading Blossom Alley, 1923
Author: Tim Lambert
A Brief History of the Casino, From the Ridotto to the Screen
From the aristocratic halls of seventeenth-century Venice to today’s high-speed digital interfaces, the casino has undergone an extraordinary transformation. Technological advances and changing social norms have turned a relatively simple Italian concept into a multi-billion-dollar global entertainment industry. Look back at the roots of modern wagering and you’ll find public lotteries, informal dice games and… Continue reading A Brief History of the Casino, From the Ridotto to the Screen
Peter Kurten
By Tim Lambert Peter Kurten was a German serial killer. He was born on 26 May 1883. He was one of 13 children. His father was an alcoholic and physically abused Peter. Kurten later claimed he committed his first murders when he was 9. He said he pushed a friend, who could not swim, off… Continue reading Peter Kurten
How AC Installation Services Tailor Their Projects Based on Modern Home Layouts
Modern homes come in many different shapes, sizes, and designs. Open floor plans, larger windows, smart features, and compact spaces all affect how an air conditioning system should work. A standard installation no longer meets the needs of every household. Professional AC installation services study the layout of each property before recommending the right system.… Continue reading How AC Installation Services Tailor Their Projects Based on Modern Home Layouts
Herbert Rowse Armstrong
By Tim Lambert Herbert Rowse Armstrong was the only British solicitor to be hanged for murder. He was born in Devon, England, on 13 May 1889. He qualified as a solicitor in 1895, and he moved to the small town of Hay-on-Wye in 1906. In 1907 he married a woman called Katherine and they had… Continue reading Herbert Rowse Armstrong
The Bloody Benders
By Tim Lambert The Bloody Benders were a family of murderers in Kansas in the 1870s. Little is known about them; unfortunately, there are different versions of what happened. No doubt myths and legends have grown up. It’s known for certain that the Benders were a family of four. They were German immigrants. Pa Bender… Continue reading The Bloody Benders
John Robinson
By Tim Lambert On Friday, 6 May 1927, a man deposited a trunk at Charing Cross Railway Station in London. By Monday, 9 May, the trunk was beginning to stink. Staff alerted the police and when the trunk was opened, it was found to contain several paper parcels. They contained parts of a body. The… Continue reading John Robinson
Mary Ann Cotton
By Tim Lambert Mary Ann Cotton was one of Britain’s worst serial killers. It’s not certain how many people she killed. She may have poisoned up to 21 people. Mary Ann was born in Durham County in 1832. Her father was a miner, but he died in an accident when Mary Ann was 10. When… Continue reading Mary Ann Cotton
From Knucklebones to Apps: The Long Record of Games of Chance
The history of gambling starts with small objects that could fit in a hand: bones, sticks, shells, dice, and marked pieces moved across a board. Archaeologists have found gaming equipment in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome, which shows that chance-based play was tied to trade, soldiers, taverns, festivals, and courtly leisure long before casino floors… Continue reading From Knucklebones to Apps: The Long Record of Games of Chance
Jack the Ripper in Havant?
By Tim Lambert Havant has a connection with Jack the Ripper. At the time of the murders, in 1888 a letter with a Portsmouth postmark was sent to a magistrate claiming to be from Jack the Ripper. The writer said not to look for him in London because ‘I’m not there’. Shortly afterwards a boy… Continue reading Jack the Ripper in Havant?