Category: Articles of the key ‘dark’ historical events across the world

By Tim Lambert Thomas More, former Chancellor of England was beheaded on 6 July 1535. Anne Boleyn was beheaded on 19 May 1536. Former Chancellor Thomas Cromwell was beheaded for treason on 28 July 1540. Catherine Howard the 5th wife of Henry VIII was executed on 13 February 1542.  On 12 February 1554, Lady Jane… Continue reading A Timeline of Famous Executions

By Tim Lambert  Catherine Hayes was executed for killing her husband in 1726. She was born Catherine Hall near Birmingham in 1690. She moved around the country working as a domestic servant. Eventually, she was employed by a farmer named Hayes in Warwickshire. In 1713 she married the farmer’s son John, who was a carpenter… Continue reading Catherine Hayes

By Tim Lambert Catherine Wilson was the last woman to be hanged in public in London. Public executions drew big crowds as they were free entertainment. Catherine Wilson was a female poisoner. Her poison of choice was colchicum, a kind of crocus. In small doses, it was used as a medicine but in large doses,… Continue reading Catherine Wilson – The Poisoner

By Tim Lambert Elizabeth Short, known as the Black Dahlia was the victim of an unsolved murder that took place in 1947. She was just 22. Her body was found on the morning of Wednesday 15 January 1947 on a vacant building plot in the Leimert Park district of Los Angeles in California. Her naked… Continue reading Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia

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?

By Tim Lambert In the years from 1912 to 1914 Suffragettes committed crimes like vandalism and arson. They also planted bombs. However, the WSPU did not want votes for all women – only those who met a property qualification. (In Britain not all men could vote, a large minority did not have that right) On… Continue reading Suffragette Arson and Bombings

By Tim Lambert The Beginning n In the 19th century Australia had a number of outlaws or bushrangers; the most famous is Ned Kelly. Edward or Ned Kelly was born in 1855 of Irish parents. Ned Kelly became a bushranger in 1878 when policemen called Alexander Fitzpatrick went to arrest his brother for horse stealing.… Continue reading The Bushranger Ned Kelly

By Tim Lambert In 1666 London was devastated by a terrible fire. The Great Fire of London destroyed a great deal of property but fortunately, only a small number of people were killed. In the 17th century fire was a constant danger in towns when many houses were made of wood and streets were narrow.… Continue reading The Great Fire of London 1666

By Tim Lambert In 1939 Stalin made a treaty with Hitler and they agreed to split Poland between them. Germany invaded Poland from the west on 1 September 1939. The Soviet Union invaded Poland from the east on 17 September. All Polish resistance ceased on 5 October 1939. Afterward, Germany occupied about 2/3 of Poland… Continue reading The Katyn Massacre

By Tim Lambert The Shark Arm Case happened in Sydney, Australia in April 1935. Fishermen caught a 14-foot-long live tiger shark. It was put on display in Coogee Aquarium but at about 5 pm on 25 April 1935 (Anzac Day) the shark regurgitated a tattooed human arm. The arm was well preserved and it had… Continue reading The Shark Arm Case Sydney