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

By Tim Lambert The Background to the Witch Trials From the late 15th century to the late 18th century, a wave of persecution washed across parts of Europe. Tens of thousands of people were executed for witchcraft. So what happened? Belief in magic was almost universal in the past. Almost all cultures believed that you… Continue reading A History of the Witch Trials in Europe

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 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 Fanny Adams was an 8-year-old girl who was murdered in Alton, Hampshire in 1867. Fanny was born on 30 April 1859. Her father was a bricklayer named George. Her mother was named Harriett. Fanny was the fourth of six children. She had three sisters and two brothers. Fanny was tall for her… Continue reading Fanny Adams

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 The 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 sure that the Benders were four people. They were German immigrants. Pa Bender was described as… Continue reading The Bloody Benders of Kansas

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