Nineteenth-century murders, tragedies and dastardly deeds in the West Riding of Yorkshire

A collection of true stories about murder, tragedy, travesty, riots and downright dastardly deeds from nineteenth century Yorkshire as reported by the local newspapers of the day. In the West Riding of Yorkshire this was a time of great change. The Industrial Revolution brought many agricultural workers down from isolated communities to live in larger towns for the first time. Often they lived in squalor, were poorly paid and many of these newcomers turned to drink. Violent crime was not uncommon, policing was still in its infancy and methods of detection, medical help and the judiciary system could not always cope adequately. Reporting such as you’ll read over the following pages did much to raise awareness of the plight of the working class and the conditions in which they were expected to live. You’ll hear of children as young as eight being killed in mining accidents as they worked long hours in Yorkshire’s pits, and gruesome murders brought about by desperation, stupidity and jealousy. Life, particularly amongst the working classes in the period between 1800 and 1865, was not for the faint-hearted. As much as possible, this book retells the stories in the manner and language as originally reported – it is sure to amaze and shock today's readers.