A Respectable Gentleman. A Sudden Shot. A Suspect in the Privy
News of the Times | Episode 520 | 1806

When a beloved dockyard figure is murdered in his own parlour, the streets of Rotherhithe whisper of robbery. But what unfolds is far murkier — involving fake drafts, vanishing money, and trousers hoisted just a little too late.

Was Richard Patch simply in the wrong privy at the wrong time… or was he orchestrating a murderous cover-up worthy of the gallows?

💼 Featuring:
Pistols, privies, and peculiar trousers
A maid with nerves of steel
One very dodgy draft
And the most suspicious bout of stomach trouble in legal history

⚖️ Follow the full case, from the first gunshot to the final drop of the gallows — with scandalous testimony, courtroom drama, and a twist you won’t want to miss.

🎩 PLUS: Stay to the end for Further Particulars — a Georgian scandal involving cross-dressing, bigamy, and an impressively vengeful crowd with good aim and a lot of fruit.
👤 Hosted by Robin Coles

📅 New uploads every Monday, Wednesday & Friday

▶️ Related episodes from the vault:
1807: Terrible Thomas Simmons | Ep249
https://youtu.be/So5pZH7EIlw
1802 - 1837: Crimes of the Many William Hills | EP325
https://youtu.be/oRahZEDTRpM
1809-1811: The German Brinvillier - Anna Margaretha Zwanziger | EP352
https://youtu.be/BxOsIxpNCrs

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🕯 About News of the Times
We are a small (and mildly chaotic) band of history enthusiasts uncovering the darker corners of Britain’s past — no corporate sponsors, no boardroom edits. Just a genuine love of forgotten and wonderful crime.

Expect forgotten headlines, dusty trial transcripts, and the occasional scandal invo

Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs.

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Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

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The Woolston Tragedy – Double Murder and Vanishing Man
News of the Times | Episode 519 | 1922
A quiet Edwardian home. A respected family. A horror no one could have imagined.

When a devoted mother and her young daughter are found savagely murdered in Southampton, suspicion turns to the only one missing — Frederick Halliday, husband, father, and railway clerk. But what drove a trusted man to vanish without a trace?

In this chilling 1922 case, we examine a brutal double murder, a mysterious disappearance, and the tragedy that stunned a nation. Was Halliday a cunning killer, or a desperate man caught in his own unraveling life?

📜 In today’s Further Particulars:
☀️ Bank holidays, Whitsun crowds, and the dangers of overcooked ham as 116,000 Londoners storm the seaside.
Hosted by Robin Coles

📅 New uploads every Monday, Wednesday & Friday

▶️ Related episodes from the vault:
1922: The Case of Herbet Rowse Armstrong | Ep151
https://youtu.be/qw3xna-RFvQ
1870-1922: Murder by Burying Alive | Ep234
https://youtu.be/WPTXgwrt9bo
1915 and 1922: The Unspoken Law | Ep238
https://youtu.be/iyG8XfYFNjQ
1384 to 1922: Dark International Murder Cases from 1384 to 1922 | EP386
https://youtu.be/7P8dVj2lEp8
1922: A True Case of Murder - Scotland Yard Casebook | EP431
https://youtu.be/jo4AcvPbLfk

❤️ Support the Channel
Enjoying these tales of historic mayhem and murky mischief? Help keep the archive candle burning:

👉 Patreon — Early access, no ads, full archive, bonus content:
https://www.patreon.com/NewsOfTheTimesHistoricalCrime

☕ Prefer a one-off thank-you? We tip our top hats:
https://ko-fi.com/robinandco

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https://ko-fi.com/robinandco

📖 New! Slightly Unreliable Memoirs – Volumes 1 & 2 with more to come
Whimsically illustrated 24-page PDF packed with eccentric tales, mysterious cacti, and at least one scandalous goat in the mode of PG Wodehouse and "Saki":
https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e

🕯 About News of the Times
We are a small (and mildly chaotic) band of history enthusiasts uncovering the darker corners of Britain’s past — no corporate sponsors,

Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs.

Grab it here: https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

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

Terror at Bank Farm: The Tragic Case of Dennis O’Neill
News of the Times | Episode 518 | 1945
In 1945, 13-year-old Dennis O’Neill was found dead on a remote farm in Shropshire. Starved, beaten, and neglected — by foster parents approved by the state — his death shocked wartime Britain and exposed catastrophic failures in the child welfare system.

How could this happen under the nose of officialdom? Why was Dennis left to suffer, despite repeated warnings? And what did the explosive trial reveal about the people trusted with his care?

This is not just a tragic murder — it's the case that changed the law.

In this deeply researched episode, we uncover:
The harrowing truth of Bank Farm and the Goughs
The desperate efforts of Dennis’s birth mother to find her son
The media firestorm that followed
The courtroom drama that led to major reform in UK child protection

⚖️ Real history, real victims, and a legacy written in heartbreak.

And stay for our Further Particulars segment, featuring:
🕯️ A haunted waltz at Covent Garden
🪖 A ghost in full armour
🎻 And a conductor who very nearly fainted...
👤 Hosted by Robin Coles

📅 New uploads every Monday, Wednesday & Friday
🎥 Special 2+ hour compilation on the last Sunday of every month

▶️ Related episodes from the vault:
1947: The Disturbing Saga of the Blackout Ripper | Ep113
https://youtu.be/sYSISPhv0I0
1886 - 1946: Lancashire Murder Stories | Ep166
https://youtu.be/AEJxlmxF7u4
1946: The Many Crimes of Marcel Pettiot | EP358
https://youtu.be/0FIjjwzO1kM

❤️ Support the Channel
Enjoying these tales of historic mayhem and murky mischief? Help keep the archive candle burning:

👉 Patreon — Early access, no ads, full archive, bonus content:
https://www.patreon.com/NewsOfTheTimesHistoricalCrime

☕ Prefer a one-off thank-you? We tip our top hats:
https://ko-fi.com/robinandco

🎩 Explore our full Ko-fi collection — from digital oddities to illustrated curiosities:
https://ko-fi.com/robinandco

🕯 About News of the Times
We are a small (and mildly chaotic) band of history enthusiasts uncovering the darker corners of Britain’s past — no corporate sponsors, no boardroom edits. Just a genuine love of forgotten and wonderful crime.

Expect forgotten headlines, dusty trial t

Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs.

Grab it here: https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e

Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes.

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

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