‘A catastrophic chain of events’: The murder of Vera Savage

Could council officials have prevented the death of a vulnerable 89-year-old woman at the hands of her own son? The first sign that something terrible had happened was a handwritten note next to the letterbox on the front door: Call the police Suicide Side gate and back door unlocked JS… You must be a paid …

Year of the Ripper: Margaret White

When James White battered his 67-year-old wife Margaret to death with a poker, one newspaper reported the case under the headline: ‘Warnings for “nagging wives” and brutal husbands!’. This inaccurate summary could never explain why their 41-year marriage ended in murder. The couple had raised a son and a daughter… You must be a paid …

Year of the Ripper: Sarah Brown

One night did more than any other to establish the legend of ‘Jack the Ripper’. In the space of three-quarters of an hour in the early hours of September 30, 1888, two women were found lying on the ground with their throats cut. The first, Elizabeth Stride, in Whitechapel, and… You must be a paid …