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Product Description
COMPELLING ACCOUNT OF TWO NOTORIOUS VICTORIAN POLICE MURDERS, BY GOLD DAGGER AWARD-WINNING AUTHORS
Following the success of "The Dagenham Murder", their prizewinning book on the mysterious death of PC George Clark in 1846, Linda Rhodes and Kathryn Abnett now reconstruct, in vivid detail, two infamous police killings of the 1880s. Inspector Thomas Simmons of Romford in Essex was shot in January 1885 when approaching three suspected burglars, and died four days later. The search for his killers culminated in a second police murder, that of PC Joseph Byrnes at Plumpton in Cumberland. He was shot attempting to arrest Anthony Rudge, John Martin and James Baker, who had earlier burgled Netherby Hall and stolen some of Lady Graham's jewellery.
This meticulously researched and lavishly illustrated book describes the crimes, the country-wide manhunts, court cases and executions. The illustrations include previously unseen prison photographs of Rudge and Baker. There are also newly-discovered photographs of James Adams alias James Lee, hanged for the murder of Simmons, who went to the scaffold shouting "I die an innocent man - remember that!" Was he telling the truth? Read the book and decide for yourself!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Research and attention to detail in this book are incredible. As usual, Linda Rhodes and Kathyryn Abnett have left no stone unturned in their quest to relate this tale to us.
Their brilliant story-telling has us following them, through Victorian Romford and beyond,as they track the brutal killer of P.C. Thomas Simmons.
If you love local history then you really must read this fascinating book.
Their brilliant story-telling has us following them, through Victorian Romford and beyond,as they track the brutal killer of P.C. Thomas Simmons.
If you love local history then you really must read this fascinating book.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Drive into Romford today and newly erected signs declare you are entering an `Historic Market Town'. Unfortunately, in reality most of that history lies buried and forgotten under the tons of concrete relentlessly poured onto the town over the last 50 years. Buried also is the town's Essex identity, now that nationally it seems always to be referred to as in East London.
In `The Romford Outrage' the town claims back that true identity as Linda Rhodes & Kathy Abnett weave this story vividly recreating details of streets, communities and sounds. Even the smell of our brewery leaps evocatively and pungently off the pages.
In the early 1960s, waiting in thick snow for a bus near Barclays Bank in South Street I could see straight down the empty street to the crossroad and the Golden Lion and at 9.30pm it was eerily quiet. On the opening page of `The Romford Outrage', just such a view has been recreated ...I was hooked and kept reeled in right to the end.
Old Romfordians will obviously relish those details but it would be interesting to read comments from a reader located in the areas surrounding Plumpton. Vivid descriptions of those locations seemed true to me, but what of the reality and has much of that landscape has been lost too?
`The Romford Outrage' is not just a local history read, it must also be considered as True Crime. Told with pace and tension by this well established and successful duo, it makes you wonder why this book hasn't been snapped up to be transferred to the big screen! It has so many well drawn characters, moving locations, the races, the terrifically well written chase scenes fast-moving from village to village and the heroic daring do of the railway workers assisting the police without fear of the dangerous criminals...what a pity it's too late for Hitchcock?
Known for brilliantly researched every aspect of their subjects, the writers left nothing out that might round out the story. Thank goodness they also have the ability to deliver detail without causing confusion - that is a rare talent!
In `The Romford Outrage' the town claims back that true identity as Linda Rhodes & Kathy Abnett weave this story vividly recreating details of streets, communities and sounds. Even the smell of our brewery leaps evocatively and pungently off the pages.
In the early 1960s, waiting in thick snow for a bus near Barclays Bank in South Street I could see straight down the empty street to the crossroad and the Golden Lion and at 9.30pm it was eerily quiet. On the opening page of `The Romford Outrage', just such a view has been recreated ...I was hooked and kept reeled in right to the end.
Old Romfordians will obviously relish those details but it would be interesting to read comments from a reader located in the areas surrounding Plumpton. Vivid descriptions of those locations seemed true to me, but what of the reality and has much of that landscape has been lost too?
`The Romford Outrage' is not just a local history read, it must also be considered as True Crime. Told with pace and tension by this well established and successful duo, it makes you wonder why this book hasn't been snapped up to be transferred to the big screen! It has so many well drawn characters, moving locations, the races, the terrifically well written chase scenes fast-moving from village to village and the heroic daring do of the railway workers assisting the police without fear of the dangerous criminals...what a pity it's too late for Hitchcock?
Known for brilliantly researched every aspect of their subjects, the writers left nothing out that might round out the story. Thank goodness they also have the ability to deliver detail without causing confusion - that is a rare talent!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Romford Outrage's attention to detail and scrupulous research places you on the Romford marshes in the year 1885 where a very brave Inspector Thomas Simmons is shot on duty. As justice is fought for in this sensitively written true story you not only get a full flavour of Victorian Britain but the great care and attention to the facts of this case will grip you to the end of the book. I was left with great respect for policmen who faced danger doing their daily duty more poignantly as I have only recently discovered that my own great great grand father, Police Inspector John Durley, lived with his family at Dagenham police station just a few miles away on that fateful night.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Spellbinding
Having purchased this as a present for someone I just had to glance at it first. ! Big mistake- I am unable to put it down and can offer my opinion as someone that lives in Romford... Read more
Published on 28 Oct 2009 by Edna M. Reynolds
A Victorian Crime
This is the story of the brutal murder of PC Thomas Simmons in Romford in 1885,the surprising events in far-off Cumberland,during which a second fatility occurs, and the eventual... Read more
Published on 27 April 2009 by M. Humphrey
A Brave Man
A fascinating in-depth study of the death of a brave policeman. The details of his everyday life give an interesting insight into the late Victorian underworld and how it affected... Read more
Published on 25 Mar 2009 by N. J. Crisp
Live in Romford? Read this ...
Another stimulating piece of criminal investigation by this successful team. If you live especially in the Romford, Essex, area, and enjoy a good crime story, try this non-fiction... Read more
Published on 24 Mar 2009 by Floyd Tinforc
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