The Baffling Case of Margaret Ball
News of the Times | Episode 527 | 1874
A woman found hanged.
A confession shouted in the street.
And a trial that left more questions than answers...

In this curious case from Victorian Hackney Wick, Margaret Ball — a strong, pregnant mother of two — is discovered hanging from the stair bannisters. Her young lodger, George Coulson, confesses immediately... yet something doesn't add up.

Was it murder?
A tragic suicide?
Or something far stranger?

Drawing from period newspapers and court records, we explore a deeply unsettling case that baffled Victorian investigators and still stirs debate today.

👤 Narrated by Robin Coles

📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday

📚 Related cases from the archive:
1874 - 1878: Infamous Murders in Wales | Ep182
https://youtu.be/s90YzyxOtvg
1874: Family Killings in Ripon | Ep210
https://youtu.be/pl8viuZayD4
1874: FRANCE Murderous Mother Daughter Love Triangle | EP377
https://youtu.be/22HllMIaXH4
1874: The Case of the Vengeful Grandmother | EP489
https://youtu.be/DTRHrVKn1SE

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🕯️ News of the Times
Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian crime. Archival sources. No gimmicks.

🕯 About the Channel
We’re an independent team of historical researchers and narrators specialising in 18th to early 20th century British true crime. Each episode is based entirely on archival material — from coroners’ inquests to forgotten newspaper columns.

If you like your true crime thoughtful, atmospheric, and rooted in real records — welcome to the vault.

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The Butler, the Gun, and the Judge: A Shocking Welsh Murder in 1876
News of the Times | Episode 526 | 1876

A trusted servant.
A quiet estate.
A double-barrelled gun.
And a judge who would not survive the day...

When the peaceful Dolaucothy estate is rocked by gunfire in August 1876, the crime that unfolds becomes one of the most shocking in Welsh Victorian history. Retired magistrate Mr Johnes is left fatally wounded, and his daughter clings to life. The man behind it all? His long-serving butler.

But was it sudden madness — or something more deliberate?

In this gripping episode, we uncover the dark path from resentment to murder, told entirely through first-hand newspaper accounts, courtroom testimony, and eyewitness statements. Join us as we unravel a tale of pride, rejection, and a man pushed too far.

🎩 Also in this episode:
Strange happenings at the Bull’s Head Inn — where ghosts ring bells, tap doors, and vanish into the walls.
A chilling mystery from 1930 you won’t want to miss.
👤 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:
1878: The Case of the Bodies in the Dung Heap | EP445
https://youtu.be/RzNM8NsheFY
1877: The Isle of Wight Murder of 1877 | EP459
https://youtu.be/dGIcAuTsldA
1851 & 1875: Cases of Double Black Widows | EP464
https://youtu.be/k9YYxpoQ9Go
1874: The Case of the Vengeful Grandmother | EP489
https://youtu.be/DTRHrVKn1SE
1873: The Matricide in Chisenhale Street | EP490
https://youtu.be/cQ29REvzIDI

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Subscribe, comment, and share to help keep these stories alive.

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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

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

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Insane or Evil? The 1901 Murder of Emily Chapman at Hindhead
News of the Times | Episode 524 | 1901
Was it madness — or murder?

In the summer of 1901, the quiet village of Grayshott awoke to a scene of unimaginable horror. Emily Chapman, a mother of five, lay dead — brutally attacked in her own home. The killer? Her husband Walter: sub-postmaster, cabinet-maker, and now accused murderer.

This episode of News of the Times explores one of Edwardian England’s most shocking domestic tragedies. Using historical newspapers, eyewitness accounts, and courtroom testimony, we ask the haunting question: was Chapman truly insane… or simply evil?

🔪 A chilling case of jealousy, delusion, and violence
🧠 Did the court get it right—or miss the deeper truth?
📜 Original reports, strange confessions, and forgotten headlines

📍Also in today’s Further Particulars:
What happens when a best man kisses the bride a bit too soon in 1890s Essex? Clerical outrage, of course.

👤 Hosted by Robin Coles

📅 New uploads every Monday, Wednesday & Friday
▶️ Related episodes from the vault:
1902: The Case of the Clonbrok Murder | EP477
https://youtu.be/M908ewkwXy4
1920: The Case of the Ipswich Murder | EP478
https://youtu.be/_56V2qvyND0
1912: The Case of the Tragic Love Story Unfolds at Blackburn Mill in 1912 | EP481
https://youtu.be/EiEAtewg9mw
1900: The Sinister Mr Salmon | EP484
https://youtu.be/dbLJw0a7v4A

❤️ 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:
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🕯 About News of the Times
We are a small (and mildly chaotic) band of history enthusiasts un

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