Jill Evans
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jillrevans.bsky.social
Jill Evans
@jillrevans.bsky.social
610 followers 450 following 240 posts
I research and write about the history of crime and punishment in Gloucestershire, England. Easily distracted by strange/funny stories in old newspapers. https://gloscrimehistory.wordpress.com
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jillrevans.bsky.social
October 1942, two Dutch seamen become drunk and disorderly in Gloucester (UK) after drinking 'Black Velvet'. Gloucester Citizen, 5 Oct 1942 (Image from British Newspaper Archive).
"BLACK VELVET" CAUSES TROUBLE Drunken Dutchmen in Gloucester Two Dutch seamen, Joannes Wilhemus Delmo and Francois Marcel Rouw, were each fined £1 at a special Gloucester City Police Court on Monday, for being drunk and disorderly in Westgate-street on Sunday night. They had been drinking "black velvet," which Inspector Wagstaffe explained was their description of double port and guinness. "We were so drunk we knew nothing at all" said Delmo. They were found by P.C. Saunders in Westgate Street shouting and fighting, and a civilian was hit on the back of the head. The policeman's attention was attracted by lights from their torches flashing in the sky.
October 7, 2025 at 9:01 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
An excommunication recorded in the parish registers of Owlpen, Gloucestershire, in 1784.
(Image from Ancestry.co.uk, Gloucestershire Christenings, Marriages and Burials.)
Single entry on the (stained and mottled brown) page: 'November 14th 1784 Richard Tansey of this Parish was excommunicated. John Gregory, Curate.'
September 28, 2025 at 9:09 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
An impressive door on the eastern side of Gloucester Cathedral, dated 1614. I don't know who the people (man and woman?) are in the carvings above it.
Old wooden door, arched at top, divided into panels like window panes, 5 across and 4 high. Fantail carving above the panels with smaller circular carvings either side. Has 2 small stone figures, heads and upper bodies, probably m and f, above the door.
September 13, 2025 at 8:39 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Newent bucking the trend when it comes to flag-flying.
Shows upper storeys of buildings in town with colourful flags, eg one has broad green and white stripes, another with a gold design.
August 30, 2025 at 12:21 PM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Don't remember seeing this movie! (Gloucester Journal, 10 Aug 1731, report on Assizes. Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
Tho. Clare, who kill'd John Wayne at Frog-Mill on the 26th past, was found guilty of Manslaughter, and burnt in the Hand.
August 17, 2025 at 11:14 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
July 1810: The Duke of Norfolk presided over trials at the Gloucester City Quarter Sessions. Charles Howard had a house in Gloucester, was an alderman, a freeman of the city and was Mayor of Gloucester 4 times. (Gloucester Journal, 16 July 1810. Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
On Thursday afternoon, the Duke of Norfolk arrived here; and on Friday, his Grace, in his official capacity of Mayor, presided on the bench at the Quarter Sessions for the City. There were only two prisoners for trial; one of whom, Chas. Collier, found guilty of assaulting Wm. Simpson, a police officer, in the execution of his duty, was sentenced to be imprisoned seven days; and Eliz. Vernon, tried for breaking open a box, and stealing some trifling articles, the property of Eliz. Hartland, was acquitted. In the evening, his Grace set of for his mansion at Hom Lacy, near Hereford.
July 18, 2025 at 10:52 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Remarkable photo taken inside the Old Bailey in 1907 - Mr Justice Ridley wearing the black cap as he sentences to death J.E. Wyatt for murder of Florence Wakeling. (Penny Illustrated Newspaper, 9 March 1907, via British Newspaper Archive)
Under headlines "Mr. Justice Ridley Dons the Fateful Black Cap" and "SENTENCED TO DEATH" in larger print, black/white photograph inside courtroom, showing Judge in long wig wearing black cap on top of his long wig, looking at papers. Clerks/court officials on either side of judge, other officials sitting at table below, more men on the left of photo with papers in front of them - possibly the jury.
July 7, 2025 at 9:12 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Cheltenham Police Court 1864: an elderly woman fined for assault fails to borrow the money off a man in court, then asks how long she will go to prison in default. "Seven days! Oh that baint much - I'll go to Gloucester, that I will". (Cheltenham Mercury, 28 May 1864, via British Newspaper Archive).
Defendant (addressing a person in court) - Will 'e lend me the money, Mr. Burdock? A reply in the negative was given, upon which the defendant asked, "How long, then, be I to go to Gloucester, gentlemen?" Mr. Harford - Seven days. Defendant - "Seven days! Oh that baint much - I'll go to Gloucester, that I will."
June 26, 2025 at 9:20 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Listed in the Gloucestershire Gaol Calendars, Trinity 1753: Susannah Elliott, charged with milking someone else's cow in the night-time. This way of stealing milk appears in the records now and then, but I bet there were many other folk doing this who didn't get caught. (Image from ancestry.co.uk)
Susannah Elliott, Brought in May 21st. Committed by J. Harris. Charged upon Oath with unlawfully milking a Cow in the Night-time the Property of Henry White.
June 5, 2025 at 10:31 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
An affray over a maypole - Gloucester Journal, 22 May 1733.
(Image via British Newspaper Archive)
The same Day in the Evening, some Men of Barton-street went to take away a May-Pole from Wooton near this City, and the People of the latter Place having notice thereof, arm'd themselves with dangerous Weapons, so that a desperate Fray ensu'd, wherein one of the Barton-street Men had his Arm almost cut off, and several others were very much wounded.
May 24, 2025 at 9:16 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Cheltenham Chronicle, 4 May 1837 - to set a good example, a magistrate sitting at Cheltenham Police Court fines himself half a crown after one of his chimneys catches fire. (Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
Mr. Cooper, on taking his seat on the Bench, stated that he had fined himself half-a-crown, his library chimney having accidentally caught fire on Sunday morning, which he handed over to Mr. Straford to be given to the Churchwardens. He thus inflicted a penalty on himself, which he paid to show others a good example.
May 15, 2025 at 11:01 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
"Victory Issue" of the Gloucester Citizen, 8 May 1945. Image from British Newspaper Archive.
Front page of The Citizen newspaper, 8 May 1945. "Victory Issue", "Final". Photos of the King and Queen on either side of header. Main headline "Surrender Ratified in Berlin To-day". Other headlines "Hostilities Cease at Midnight", "Channel lands Are Liberated", "March of Victory in Far East", "The Nazi Party Has Gone". Photos of Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Montgomery.
May 8, 2025 at 10:18 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
1 May 1876 saw the publication of Gloucester's first daily newspaper, The Citizen. It joined the weekly Gloucester Journal, which had been going since 1722. This is all that has survived of the first page of an original copy of The Citizen, digitized on www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk.
Image of front page of the Citizen, "An Evening Newspaper". Badly torn and creased. Most of top half has survived except a few rips. 3 columns of adverts. Bottom half has both sides torn off diagonally leaving most of middle column. Looks like a pair of very high waisted underpants.
May 1, 2025 at 8:40 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Entry in Pitchcombe Parish Registers of burial of Josiah Gardiner on 17 Apr 1774. Note added: "NB. He was hanged at Glocester [sic] the Friday before." He had tried to carry out an armed robbery of his uncle's house, which failed.
Image from Ancestry, Gloucestershire Parish Registers.
1774 [second entry]. Josiah Gardiner was buried April 17th. N.B. He was hanged at Glocester the Friday before.
April 4, 2025 at 10:35 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
A last hurrah for #WomensHistoryMonth: Mary Morgan, executed at Gloucester in 1785 when she was 63, after ten years mostly spent in Gloucester Gaol. A summary of her 'career' in the prison was given in the Gloucester Journal, 8 Aug 1785. (Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
Mary Morgan was an extraordinary person. This was the third time she had been sentenced to death for horse-stealing. She was so inured to the prison, from her long confinement, that release was to her no longer desirable; for with the county allowance, the perquisites she got in washing for and attending the prisoners, the emoluments of receiving shirts and other articles, which she encouraged the wretches to steal from one another, she made a tolerable livelihood. Her wickedness at last found its reward. She was sixty-three years old when she was executed.
March 31, 2025 at 11:16 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
April 1812 - a cutpurse operating at the Gloucestershire Assizes found that the person he had just robbed was not carrying money, but a slice of bread and bacon. I would have eaten it. Best way to get rid of the evidence.
From Cheltenham Chronicle, 2 Apr 1812. Image via British Newspaper Archive.
A desperate character, named Wiltshire, stocking-weaver, and a native of Gloucester, was taken in the act of cutting the pocket from a person in the Boothall, on Tuesday last, and after examination before the Mayor, was committed for trial. He succeeded in effecting his purpose, but that which was conceived the prize, turned out to be a slice of bread and bacon, which he dropped immediately on detection.
March 26, 2025 at 11:12 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
As I have a fairly common name and a niche subject, I was surprised to find one of my books on this list of works copied without my permission by LibGen then in turn pirated by Meta. You can do your own search here: www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Search for an author in LibGen... Search term, 'Jill Evans' 30 results First result: Murder & Crime Jill Evans
March 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Sometimes I find what is written on the back of old postcards more interesting than the picture on the front. This one is addressed from the Police Station at Bisley, Gloucestershire in 1924. The writer says 'they all go to bed here at 10pm'. Addressed to Miss May Poole (an almost-funny name).
Back of postcard stamped with 1924 postmark. From Police Station, Bisley, nr Stroud. Reads "Dear May, Just off to the Flower Show. In bed 10.30 last night what a change they all go to bed here at 10pm. Love from W." Addressed to Miss May Poole, 31 Marle Hill Rd, Cheltenham, Glos.
March 19, 2025 at 11:58 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Awkward...
Screen capture from MSN newsfeed, photo of a football ground with players and officials standing with heads bowed, headline reads: 'Football club apologise after holding minute's silence for ex-player who isn't dead'.
March 18, 2025 at 9:21 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
William Shakespeare charged with being drunk and disorderly in Tewkesbury - in 1885. I know there were Shakespeare's living in Tewksbury, but the name still gives me a shock when I see it in a local news item. (From the Gloucester Citizen, 14 March 1885. Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
TEWKESBURY BOROUGH PETTY SESSIONS, Friday.- Before the Mayor (Mr. J. H. Boughton), Messrs J. F. Prosser, and B. T. Moore, William Shakespeare was summoned by P. C. Parker for being drunk and disorderly in the High-street, on the 27th inst. Defendant pleaded guilty, and was fined 2s. 6d. and 8s. costs.
March 13, 2025 at 11:38 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
'High Jinks in Pancake Lane' - from the Tewkesbury Gazette, 24 May 1930. See alt text for a clearer view of this story about violence between quarrelling neighbours, especially the classic line about the child with a mouth organ. (Image from British Newspaper Archive.) #PancakeDay
HIGH JINKS IN PANCAKE LANE. "TWO'S COMPANY---." At the Tewkesbury County Petty Sessions on Thursday, Dorothy Winifred Cumberlin, a married woman, of Pancake Lane, Leigh, near Tewkesbury, summoned Ernest Thomas Prosser, a farm labourer, of 4 Pancake Lane, for assaulting her on May 11. Complainant said that on May 11 she met Prosser's two brothers-in-law in Pancake Lane and walked with them along the footpath of a field. The defendant and his wife followed them, and so they proceeded further "to see what would happen." Prosser shouted to his brothers-in-law, but they refused to go back to him and continued their walk. Defendant at length overtook them and asked witness what "she wanted with the two men." "I told him", she continued, "that it was no business of his, whereupon he struck me twice and I struck him back in self-defence. He knocked me down and then knocked me down again and he hit me when I was down. "It is not the first time I have been roughly handled by him. Also he has been very abusive to my mother, not only to me. My child can't even go up the garden to play a mouth organ without there is trouble."
March 4, 2025 at 10:38 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Woman charged with using obscene language says she was only calling her dog. What on earth was her dog called??
From Gloucestershire Chronicle, 8 March 1902. (Image from British Newspaper Archive.)
OBSCENE LANGUAGE Anne Mills, of Hare Lane, was summoned for using obscene language in the street on Feb 25th.-P.C. Castle proved the case, and defendant was fined 9s.6d. including costs or 7 days, although defendant called her husband to prove that she did not use the language imputed to her by the constable, but that she was only calling the dog. The husband advised the defendant not to pay the money, and she went down to do the time.
February 27, 2025 at 11:45 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
Upleadon Church near Newent, Glos. John Viner, who had been executed at Gloucester Prison for horse-theft, was buried here on 22 April 1797. It is a beautiful and tranquil spot.
Photograph taken by me in 2010.
Colour photograph of Upleadon Church in Gloucestershire. Shows the timber-framed tower with a weather vane on top, and the stone body of the church, with a tiled roof. A yew tree and lots of green grass at the front, with about 8 wonky gravestones.
February 19, 2025 at 11:53 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
A photo from Newent Rugby Club's Facebook page - it seems it was a little muddy at the game between Newent Phoenix and Old Cryptians yesterday! (Reproduced with permission.) #Gloucestershire #rugby
Team photo after the game of the Newent team, caked in mud, kit colours barely distinguishable, most of them still smiling.
February 16, 2025 at 11:13 AM
jillrevans.bsky.social
From the Police Gazette, 6 Feb 1917: Gloucestershire Police were looking for John Knight, a naval stoker, who had stolen a sailor's oilskin coat and another's leave ticket, plus some money, before absconding from his lodgings. (Image from British Newspaper Archive).
GLOUCESTERSHIRE. Cheltenham (County)- For stealing a sailor's oilskin coat, "W. Davis" marked inside; also a sailor's leave ticket in the name of "Perkins, H.M.S. Ajax"; and 8s 6d.- JOHN KNIGHT, age about 36, ht. 5ft. 9in., well built; dressed in naval uniform, "H.M.S. Centurion" on cap ribbon. A naval stoker; native of Blaisdon, Forest of Dean. Took lodgings, 31st ult., committed the theft and absconded on 1st inst. Stated that he had fought in the Jutland Battle and is an absentee from H.M. Navy. Warrant issued. Information to Supt. Hopkins, Cheltenham.
February 7, 2025 at 11:06 AM