Top 5 Historical London Crimes

Top 5 Historical London Crimes for Students Interested in Serial Killers

Over the years, the UK has endured some of the most dangerous serial killers that the world has ever had. The streets of London have witnessed nightmares that are being spoken about today after many years. One of the most famous serial killers of London was, of course, Jack the Ripper, but there have unfortunately been many more.

Since the 1800s, both sides of the River Thames have witnessed strangling, poisonings, and painful deaths. The killers were not only careful but also clever. The police were surprised by the growing number of missing persons. However, the killers started being complacent. And this made it easier for the police force to capture them. What led to their downfall?

In this article, we are going to share with you the top 5 historical London crimes for campus students and education enthusiasts who are interested in serial killers.

What is a Serial Killer?

A serial killer is an individual who murders more than two people in different events around the same time. The crimes that serial killers commit usually grab peoples’ attention especially when victims are murdered cruelly.

If you are studying this topic and you’ve been looking for experts to help you with your essay, look no further. Here, you can access a nature vs nurture serial killers essay together with other examples of essays. You’ll get to read a sample of the essay before getting started.

1.      Thomas Neil Cream

It is said that Cream murdered his first victim back in 1876. However, the cause of his wife’s death was recorded by the authorities as consumption.

In 1879, a woman was found dead in the alleyway behind his office. She was in a relationship with him. The authorities found that she was pregnant and poisoned. Cream fled to the United States after being accused of the murder. After arriving here, it’s reported that he killed four more people.

In 1891, he went back to London and four women of the streets were killed after having a drink from Cream which contained strychnine. He was captured when he was narrating to a visitor how each of the victims met their fate.

2.      Mary Pearcey

While Mary was convicted of murdering her lover’s child and wife in 1890, she was suspected of being a serial killer. She Invited Phoebe to her home where she attacked and killed her together with her daughter; Tiggy.

The victim’s body was later found under a pile of dirt in Hampstead. She was caught by the police after witnesses saw her wheeling her victims for everyone to see.

3.      John Christie

John admitted that he became one of the top killers back in 1943 when he met a woman on the street whom he went with to his small flat. His wife later visited him with friends and found the girl.

He strangled her to death and buried her in their garden. For more than a decade, he killed more than eight people including his daughter, wife, and neighbour. While the police searched for the bodies in the garden, they didn’t find anything until later. After sixteen years, he admitted to murdering these people.

4.      Dennis Nilsen

This is one of the most dangerous serial killers that London has ever had. He murdered at least twelve men by welcoming them to his flat in the space of five years between 1978 and 1983. Most of his victims were young men, boys, or the homeless. He admitted to having intimacy with them after killing them (necrophilia).

He was fascinated by how the bodies changed once their lives slipped out. He would clean the bodies and leave them in his flat for weeks or even months. When he got tired of them, he would strip flesh from the bones and dispose of the remains by either flushing them down the toilet or burning them with a bonfire.

5.      Amelia Dyer

This is one of the most distressing cases that the British police force has ever dealt with. Amelia also known as The Baby Farmer is reported to have killed lots of adopted babies who people thought she would care for.

Between 1869 to 1896, she used to kill them by tying a cord or tape around their necks and disposing of their bodies in the River Thames. She would tell the parents that their children were in safe hands when they visited. They would also be shown babies who were not theirs.

Bonus Serial Killer - Harold Shipman

Harold is reported to have killed around 250 patients between 1975 to 1998. He practised in London for more than twenty years in two different offices. All this while, he killed people. 80% of his victims were elderly women and he is regarded as one of the most prolific modern-day serial killers.

He wasn’t caught until several people raised a red flag. One of these people was an undertaker who was surprised by the number of cremation certificates being dished out by the doctor. He was convicted in 2000. Four years later, he committed suicide in prison.

If you are a college student who is studying topics that involve the history of 20th-century serial killers, this article is ideal for you. These are some of the most heinous serial killers that have ever lived in London.

Reading their crime stories and experiences in books and resources will help you discover their motivation and mistakes so you to write more about them in your assignments.