News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime
Welcome to News of the Times!
Step into the shadowed alleyways and gaslit parlours of the 18th and 19th centuries with News of the Times — a meticulously curated journey through historical crime. Each episode draws from authentic reports and court records, bringing you the darkly fascinating tales that gripped Georgian, Victorian, and Edwardian Britain.
With over 500 episodes and counting, we explore true accounts of mischief, murder, and mayhem from days gone by — all delivered with a wry nod and a love for the curious corners of the past.
🕵️ For those with a taste for the peculiar, you may also enjoy our new side project: Volume 1: Slightly Unreliable Memoirs — a whimsical collection inspired by the lives (and occasional misadventures) of our research team. Think cravats, crumpets, and the occasional cactus on the lam. Intrigued? Find it here:
👉 https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e
News of the Times - Unlocking the vaults of historical crime
The Honeymoon Poisoning: The Chilling Case of Catherine Foster
The Honeymoon Poisoning: The Chilling Case of Catherine Foster
News of the Times | Episode 566 | 1846
It began as a village wedding in the golden lanes of Suffolk.
Three weeks later, the bride was on trial for her husband’s murder.
In 1846, Catherine Foster—just 17 years old and newly married—served her childhood sweetheart a dumpling for supper. By dawn, he was dead. What followed became one of the most sensational arsenic poisoning cases in Victorian England, ending with Catherine’s public execution in Bury St Edmunds.
🔍 Was it calculated murder, or a tragic case of a girl trapped by circumstance, confusion, and a pot of flour?
Featuring original period newspaper accounts, courtroom testimony, and the haunting final confession Catherine left behind, this episode takes you deep into the heart of Victorian justice—and a tale that shocked the nation.
In today’s Further Particulars:
A Victorian terrier, a suspicious hedge, and a case of canine clairvoyance that may have saved a man’s life.
Bristol newspapers assert categorically that the story is factual...
👤 Narrated by Robin Coles
📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
📚 Related cases from the archive:
1844: Murder at Blaw Wearie | EP498
https://youtu.be/gB7JHFzLYzY
1841: Horfield murder | EP523
https://youtu.be/3iGILrw2yos
1842: Before the Acid Bath Killer: Death in a Victorian Workhouse | EP538
https://youtu.be/uhofUf94SqA
1836 & 1843: The Trouble with Harriet | EP398
https://youtu.be/BrZh10eMQ0s
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🕯 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.
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