Charles Peace was notorious for his activities as a prolific and clever
burglar whilst being wanted for murder in Sheffield despite his appearance
as a well-dressed, violin-playing, respectable man. After being caught by PC
Edward Robinson on his beat at Blackheath, Peace was sentenced to death - and
then confessed to a second murder - of a police officer - in Manchester 2 years
earlier.
| Born in Sheffield on 14th
May 1832, Peace had reputedly injured his leg whilst serving his
apprenticeship at a rolling-mill in Sheffield, but was nevertheless agile
and strong for a man of small stature (5' 3-4"). He later wandered from town
to town collecting and selling musical instruments and bric-a-brac. He
played the violin well enough to perform at local concerts, as well as at
public houses |
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Charlie Peace entertains with his violin ES6 |
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Charles Peace murders Arthur Dyson (ES7) |
In November
1876, after the murder of Arthur Dyson, Peace then went on the run, finally
settling in East Terrace, Peckham, where he drove his pony and trap around
South East London by day, burgled houses by night, and used the name of
Thompson. |
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PC Robinson arrests Peace (ES4)
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The series of daring burglaries caused public fear and
consternation, and the police were under pressure to make an arrest. Events
came to a head at about 2am on 10th October 1878.
PC Edward Robinson was patrolling Blackheath when he noticed a flickering
light in the rooms of 2 St John's Park. He called for assistance, and then,
after Peace had jumped out of a window, chased him across the garden.
Despite being shot at five times and wounded, PC Robinson gallantly held on
to Peace, and, with the assistance of other officers, Peace was finally
taken into custody. |
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The prisoner gave his name as John Ward, and was convicted at
the Old Bailey on 19th November 1878 of attempting to murder PC Robinson. He
was sentenced to penal servitude for life. PC Robinson was given a £25
reward on the recommendation of the jury. |
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Peace on trial ES5 |
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Peace escapes from the train ES3 |
| Living in Peckham with Peace (or
John Ward or Thompson) had been a "Mrs Thompson", otherwise his widowed
girl friend Susan Grey (or Bailey). This was before the age of finger
prints. It transpired, possibly from a letter from Newgate prison from
"John Ward" requesting a visit from a neighbour, that the church - going
respectable Mr Ward was in fact Charles Peace with a £100 reward
outstanding for his arrest for murder. "Mrs Thompson" became obliged to
admit the real facts of "John Ward's" true identity. Peace was then
taken from Pentonville prison to Sheffield where he stood trial for the
murder of Arthur Dyson, but not before throwing himself from a train in
an unsuccessful bid to escape from his escorting prison officers. |
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On 4th February 1879, Peace's trial began at Leeds Assizes,
the jury convicted him after deliberating for 12 minutes, and he was
sentenced to death. Before his execution on 25th February 1879, however,
Peace made a confession to a priest and admitted the shooting of another
police officer, PC Nicholas Cock in Manchester, who had also disturbed in
the course of attempting a burglary. 18-year old William Habron had been
convicted and sentenced to death for this murder. Peace had even attended
the trial, but had kept silent, thereby condoning a miscarriage of justice.
PC Robinson was treated as a hero by the residents of Blackheath, who
presented him with an inscribed pocket watch, which was later purchased by
the Friends of the Metropolitan Police Museum.
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Peace is interviewed in his cell ES2 |
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A card produced to commemorate Peace's
execution kindly supplied by John Hamilton |
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Peace on the scaffold ES4 |
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