Street gangs of the era

[Cogidubnus]

Historian Sarah Wise's book.......madness, Inconvenient People.

Absolutely...stonking good book!

All the best

Dave

[SirJohnFalstaff]

I don't believe there is any mention of the Old Nichol Gang anywhere prior to around 1950. Certainly I don't think there waa any mention of them at the time.

Rob

Like I said, it was not their name, but where they came from originally. Old Nichol had a lot of gentrification in the 1880's (improved living condition that previous tenants can no longer afford so they need to move out).

[Mayerling]

If you are really interested, there was a major criminal case in 1888 called "the Regent's Park Murder", in which gang warfare was involved. Check the "trial" listing sections for "Haydn's Dictionary of Dates" (1893 issue), which mentions this event. A bystander was killed in the fight, and there were arrests of juvenile delinquent style gang members (one with the name of "Joseph Rumbold" I think). One name did catch my attention when I first came across this event - a gang member who was arrested named "Francis Cole". I never expected that one, but I believe it is a male, and note the last name lacks a final "s".

While there were prison sentences nobody was hanged for the crime.

Jeff