On the trail of the smugglers

Mary Wade stood trial at the Old Bailey in 1789 for stealing a few items of clothing. She was only 10 years old, but London’s central criminal court condemned her to hang. Her sentence was commuted to

Britain’s neglect of its maritime heritage has led to shuttered shipyards, ailing fishing fleets and impoverished coastal towns

“One might as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb,” goes the old proverb. The meaning is simple: if you are going to be punished for a small crime, you may as well commit the bigger one. In the early

Step away from the bright lights and bustle and explore the capital’s dark side

This part of Scotland has historically been famous for agriculture and its associated trades – in particular skinners, dyers, shoemakers and glovemakers. But over the years a number of major manufactu

The Victorian age saw the birth of the criminal-justice system as we know it today in Britain, with the establishment of modern policing and prisons. More criminal records were created than ever befor