Highwaymen

TOM BUCKLEY, Hung 1701
Tom Buckley, a highwayman was a highwayman who did not escape the law, and was hanged for his deeds in 1701. He plied his 'trade' in Drury Lane but would retire to a farm 'in the heart of the country' at Hackney.

WILLIAM PHILPS OF DUBLIN Hung 1735
In 1735 Dubliner William Philps who employed several men in Limehouse was hung for highway robbery.

DICK TURPIN Hung 1739
He was the son of John Turpin, a farmer, at Thaxted, Essex and was born at The Bell, the public house at Hampstead kept by his father. He was apprenticed to a butcher in Whitechapel.

After completing his apprenticeship he went to East Ham, Essex and married a girl named Palmer and set himself up in the butchers business. He started stealing cattle, smuggling, deer-stealing and robbery.

Once he stole a couple of oxen from Mr Giles, of Plaistow, which he had conveyed to his own house and cut up, but was detected by two of the gentleman's servants, who, having a suspicion of him, from some information they had received, inquired where Turpin sold the hides of his beasts, and being informed that he generally sold them at Waltham Abbey they went there, and were convinced, on sight of the hides, that Turpin was the man who stole the oxen, and immediately returned to apprehend him; being apprised of this he jumped out of a window and made his escape: when he was gone his wife disposed of the carcasses.

Turpin decided to become a smugglerand went into the hundreds of Essex. There he met with with a gang of smugglers who admitted him among them. Through this gang he became acquainted with Gregory, Fielder, Rose and Wheeler, who were afterwards called the "Essex Gang".  Then under Turpin's leadership they started going round the country at nights. If they heard of a house which had anything of value in it one knocked at the door and as soon as it was opened the others rushed in and began to rob taking money, plate and watches and any household goods they liked.

At Watford they robbed a Mr Strype, an old man who kept a chandler's shop, taking what little money he had but did him not harm him.

After one robbery he and his accomplices deposited their gains in an empty house in Ratcliffe Highway. In Ewer St stood the Catherine Wheel which had been one of his hang-outs.

He continued with his crimes Kent, Marylebone, Croydon, Stanmore, Essex, Suffolk and a frequent haunt Epping Forest, Essex. Later he moved up to Cambridge, Bungay, Suffolk

He returned to his old haunts but soon had to flee from the law again and went to live in Long Sutton in Lincolnshire for a while, taking his wife's name of Palmer, and then to Welton, Yorkshire where he was arrested.

He was committed to York Prison on 16 October 1738 and there made the error of sending a letter to his brother. His handwriting was recognized by a neighbour who had known him as a child.

He was tried at York Assizes on 22 March 1739 for horse stealing. He was hung on 10 April 1739.
(Part of the above extracted from The Complete Newgate Calendar, Vol. III and More Famous Trials by Birkenhead)

HENRY COOK, HIGHWAYMAN
Henry Cook was a leather cutter in Essex, as was his father, who set him up in a shoemaking business at Stratford after he completed his apprenticeship. Henry could read, write and add and he married the Stratford Bow beadle's daughter and fathered four children. When he fell into debt he turned highwayman and thief, wearing a gold laced hat, and became a very popular figure. His first trial was at the Old Bailey.