Murders and other Criminal goings-on in Oldham
In common with all towns and cities Oldham and its districts have had their fair share of criminal cases over the last couple of centuries. These have ranged from petty offences to more serious cases such as the Bardsley bookshop murder that created riots in Oldham. Many of these cases have been reported over time in the Oldham Evening Chronicle; of course the more serious events reached the Manchester papers as well. These reports run from a mere paragraph to many column inches and as is the case today with a degree of journalistic licence. Punishment has changed dramatically over the years and today we find ourselves surprised at the harshness of some of the sentences handed down. Offenders seemed to have been tracked down, hauled up before the magistrate and sentenced in a very short space of time. This is an attempt to chronicle some of these cases and tell the tales of the unfortunate victims.
* The Attempted Murder of Hannah Hall
On January 4th, 1840, the Guardian had the following sub-heading:
Atrocious Attempt at Murder
In January 1840, 72 year old Hannah Hall lived on the road between Heyside and Oldham, where she ran a small dairy shop and milk farm. It was popular with the local colliery workers who would go there to purchase their lunch supplies of bread, cheese and butter.
Read it HERE
* The Murder of Kate Garrity
December, 1905 : Kate Garrity, having been given two shillings by her mother, was sent out with a jug and a bottle to buy beer and whisky. She took a route that passed the corner of Greenfield Lane and Moss Hey Street ... Kate did not return home that night and a search was instigated.
Read it HERE
* Ernest Kelly and Edward Wild Hilton
On July 28th, 1913, the Manchester Guardian had the following headline,
Oldham Tradesman Murdered - Arrested Youth's Alleged Statement
In the early hours of Sunday 27th July 1913, James Greaves, the watchman ... by using more force and with a great deal of difficulty, finally succeeded in gaining entry, whereupon he found the body of Mr. Bardsley lying stretched out on the floor...
Read it HERE
* William Waddington
On Feb 21st 1920 the Oldham Chronicle had the following headline –
GHASTLY CRIME – A little girl outraged and murdered.
Read it HERE
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