The Mysterious Tragic Affair at Kidwelly
News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840
Southwest Wales, 1881.
Eleven-year-old John Thomas sets off on a simple errand — to deliver a pair of shoes made by his father, a local shoemaker. He completes his task, collects ten shillings, and begins the short walk home.
But he never arrives.
Along the way, John encounters two local boys — David Mazey, aged 12, and his younger brother Benjamin, aged 10. A neighbor watches him enter the Mazey home… and that is the last time John Thomas is seen alive.
What follows is a disturbing tale that shocked Victorian Britain:
John's body is discovered in a nearby ditch — a place that had already been searched the day before. His small frame is battered, broken, and drained of blood, with injuries so horrific they defy belief — especially if inflicted by children.

The case becomes national news, not only for its sheer brutality, but for the eerie disappearance and reappearance of the boy’s body… and the disturbing youth of the suspected murderers.

And in our “Further Particulars” segment: a Victorian tragedy unfolds — a young woman dies shortly after childbirth. But days later, a horrifying truth emerges… she was buried alive.
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1888: Case of the 1888 Marylebone Murder Mystery | EP435
https://youtu.be/JgLiiT-f_xY
1883 & 1927: The Curious Case of James Kelly - | EP442
https://youtu.be/JlPJSl6iTlY
1881: The Case of the Cambridge Killing | EP449
https://youtu.be/lZvxvOwnjPA
1881: A Hatchet, A Gunshot & A Widow’s Denial | The Chilling Case of David Buchanan | EP451
https://youtu.be/c9vHh0p9wb0
1884 - 1887: Deadly Love Turns Into Murder In Shocking True Crime Cases | EP454
https://youtu.be/aCirfAOQoHs
1881: Jealousy and Murder Near St Columb || Exploring a Deadly Case of Jealousy and Murder | EP456
https://youtu.be/Oxo-TuZLHXw
1880: the Harley Street Mystery | EP458
https://youtu.be/F6V2OuSfi68
1885: The Walsoken Tragedy | EP474
https://youtu.be/4TvLBlRHbCY

NEWS OF THE TIMES PLAYLISTS

News of the Times MURDEROUS MONDAYS
We look at a famous historical murder case of its day in detail
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuj5alJ9fVqsjz8AEFGWzNvEKXs7xBgm_

News of the Times WICKED WEDNESDAYS
The dark side of historical England is explored in this series uploaded every Wednesday
https://www.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
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Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

The Case of the Frightful Outrage Near Norwich
News of the Times Episode 494 | 1873
1873. A quiet hamlet just six miles south of Norwich, where the silence of the night is shattered by cries of murder. An 11-year-old girl, Lucy Goodrum, barefoot and in her nightdress, desperately pounds on the door of the village washerwoman, begging for help.
Inside the house she fled from lies a horrifying scene: Edna Mitchell, a widow in her 60s who had taken Lucy into her care, is found barely alive—allegedly the victim of a brutal axe attack. The accused? Her own son-in-law, Thomas Mitchell, a local carpenter with seven children of his own, and a man whose financial ties to Edna may provide a grim motive.
We explore the origins of this dark tale

And in our “Further Particulars” segment:
We cross the Atlantic to 1874 America, where a new temperance movement is taking shape. Women, driven by a moral mission, are storming saloons—literally lying down on barroom floors in prayer and protest—to convince the public to give up alcohol. Because you know, when you have time on your hands in the wild west, what else would you do?
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1874: FRANCE Murderous Mother Daughter Love Triangle | EP377
https://youtu.be/22HllMIaXH4
1877: The Case of Serial Killer Count De Tourville | EP379
https://youtu.be/C-2LGyCAMqw
1878: The Canadian Monster - Joseph LaPage | EP380
https://youtu.be/wB_gjPMsNn4
1864 & 1878: Distrubing Cases of Matricide | EP393
https://youtu.be/zvn0Jq3d75A
1879 - 1893: The Worst Woman on Earth - Serial Killer Lizzie Halliday | EP410
https://youtu.be/w7DpCYJNRfw
1877?: The Case of Edinburgh's Last Public Execution | EP436
https://youtu.be/i3RUIBSuJbI
1878: The Case of the Bodies in the Dung Heap | EP444
https://youtu.be/RzNM8NsheFY
1877: The Isle of Wight Murder of 1877 | EP458
https://youtu.be/dGIcAuTsldA

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

Was It Suicide—or Murder by His Own Brother? | True Crime Case of Dr. William Lyddon
News of the Times Episode 493 | 1891
When Dr. William Lyddon is found lifeless on the floor of his stepmother’s bedroom, all signs initially point to a tragic overdose. But as investigators dig deeper, the story begins to unravel—revealing a twisted web of jealousy, greed, and long-standing family tensions.
What begins as a possible case of morphia self-poisoning quickly evolves into something far more sinister. Could this be a modern echo of Cain and Abel, or a bitter rivalry like Richard the Lionheart and Prince John?
This chilling case captured national headlines, raising the ultimate question:
Did Dr. Lyddon take his own life—or was he murdered by someone within his own family?
And in our “Further Particulars” segment:
A recently widowed man in his 60s stuns his conservative neighborhood by marrying his 20-year-old servant. The scandal that follows was senstaional in the village!
Hosted by Robin Coles.

#NewsofTheTimes #truecrimedocumentary #truecrime #truecrimepodcast #victorian #history

Patreon: patreon.com/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime
YouTube Chronicle of the Times: @chronicleofthetimes2024

EPISODE
If you like this, here are links to some other recommended videos:
1894: The Creepy Case of the Shaftesbury Av. Murder | EP396
https://youtu.be/D8PtrGwBJlw
1896 & 1903: The Infamous Starr Murders | EP406
https://youtu.be/LqmZzLivZUU
1879 - 1893: The Worst Woman on Earth - Serial Killer Lizzie Halliday | EP410
https://youtu.be/w7DpCYJNRfw
1893: The Murder Case of Wormwood Scrubs | EP411
https://youtu.be/_UQCMyiIUG0
1893: The Case of the Rotherhithe Murder | EP414
https://youtu.be/DmmERqj51T4
1156 - 1895: Cases of Real Life Sweeney Todds | EP415
https://youtu.be/FTMWX_ttku0
1895: The Case of the Mansfield Tragedy Serial Killing | EP421
https://youtu.be/zl94LyAilBY
1896: A Spitalfields Tragedy - The Ellen Collins Mystery | EP427
https://youtu.be/DWcIfrCU92Q

***
Who are News of the Times?
We are an independent group of historians, researchers , and actor with a passion for historical crime!

Unlocking the Vaults of Historical Crime, your gateway to a captivating journey through the darker pages of history. We dive deep into the annals of crime, unearthing forgotten stories, unsolved mysteries, and notorious criminals from the past.

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at newsofthetimespodcast@gmail.com
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd