Crime and Punishment in Britain - Key Facts and Figures

How many protestants were burnt at the stake in Mary I's 5 year reign?

284

How many crimes were punishable by death when the Bloody Code was introduced in 1688?

50

How many crimes were punishable by death in 1765?

160

How many crimes were punishable by death in 1815?

225

How many members of the gunpowder plot were there?

13

How many barrels of gunpowder were placed underneath parliament?

36

Around how many conscientious objectors were there during the First World War?

16,000

Around how many conscientious objectors were there during the Second World War?

59,000

What was the nightly fee for a doss house in Whitechapel?

4d

Which street had the highest concentration of Doss houses in Whitechapel?

Flower and Dean Street

What was the population of Britain by 1750?

9.5 million

What was the population of Britain by 1900?

41.5 million

How many people were in prison by 1777?

4,000

What was the value of tea smuggled into Britain in Industrial Britain?

£3 million

What % of England became 'royal forest' as a result of William I's Forest Laws?

30%

What % of people sentenced to death were actually hanged in the 1700s?

40%

What % of people sentenced to death were actually hanged in the 1800s?

10%

Where was the most common place that public executions were held in London?

Tyburn

What were most punishments for in the Bloody Code?

Crimes against property

How much did the number of crimes reported per year rise from 1800-1840?

5,000 to 20,000 (400%)

Between 1788 and 1868 how many convicts were transported to Australia?

162,000

Between 1815 and 1822, by what fraction did wages fall by?

1/3

What was the name of the pamphlet published by Matthew Hopkins in 1647?

The Discovery of Witches

How many people was it rumoured that Matthew Hopkins accused and prosecuted from 1644-47?

Over 230

In October 1888, how many prostitutes did the metropolitan police estimate were operating in Whitechapel?

1,200

How many common lodging houses were in Whitechapel?

Over 200

What is the name for the 5 women murdered by Jack the Ripper in 1888?

The canonical five

What % of people lived in urban areas in 1881?

68%

What % of crimes were against an individual in 19th century Britain?

10%

What did the Vagrancy Act of 1547 do?

Accused vagabonds could spend 2 years in slavery and 2nd offenders could be punished with life slavery or execution

What did the Vagabonds Act of 1572 do?

1st offenders would be whipped and have their ear burnt. 2nd offenders would be executed

How many people were there per acre in Whitechapel?

188.6

How many people were there per acre in London (Whitechapel)?

45

In Flower and Dean Street, how many people occupied the 31 dosshouses (1871)?

902

How much were the met police originally paid?

1 guinea a week

How many policemen were there by 1830?

3,500

How many handbills did the police give out during the investigation of the JTR murders?

80,000

How many people did the police interview while investigating the JTR murders?

2,000

What did the Artisans Dwelling Act do?

Allowed local councils and private businesses to buy up areas of slum dwellings in order to clear and rebuild them

How often did Hundred courts meet?

Every month

What does wergild translate to?

Man-price

In medieval England, if an accused person failed to attend court, what did they become?

Outlaws

What language did the Normans change courts & trials to?

Norman French

Who were constables?

Unpaid local men who tried to keep the peace in towns during daytime

What were County Assizes?

Branches of the Royal Court that were in session in country towns twice a year

Roughly how many pubs were there in Whitechapel?

45

How many apartments were built as part of the Peabody Estate?

11

Why was pollution in Whitechapel particularly bad?

Prevailing winds brought pollution from factories to Whitechapel

What economic depression in the 1800s led to an increase in socialism and anarchism across Europe?

1870s

How many postcards and letters were sent into the police from newspapers?

Over 300

What was the ratio to Normans and Saxons?

7,000 : 2 million

What % of men could vote in the early 1800s?

8%

Why was the 1851 Gold Rush significant?

It made Australia a desirable location

How much did transportation to Australia cost the government yearly in the early 1800s?

£500,000

Which part of the Bible was the neck verse?

Psalm 51

What did many juries practice, which meant reducing the amount stolen by criminals in order to avoid the crime being a capital offence?

Pious perjury

What is an example of a socialist group in London that were founded in 1881?

The Social Democratic Federation

What financial crash in 1720 led to an increase in poaching, including the Waltham Blacks gang?

The South Sea Bubble

How many capital offences did the Waltham Black Act add to the rolls in 1723?

Over 50

Why were harsh punishments for vagabonds reintroduced in the 16th century?

Vagabond numbers increased in the 1570s as a result of poor harvests (e.g 1573)

What % of witches tried in the UK were found guilty and executed?

25%

From 1875-1880, by what % did cases of burglary rise and why?

28.7% - wealthier homes became more common

By 1779, how much revenue was smuggling causing many companies to lose?

£7 million a year

How much money did the government grant to the Bow Street Runners for a horse patrol in 1763?

£600

Between 1842 and 1850, by how much did the number of railway passengers increase by?

It trebled

How many prisons were built based on Pentonville Prisons layout?

50

Why did William Pitt introduce income taxes in 1799?

To fund the Napoleonic Wars