Ratcliff Highway Murders

The Ratcliff Highway murders (sometimes Ratcliffe Highway murders) were two vicious attacks on two separate families that resulted in multiple fatalities. They occurred during a twelve day interval in December, 1811, in homes half a mile apart near Wapping in London.

Ratcliff Highway Murders

Postmortem sketch of John Williams, supposed murderer
Other names John Murphy
Location Wapping, London, England
Date December 7 and 19, 1811
Deaths Timothy Marr, Celia Marr, Timothy Marr (3 mos.), James Gowan, John Williamson, Elizabeth Williamson, Bridget Anna Harrington
Result Declared guilty after committing suicide in his prison cell, December 28, 1811

Read more about Ratcliff Highway Murders:  First Murders, Significance, The Investigation, The Second Murders, The Survivor's Testimony, The Suspect, A Break in The Case, The Suicide, Some Alternate Suspects, Puzzling Motivation, Media, Police, Television, Novel

Famous quotes containing the words highway and/or murders:

    “My manner is the footnote to your immoral
    Beauty, that leads me with a magic hair
    Up the spun highway of a vanishing hill
    To Words....”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)

    “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
    —John Adams (1735–1826)