Davina Brown and the vitriol attack, 5th December 1924 Davina Brown was in her mid-twenties, slogging away in the jute mills like so many other young women in the 1920s when she met Thomas Crombie. He owned his own cooping business, ooh fancy, cooping is making barrels and casks, but hey, he owned his ownRead more ⟶
Category: Crime & death
Alexander Hutchison
The electrifying air in Perth Circuit Court crackled with anticipation as Alexander Hutchison stood in the dock, the accused murderer of his wife, Christina. It was a high-stakes trial that gripped the entire city. The first witness, their neighbour James McKenzie, took the stand, revealing a chilling tale. He recounted how his young sons hadRead more ⟶
David Urquhart
The Spring Circuit Court of Dundee commenced on the 19th of April 1883, amid great anticipation and ceremony, with Lord Mure presiding. Among the cases presented, none were more distressing than that of David Urquhart. He stood accused of a heinous crime – the murder of his illegitimate daughter, Elizabeth Meffan, aged approximately two yearsRead more ⟶
The Murder of Margaret Cairns
The murder of Margaret Cairns is a story we told on our Halloween Takeover of Verdant Works, back in 2016. This tragedy happened in Playfair’s Entry, an old street off Hawkhill in the west end of Dundee which is long gone. It seemed everyone had a different version of events, and in the end, thereRead more ⟶
Man scalded to death
This awful incident took place on Walton Street, at the Larchfield Jute Works, the building is now demolished and has been replaced with new housing. Dundee Courier, Monday 18th May 1896 SHOCKING AFFAIR IN DUNDEE. man scalded to death. MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. Yesterday morning a shocking discovery was made at Walton Street Jute Works. Dundee (MessrsRead more ⟶
The Murder of Mary Conn – Pt 2
This is the continuation of the Murder Trial of John Jenkins for the murder of Mary Conn in West Port, in Dundee’s West End. Read the first part here. Dundee Courier, Friday 13th January 1893 MURDER TRIAL IN DUNDEE. THE WEST PORT TRAGEDY. TWELVE YEARS’ PENAL SERVITUDE. The trial of John Jenkins, labourer, on aRead more ⟶
The Murder of Mary Conn – Pt 1
These extracts from the Dundee Courier tell the tale of a horrid murder in West Port, in Dundee’s West End, in 1892. Dundee Courier, Monday 14th November 1892 HORRIBLE MURDER IN DUNDEE. A WOMAN KILLED. HER ASSAILANT IN CUSTODY. SCENE OF THE ATROCITY. INTERVIEWS WITH NEIGHBOURS. PRISONER’S ANTECEDENTS. For a considerable time, Dundee has beenRead more ⟶
Jessie Jordan
Jessie Jordan (23 December 1887 – 1954) was a Scottish hairdresser found guilty of spying for the German Abwehr on the eve of World War II. After her German husband’s death in battle, she remarried and later became a spy in Scotland. Imprisoned and deported to Germany after the war, Jordan’s life was marked byRead more ⟶
The Night Side of Dundee – Part 8
This is part 8 of 8 of the Night Side of Dundee articles. These are a series of articles we came across while researching for our Riddled tour (running March to May 23) which is all about the vice, vermin and venereal disease in the city. We mentioned these articles on our tour, but toRead more ⟶
The Night Side of Dundee – Part 7
This is part 7 of 8 of the Night Side of Dundee articles. These are a series of articles we came across while researching for our Riddled tour (running March to May 23) which is all about the vice, vermin and venereal disease in the city. We mentioned these articles on our tour, but toRead more ⟶