Londoners on Trial
Crime, Courts and the Public 1244-1924
A Curator's Introduction
Long read
Curating ‘Londoners on Trial’
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Howard Doble, one of the curators of 'Londoners on Trial', explores the themes of the exhibition and how decisions were made about the inclusion of the content.
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Events
Discover and book events related to law and order, and crime, in London.
What's On
Dress and Deviance: Poverty, Crime and Clothing in 19th-Century England
Evening Talk
An interactive evening session with Dr Vivienne Richmond - exploring how clothing linked poverty, crime & punishment in 19th-century England. For the numerous poor clothing was a form of currency and, therefore, at the centre of much crime.
Tour
Curator-led exhibition tours
Londoners on Trial
Every month our curators will guide you through the exhibition exploring the lives of Londoners on Trial.
What's On
TLA Book Group: Original Sin by P.D. James
Online Literary Event
The London Archives Book Group, an online discussion group, meets monthly and welcomes all!
What's On
Great Escapes - Tales of Prisoners in London
Talk
Early castles and fortresses were built to keep people out, but as criminal numbers grew, prisons were built to keep people in. We will tell the stories of some of the prisoners who were able to escape, from Jack Sheppard in Newgate Prison, to Ranulf Flambard, the first prisoner to escape the Tower.
What's On
Law and Order in London
Walking Tour
This walking tour recounts London’s long and dark history of law and order from Roman London to the 21st century. It explores the sites of crimes, courts and incarcerations and tells the stories of criminals, victims and law enforcers.
What's On
Wandsworth Prison 175 Years of Public Service
Talk
This talk by Stewart McLaughlin, Honorary Curator of the Wandsworth Prison Museum, traces Wandsworth Prison’s journey from the Surrey House of Correction to its later life as HMP Wandsworth. It highlights famous inmates, wartime episodes, spies, executions, escapes,Practical information
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Stories
Discover blogs on subjects relating to crime and the courts which will be added to throughout the duration of the exhibition.
Long read
The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde
Londoners on Trial
To mark LGBTQ+ History Month, we remember the events leading to the conviction of Oscar Wilde at the Old Bailey in 1895 which feature in the upcoming ‘Londoners on Trial’ exhibition opening at The London Archives on 9 March 2026.
Long read
Minnie Pheby: a Victorian Lady Burglar
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Learn more about the life and crimes of Minnie Pheby, who burgled dozens of houses across West London between 1896 and 1900
Long read
Fenian London: The Clerkenwell Explosion
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What was intended as a daring prison break became one of Victorian London’s deadliest political explosions. Find out more in this article by Rachel Barrett about the explosion in Clerkenwell of 1867.
Research
Long read
The fight that never was
Jack Johnson versus 'Bombardier' Billy Wells
Archives Officer Guy Baker tells the story of a boxing match that didn't take place - between Heavyweight champion of the world Jack Johnson and 'Bombardier' Billy Wells - and shows how parts of that story can be traced in records held at The London Archives.
Long read
David Bowie and Eighteenth-Century London
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Some research by Archives Officer Charlotte Hopkins-McPherson investigates the link between David Bowie and the London of the eighteenth century. Find out more about this intriguing connection.
Long read
Jenny Diver
The life and crimes of an eighteenth-century pickpocket
Find out more about Jenny Diver, a pickpocket in eighteenth-century London.
Book Group
'Shrines of Gaiety' by Kate Atkinson
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Find out about The London Archives' book group in September 2025 where we discussed 'Shrines of Gaiety' by Kate Atkinson.
Article
Moll Cutpurse
London pickpocket and fence
Mary Frith (1584-1659), also known as Moll Cutpurse, is an early example of a celebrity villain. Intriguingly, it wasn’t her crimes alone that scandalised London, but her form of dress and habits – namely, that she dressed as a man. Find out more in this article.You might also like
Discover more about our collections relating to the history of crime in London.
