Crime & death
A vitriolic attack
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 own […]
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 had […]
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 years […]
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, there […]
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 (Messrs […]