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This is the true story about a respected businessman, Henry Wainwright, who had everything he needed in 1871. A wife and 5 children and a delightful London townhouse home. But in 1872, Henry fell in love with attractive Harriet Lane. He then embarked on a risky affair with Harriet coupled with gambling and flirtations with ballet girls from the Pavilion Theatre, Whitechapel.
Harriet produced two children as Henry sets her up in lodgings with an allowance as they pretended to be husband & wife. Henry's finances then tumbled out of control and bankruptcy loomed. What happened next was a scandalous conspiracy which ended in murder, and a plot which fooled everyone into thinking that the victim had gone abroad. Henry Wainwright got away with murder for a year before a schoolboy error led to his capture.
The case ruined the lives of three families. This fast-moving story will transport to a world of polite, East End society in the mid 1870's of Victorian London, but with a seedy underbelly.
14 years before the infamous Jack the Ripper Murders, it was the original, 'Whitechapel Mystery' which was probably the most sensational criminal case of the 1870's and involves a chase through the city and across London Bridge. This story also involves Henry's younger brother Thomas who was also involved in the conspiracy to murder Harriet Lane. The case paints a vivid picture of Victorian London.
The police investigation and Old Bailey trial is revealed in glorious detail. It's a story of love, weakness and devious, desperate liars. It's a rollickingly good Victorian scandal.
Written in an entertaining style, the book contains a huge amount of fascinating detail, not only of the murder but about the lives of so many of the characters in the story. It's a huge slice of London life, 1875 style. This story deserves to be much better known and will be fascinating to anyone interested in Whitechapel or Victorian Crime.
About the author
Neil Watson is a retired London Policeman, having joined the Metropolitan Police in 1975, almost 100 years to the day since the Whitechapel Mistress murder took place. He has therefore been writing about crime for 47 years. His first solo book was the Denham Massacre, published in 2018, about the murder of a family of seven in the village of Denham, Buckinghamshire, in 1870. Neil writes regular historical articles for the Whitechapel Society Journal, usually on the subject of Victorian crime or social history. He also gives talks on police history and is also an experienced genealogist of 30 years. Neil also organizes London History walks with his voluntary group. He is married and lives in London.
Summary
Written in an entertaining style, the book contains a huge amount of fascinating detail, not only of the murder but about the lives of so many of the characters in the story. It's a huge slice of London life, 1875 style. This story deserves to be much better known and will be fascinating to anyone interested in Whitechapel or Victorian Crime.
