Why a Booktrail?
1811: The infamous Ratcliffe Highway Murders reimagined.
The Maul and the Pear Tree
What you need to know before your trail
In 1811 John Williams was buried with a stake in his heart. Was he the notorious East End killer or his eighth victim in the bizarre and shocking Ratcliffe Highway Murders? In this vivid and gripping reconstruction P. D. James and police historian T. A. Critchley draw on forensics, public records, newspaper clippings and hitherto unpublished sources, expertly sifting the evidence to shed new light on this infamous Wapping mystery.
Locations
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Return to the scene of the Ratcliffe Highway Murders BookTrail style, London
Now called ‘The Highway’ , the district of Wapping was the heart of the British Empire’s trade and empire. It is also the scene of the gruesome murders of two families, some 12 days apart. The first one was a family of tailors and the second, the inhabitants of a pub.The two attacks resulted in seven fatalities.
Ratcliffe Highway is the old name for a road in the East End of London, now called The Highway, then one of three main roads leaving London. It was in a dangerous and run-down area of seedy businesses, dark alleys and dilapidated tenements. The first attack took place on 7 December 1811 in the living quarters behind a linen draper’s shop at 29 Ratcliffe Highway. The second set of murders occurred at The King’s Arms, a tavern at 81 New Gravel Lane (now Garnet Street).
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Maul and the Pear Tree
Destination/location: London Author/guide: PD James Departure Time: 1811
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