Once, London had a train line that was so special you could only reserve a ticket by paying the "ultimate price", you could only ride it if you were dead, and - if you were one of the chosen few - you could only make one trip, in one direction, from Waterloo... to your final resting place. It was called The Necropolis Railway and it was London's very own railway of death. With the ever-expanding city of London's space in short supply, with burial plots being brought at a premium and mortuaries fit to bursting with a backlog of bodies stacking up, following the Cholera outbreak of 1856 (as recounted in my affectionately titled blog - "the man who stopped Soho eating its own poo") as well as smallpox, measles, typhoid and the numerous plague epidemics (in 1343, 1593, 1665-6, 1673 and 1692, to name but a few) which decimated the population by as much as a sixth, London needed somewhere to bury its dead. Surely they could simply have built another Central London cemetery? Unfortunately not. In 1851, the Burials Acts (an Act to Amend the Laws Concerning the Burial of the Dead in the Metropolis) was passed. Previously to accommodate the growing city, new burial plots were created by excavating old graves and scattering the decomposing remains to free up space, the effect of which exacerbated the cholera, plague and typhoid outbreaks. Therefore, under the Burials Act, new graves were prohibited in any built up areas of London. Upon completion of the stylish, spacious but "not exactly local" Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey, Sir Richard Broun and Richard Sprye strived to find a way to make this new site accessible, popular and profitable, whilst also treating the recently deceased with a sense of style, class and occasion but - more importantly- keeping the corpses at a safe distance given the city's current queasiness over the many communicable diseases associated with death. Keen to make the most of the latest innovation in modern engineering - steam trains - The London Necropolis Railway was established, its aim to build a train station, train track and terminus dedicated solely for the transporting of the dearly departed (complete with coffin, flowers and grieving relatives). Two temporary stations were opened at Brookwood; the 'South Station' for Anglican burials and (in a truly "Christian" move) the 'North Station' for all "other religions", with London's main 'Necropolis Station' opening in 13 November 1854, sited in Waterloo. Unfortunately these stations no longer exist, although both the South & North stations were cheerfully used up until the 1940's as refreshment kiosks. in the late 19th century, to cope with demand and following the rapid expansion of Waterloo Station, The Necropolis was resited in an especially designed building on Westminster Bridge Road, complete with waiting rooms, a chapel for funeral services, lifts to raises the coffins up to the platform, and (in the railway arches) a mortuary to store the bodies. Although its popularity waned in the early 20th century (as London and it's populous expanded further beyond the city limits, with new towns springing up and transport to and from the city became quicker, cheaper and easier) an yet during its operation 'The Necropolis Railway' transported over 200,000 Londoner's to their last resting places. But it wasn't until 16th April 1941, when a bombing raid by the German Luftwaffe decimated the Waterloo terminus, that 'The Necropolis Railway' ceased. The last recorded funeral to be carried on 'The Necropolis Railway' was of the Chelsea Pensioner Edward Irish on 11th April 1941, and on the 11th May 1941, the London Necropolis Railway was closed. Although the vast majority of the Necropolis (below/right, as architecturally splendid as it was) is now dead and buried, the only parts of 'The Necropolis' which still exists are the railway arches and its side entrance (seen below/left), situated at 188 Westminster Bridge Road. Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
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What are the last words, at the very moment of the execution, of some of the world's most notorious serial killers and murderers? And why is what they've said, so important? Well, most of us will never be given the opportunity to plan, write and rehearse our final words, at best we'll be able to mutter "ouch", "f**k" or "what bus?", so reading the final words of a person whose final moment is fast approaching, gives you a startling insight into their lives, loves, fears and regrets. I've chosen fifty for your absorbing; some are silly, some are sad, some are alluringly profound, but all are the actual final words of a murderer or serial killer.
If you'd like to read up further articles such as unusual last meal requests on Death Row, the most likely day job for a serial killer, most likely name for a mass murderer, or even what is a serial killer's favourite drink, as well as a wealth of others? Click on the links marked in red.
Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
Serial killers (by county of birth):
#1: LONDON (7) Seven of the fifty-four serial killers were born in London, they are Levi “Bus Stop Stalker” Belfield (born in Isleworth), Peter Bryan (East London), Kenneth “Stockwell Strangler” Erskine (Hammersmith), Robert “Green Chain Rapist” Napper (Erith), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Bethnal Green), Margaret “Baby Farmer” Waters (Brixton), and Graham “The Teacup Poisoner” Young (who born in Neasden). #2 - YORKSHIRE (6) Six of the fifty-four serial killers were born in Yorkshire, including John Reginald Christie (Northowram), Stephen “The Crossbow Cannibal” Griffiths (Dewsbury), Trevor “The Beast of Manchester” Hardy (Rotherham), Gordon Frederick "The Blackout Ripper" Cummins (York), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Bradford) and Peter “Yorkshire Ripper” Sutcliffe (Bingley). #3 - LANARKSHIRE (4) Four of the fifty-four were born in Lanarkshire, including Ian “Moors Murderer” Brady (Glasgow), Thomas “The Lambeth Poisoner” Neil Cream (Glasgow), Colin Norris (Glasgow), and Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Glasgow). #4 - LANCASHIRE (3) Three of the fifty-four were from Lancashire, including Myra “Moors Murderer” Hindley (Crumpsall), Mary Ann Britland (Bolton) and Dale Cregan (Tameside). #5 - LINCOLNSHIRE (2) And two of the fifty-four were from Lincolnshire, including Beverley “Angel of Death” Allitt in Grantham and John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh in Stamford. Others include; County Durham (2), Mary Ann Cotton in Low Moorsley and Steven “The Sunderland Strangler” Grieveson. Staffordshire (2); Anthony “Camden Ripper” Hardy in Burton-upon-Trent and Raymond “A34 Killer” Morris in Walsall. Kent (2(; Colin “The Gay Slayer” Ireland and Patrick Mackay both in Dartford. Leicestershire, (1); Frederick Bailey Deeming in Ashby-de-la-zouch. Cambridgeshire; Joanna “The Ditch Murderer” Dennehy in Peterborough. Gloucestershire; Amelia Dyer in Pyle Marsh. Shropshire; Robin Ligus in Shrewsbury). Merseyside; Robert “Hannibal the Cannibal” Maudeley in Toxdeth. Aberdeenshire; Dennis Nilsen in Fraserburgh, Nottinghamshire; Harold “Dr Death” Shipman in Bestwood, Hampshire; John Straffen at Borden Camp. Herefordshire; Fred West in Much Markle. Devon; Rosemary West in Northam. Norfolk; Steve “The Suffolk Strangler” Strangler in Erpingham. Sterlingshire; Robert Black at Grangemouth. Renfrewshire; Peter Tobin in Johnston, and Pembrokeshire; John “The Wildman” Cooper in Milford Haven. Hmm, the rule of thumb seems to be to avoid any counties beginning with "L". Serial killers (by county they killed in): #1 - LONDON (17) Levi “Bus Stop Stalker” Belfield (West Drayton), Peter Bryan (East London), John Reginald Christie (Notting Hill), Thomas “The Lambeth Poisoner” Neil Cream (Lambeth), John Duffy & David Mulcahy – “The Railway Killers”, Amelia Dyer (Willsden), Kenneth “Stockwell Strangler” Erskine (Wandsworth), John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh (Kensington), Anthony “Camden Ripper” Hardy (Camden), Colin “The Gay Slayer” Ireland (Soho, Earls Court), Michael “Wolf Man” Lupo (West London), Robert “Hannibal the Cannibal” Maudeley (Hamsptead), Robert “Green Chain Rapist” Napper (Wimbledom & Plumstead), Dennis Nilsen (Muswell Hill & Willsden), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Highgate), Margaret “Baby Farmer” Waters (Brixton) and Gordon Frederick "The Blackout Ripper" Cummins (Soho/Paddington). #2 - LANCASHIRE (9) Stephen “cul-de-sac killer” Akinmurele (Manchester), Ian “Moors Murderer” Brady (Gorton), Myra “Moors Murderer” Hindley (Gorton), Mary Ann Britland (Ashton-under-lyme), Robert George Clements (Preston), Dale Cregan (Clayton), Trevor “The Beast of Manchester” Hardy (Manchester), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Baxenden), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Blackpool). #3 - YORKSHIRE (6) Stephen “The Crossbow Cannibal” Griffiths (Bradford), Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Harrogate), Colin Norris (Leeds), Harold “Dr Death” Shipman (Todmorden), Peter “Yorkshire Ripper” Sutcliffe (Leeds & Bradford) and Robert Black (Hillsborough). #4 - MERSEYSIDE (4) Robert George Clements (Southport), Frederick Bailey Deeming (Rainhill), Catherine “The Black Widow” Flannigan (Liverpool) and Margaret “The Black Widow” Higgins (Liverpool). #5 - EDINBURGH CITY (4) Robert Black (Leith), William “Body Snatcher” Burke (Edinburgh), William “Body Snatcher” Hare (Edinburgh) and Angus “World’s End Murderer” Sinclair (Edinburgh). Others include: Lanarkshire (3); Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Glasgow), Peter Manuel (East Kilbride, Burnside, Mouth Vernon and Uddingston) and Peter Tobin (Glasgow). Herfordshire (3); John Duffy & David Mulcahy “The Railway Killers” and Graham “The Teacup Poisoner” Young (Bovington). Gloucestershire (3); Amelia Dyer (Cheltenham), Fred West (Gloucester) and Rosemary West (Gloucester). Kent (3); Patrick Mackay (Gravesend), George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Gravesend) and Peter Tobin (Margate). County Durham (2); Mary Ann Cotton (Sunderland) and Steven “The Sunderland Strangler” Grieveson. Sussex (2); George Chapman and John “Acid Bath Murderer” Haigh (Crawley). Shropshire (2); Robin Ligus and Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Highley). Cambridgeshire; Joanna “The Ditch Murderer” (Peterborough). Lincolnshire; Beverley “Angel of Death” Allitt (Grantham). Berkshire; Amelia Dyer (Reading). Birmingham; Donald “Black Panther” Neilson (Langley Green). Staffordshire; Raymond “A34 Killer” Morris (Cannock). Cheshire; Harold “Dr Death” Shipman (Hyde). Dorset; George “Brides in the Bath” Joseph Smith (Weymouth). Somerset; John Straffen (Bath). Norfolk; Steve “The Suffolk Strangler” Wright (Ipswich). Northumberland; Robert Black (Cornhill-on-Tweed). Dumfriesshire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Middiebie). Invernesshire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Tomich). Pershire; Archibald “Monster Butler” Hall (Braco) and Hampshire; Peter Tobin (Havant & Reigate). If you'd love to know more about London's most notorious serial killers and murderers, come on a Murder Mile Walks, by simply clicking "Buy Tickets" on the tab above. Michael J Buchanan-Dunne is a writer, crime historian and tour-guide who runs Murder Mile Walks, a guided tour of Soho’s most notorious murder cases, hailed as “one of the top ten quirky & unusual things to do in London” and featuring 18 murderers, 3 serial killers, across 21 locations, totalling 75 deaths, over just a one mile walk.
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AuthorMichael J Buchanan-Dunne is a crime writer, podcaster of Murder Mile UK True Crime and creator of true-crime TV series. Archives
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