Charles Peace- Sheffield born murderer

[PopT 10]

Thanks 'Playman' for putting the record straight. I will have to check the address of my old Mums place.

 

I thought it was Orchard Lane but I may be wrong and secondly it may have been Charlie's address although I do know that the silent film was filmed there.

[Damon 10]

Incidentally, there used to be a story in Buster comic in the late sixties about a 'lovable Victorian rogue' called, you guessed it, Charlie Peace. Unfortunately I can't find any images of it on the web and I'm not sure if I still have any copies of the comic featuring this character.

 

I've long wondered why they chose that name for a character in a kids' comic.

[ANTHONY 10]

Re Charlie Peace. I think it was on Psalter Lane on the right side going up the hill there were about 3 terraced houses and on a paving stone outside was a carving of, I believe, a horses head. I was told this was done by Peace looking busy whilst Ole Bill was searching the locality. I could take you there but memories of road names are a bit dodgy. It was just left of a crossroad. Psalter Lane, I think, ran off to the left and the houses were on the right. Anthony

[soggy 10]

Anthony is correct about the carving on the doorstep of the cottages on Psalter lane ,These cottages where called (The Saltbox Cottages) opposite college & just above junction with Hunter House rd. up to the 1960's as i remember they where owned by a Miss Brown,

there is a picture in the libraries Sheffield collection listed under cottages

I do have a photo of these cottages and it is signed by Miss Brown who lived there, after her death the council in all there wisdom decided to pull these down,but i can remember the step with the horses head carving on it ,as my memory serves me it was the middle cottage where it was carved,

The cottages also had an orchard at the back and those where the sourest apples one could ever find i remember being chased By miss Brown many times with my mates who went scromping these apples,

As i was told these cottages where a toll house for the Salt being brought in to Sheffield hence the name olde english Psalt box cottages, in my posession i have a bowl that came from Charles Peace's house in Sheffield apparently my Great Grandmother was a friend of his family. But sadly have no more information about his.

 

 

RGDS S.F.

[lazarus 68]

The house that the Dysons lived in is still there but its now a shop. Its situated just down from the Banner Cross Hotel. The passage way where Mr Dyson was shot is still there also.The Dysons house is the next to last in the terrace past the passage way.

There was a bullet mark on the lintel accross the passage way where Peaces first shot hit but as to it still being there I dont know.A full account of his crime is in the book "The Sheffield Murders" by David Bentley and it is well worth buying.

[Plain Talker 11]

Originally posted by soggy

As i was told these cottages where a toll house for the Salt being brought in to Sheffield hence the name olde english Psalt box cottages, in my posession i have a bowl that came from Charles Peace's house in Sheffield apparently my Great Grandmother was a friend of his family. But sadly have no more information about his.

 

 

RGDS S.F.

 

Soggy, you are correct about Psalter Lane being named for the salt...

 

Apparently, that was the route into Sheffield from Cheshire where salt was mined.

 

There was, as I understand it, some confusion, hundreds of years ago about the naming of the lane...

 

The the salt connection was misinterpreted as being "PSALTER" as in the prayer book of psalms (A psalter) and the extra letter (P) was added.

 

This was never rectified, and over the course of many many years, the "PS-alter " thing just sort of "stuck".

 

PT

[Ned Ludd 10]

Ah , Charlie Peace. He used to live a few streets away from me and I always thought he was a shifty looking character even before he shot poor old Dyson.

[Timbuck 10]

Come on Ned 1879.. I know you don't look 125 years old, but you might have done a few years back.

[Ned Ludd 10]

Har, har! Nice one:D

[PopT 10]

I was told that he evaded the police may times by the use of disguise and the fact that he was double jointed.

 

He could change his appearance radically by disjointing his jaw or his arms giving him a totally different appearance.

 

I believe there are a set of pictures in existance which show his different facial looks.

 

Maybe someone can confirm this?

 

Pop T

[Ned Ludd 10]

Yep Pop, I heard that about his ability to dislocate his joints too.

Is that how he managed to get out of the train window?

[Bushbaby 11]

"The Stirrings in Sheffield on a Saturday Night" brings back great memories for me. It was the last play (in fact the only play) I saw at the Playhouse, and it was the first play I saw at The Crucible.

My favourite bit was when the drunk guy was wandering around Hereford St ( in his stupor it became Elephant street) talking to himself. It was a lovely view of Sheffield's history, even if the rose tinted specs were extra rosy.

I often scan the final to see if any AmDram productions of it are taking place, but don't recall seeing any for years.

Are there any more Plays about Sheffield?