The Hay Knife Killer: Double Murder That Stunned Victorian England
News of the Times | Episode 574 | 1858
Welcome to News of the Times, where we delve into the darkest corners of British history. In today’s episode, we explore the chilling 1858 double murder of John and Elizabeth Bucknell — an elderly couple slain in their Somerset home under horrific circumstances. Their grandson, recently released from prison, becomes the prime suspect. Was this a desperate act of greed… or something even darker?

🕯️ Featuring:
• A rural village gripped by fear
• Suspicious evidence and a mysterious hay knife
• A community torn between family loyalty and justice
• Contemporary newspaper accounts that shocked the nation

This brutal case captured the Victorian imagination and raised enduring questions about motive, opportunity, and the thin veil of civility. Perfect for fans of historical true crime, criminal psychology, and 19th-century justice.

And in today's further particulars case,
from murder most foul…
to moral outrage most rural. 🌾
Join us as a man is publicly shamed, not for violence — but for harvesting wheat on a Sunday. Truly, Victorian England: where death might go unnoticed, but damp trousers caused uproar.

Hosted by Robin Coles —
your guide through crime, punishment, and the scandalous world of sabbath-day cereal offences. 🍞

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🎞️ Long-form historical crime compilations: Final Sunday of every month 

📚 Related cases from the archive: 
1851: The Disturbing Case of Mary Emily Cage |  EP390
https://youtu.be/jvM8alfWztY
1851 & 1875: Cases of Double Black Widows |  EP464
https://youtu.be/k9YYxpoQ9Go
1856: The Murder of George Samuel Little - A Locked Room Mystery |  EP469
https://youtu.be/UeoyQsJtEbU

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