The Malthouse Murder | Wolverton’s Burning Secret (1867)
News of the Times | Episode 564 |1867
Welcome to News of the Times — where true crime meets smoke, suspicion, and a suspiciously well-stacked pile of coal.

In the early dawn of 1867, the villagers of Wolverton awoke to smoke curling from the local malthouse — but the scent wasn’t malted barley.

Beneath the flames, they uncovered a charred horror: the half-burned body of Martha Britten, her wedding ring glinting defiantly through the soot. Her husband, George, stood nearby, insisting it wasn’t her. Even as the evidence said otherwise.

This is a tale of domestic darkness, blunt instruments, and a man who blamed the Devil — quite literally — for everything. From jealous rage to clumsy cover-up, The Malthouse Murder unfolds like a Victorian penny dreadful with a particularly grim punchline.

👤 Narrated by Robin Coles 

📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday 

📚 Related cases from the archive: 
1867: Bridget Durgan: The Maid, The Murder, and the Smile That Haunted 1867 |  EP515
https://youtu.be/-Y557qWfRzQ
1868: The Body in the Cupboard: A Mystery That Baffled Victorian London |  EP528
https://youtu.be/9SGIxyna1q8
1866: The Murder That Stunned Victorian London — The Shocking Case of Mrs. Millson (1866) |  EP537
https://youtu.be/jYBX_tfxyoc
1869: Arsenic, Bonnets and Betrayal: The 1869 Dudley Poisoning of Joseph Oliver |  EP559
https://youtu.be/Igt7pytWWxU

❤️ Support Independent History  
If you enjoy our ad-free, archive-based storytelling, help us keep the lantern lit:  

👉 **Patreon** – Full archive, early access, bonus compilations (and it keeps us independent):  
https://www.patreon.com/NewsOfTheTimesHistoricalCrime  

☕ Prefer a one-off thank-you? We LOVE a posh coffee indulgence! We tip our top hats:  
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd

🕯 About the Channel  
We’re an independent team of historical researchers and narrators specialising in 18th to early 20th century British true crime. Each episode is based entirely on archival material — from coroners’ inquests to forgotten newspaper columns.  

If you like your true crime thoughtful, atmospheric, and rooted in real records — welcome to the vault.  

🎩 — RC & Tea

 Hear about our ad-free archive on Patreon – 650+ episodes and counting! 🎩 https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

 Fancy a chuckle between corpses? Discover our first lovingly illustrated volume of wildly unreliable memoirs. 

Grab it here: https://ko-fi.com/s/b406f6f11e

 Support us on Patreon for ad-free early access and exclusive bonus episodes. 

https://www.patreon.com/c/NewsoftheTimesHistoricalCrime

Support the show

Thanks for listening! You can also connect with us on
Our YouTube Channel: | https://www.youtube.com/@newsofthetimes
Our Facebook Page: | https://www.facebook.com/News-of-the-Times-101108282697405
Have a question or comment? Get in touch with us at [email protected]
If you would like to donate, we love coffee! Warmly appreciated :-) | https://www.buymeacoffee.com/newsofthetd