On the 8th September 1887, William Hunter, Mary Steele, and Mary's three year old daughter, Isabella, set out from Wigton to walk around 13 miles to Carlisle. They had been tramping round the county all summer. Poor Isabella would not make it to the city alive.

Find out what happened that day as we tek a deeks at "The Raffles Murder - The Death Of Isabella Steele".

This episode contains descriptions of violence to children and suicide.

Help Support the Page:
Follow Carlisle Times & Crimes on Facebook

You can buy me a wee drink at ko-fi.com/carlisletimescrimes

Support the show

As Scots around the world prepare to celebrate Burns Night, I take you back to 31st May 1787, when Rabbie Burns entered Carlisle, and spent the night at the Malt Shovel pub in Rickergate. I'll tell you what he got up to, and the wisecracking poetic words that Burns spoke in the city, forever being etched into Carlisle lore.

Also in this episode, I bring you the creation of what I believe to be the first Carlisle Burns Club in 1818, how Carlisle celebrated the centenaries of the birth and death of Burns, and the events of the Burns Federation's Annual Meeting that took place in Carlisle in September 1912.

Finally, I recite "Ode to Burns" by J. Steel, Carlisle, January 1819.

Apologies for my attempts at late 18th Century Scots dialect!

Follow Carlisle Times & Crimes on Facebook for regular stories of Carlisle's past.

You can also donate or buy me a wee dram at ko-fi.com/carlisletimescrimes

Support the show

It's Christmas, and, like Jacob Marley, I bring you three ghosts of Christmas past.

The clock strikes One: The first Ghost takes us back to 1843, where we will see how the wealthy and poor celebrate Christmas as Charles Dickens' festive classic was released.

The clock strikes Two: The second Ghost of Christmas past shows us Charles Dickens in Carlisle in 1861, as he performed his works on stage.

The clock strikes Three: Finally, the third Ghost of Christmas Past arrives to send a chill down your spine as we witness the spirit of The White Woman of Paternoster Row.

Merry Christmas and a Blessed Midwinter.

If you'd like to buy me a wee Christmas drink, you can do so at ko-fi.com/carlisletimescrimes. Any donations are greatly appreciated.

You can also follow, and subscribe to me on Facebook. Search for Carlisle Times & Crimes