The violinist who burgled houses by night
mainCharlie Peace was a Raffles-like character who gained admission to fashionable houses by day and returned at night to burgle them. The violin was an indispensable part of his pretence at culture and sophistication.
But Charlie, for all his charm, was also handy with a pistol. He shot and killed the husband of one of his mistresses and later put lead into two pursuing policemen. He was hanged at Leeds in 1878.
His violin has gone on display in a Crime Uncovered exhibition at the Museum of London.
When they ask you “apart from music, don’t you have a real job?”…