Today the Highway Wapping is a busy commuter’s route from the City of London towards the Limehouse Link and the Isle of Dogs. A far cry from what was once the notorious Ratcliff Highway and the murders that ensued, and held London spellbound almost two hundred years ago.
An old Street sign (left) for Chigwell Street dates from 1678 and is the only relic that remains from the old Ratcliff Highway.

It all began one foggy night on 7th of December 1811, at number 29 Ratcliff Highway, now The Highway Wapping. Just before the stroke of midnight the maid Margaret Jewell, was sent by the housekeeper Timothy Marr to buy some oysters, unable to find any she returned to find Marr, his wife and baby and their assistant dead, with their throats cut. The horrific murders caused the government to offer 500 guineas reward for information. On December 19th 1811 just twelve days after the murders the landlord Mr. Williamson of the Kings arms pub at number 81 Gravel lane, modern day Garnet street, had arrived home with his wife, when shortly afterward disturbance began. The upstairs lodger, John Turner climbed out the window shouting "Murder, Murder." A crowd pushed in the door and found Williamson at the foot of the stairs with his throat cut, his wife and maids throats cut as well and bleeding to death. The police later arrested John Williams (no relation to the publican with the same surname) a sailor who had been a shipmate of Marr's, at the Pear tree pub in Cinnamon Street, and charged him with all the murders. He was sent to Cold Bath Fields prison, where he took his own life before he was tried. His corpse was dragged through the streets of London, and the cart paused outside 29 Ratcliff Highway. The body was taken to the junction of Cannon Street Road and Cable Street, where a stake was driven through his heart, and the body thrown into a hole. About 100 years later the body was exhumed, and the bones given to criminologists looking for forensic clues. The landlord of the Crown and Dolphin pub at the corner of Cannon Street Road kept the skull as a souvenir.

The Crown and Dolphin pub standing on the corner of Cannon Street Road and Cable Street where a stake was driven through John Williams heart and where the skull was kept.

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