Wallis Peel

“Stand and Deliver” features summaries of numerous robbers in English and Scottish history.

Wallis Peel explains that more in-depth info on most of the featured individuals are available elsewhere, adding that she didn’t want to partake in thorough research as she was as octogenarian, which is understandable.

Some of the robbers are little known, so their entries are brief.

The longer ones are in the most part interesting if not fascinating.

Any fiction authors suffering with writer’s block would do well to read this, as you might be inspired to write several novels. I’d like to have a crack at writing about the following six if time allows it:

1. Dick Turpin
2. Richard ‘Dick Boy’ Bryant
3. Tom, Dick, and Harry Dunsden
4. Edward and Joan Bracey
5. Isaac Darkin
6. John ‘Swift Nick’ Nevison

You'll see in the above list three familiar names. Yes, the well-known phrase of referring to people of no consequence as Tom, Dick, and Harry derives from three real people. They were the Dunsden brothers, whose story is a fascinating one.

Although he’s mentioned second, Dick was the eldest and the leader of the three. They caused mayhem for many a year. Dick’s ending is gruesome. Tom and Harry ended up like nearly all highwaymen – hanged (or worse).

What’s surprising about this book is the number of highwaywomen. I knew of Katherine Fanshaw, having read a novel about her, and watched a 1940s’ film based on her life, but all the other women are new to me.

The most interesting for me was Joan Bracey who worked in a partnership with her husband Edward. Much of their robberies did not occur on the highway, though. They ran a pub. Joan, who was beautiful, would entice men upstairs, and you can guess the rest.

Certain other robbers in the book never prowled the highway at all, which makes me question their inclusion. I’m not a fan of off-topic chapters in books.

Dick Turpin has fascinated me since childhood. He’s often painted as a heroic figure or anti-hero, but as this book reveals, Turpin was in truth a vicious man who always looked after number one. He’d torture men and women alike until they told him where their valuables were, and he typically used fire to persuade them.

In the East Yorkshire village where I grew up, I heard rumours more than once that Turpin drank in one of the pubs, only once if I recall correctly. Not sure if this is true, but being a history lover as a boy, this always excited me with my fascination with Turpin.

In fact, during my primary school years, my favourite Munch Bunch book, by Roger Hargreaves, was Dick Turnip!

Turpin’s entry in “Stand and Deliver” doesn’t have any pride of place. The entries are not chorological, and Turpin is treated the same as the others. In fact, the author makes clear her dislike of him, referring to him as a coward more than once.

Overall, this is a good introduction to the life and crimes of men and women who held up stagecoaches and travellers, along with their other devious acts.

The period covered is essentially the seventeenth century up till the introduction of railways, though a few entries feature robbers from earlier times.

Some readers might find this too dry, others too brief, but I recommend it anyway. The author mentions certain other books that offer more detailed accounts of highway robbers, and I’ve made a note of several books I’d like to read in future.… (mais)

Ellison’s “Battle Royal” brings up one of my favorite topics in American history: Racism. It is not my favorite because I think racism is correct by any means, but simply because I find American’s ignorance and irresponsibility like something you can not help but find interesting and want to read more about. That is why I enjoyed Ellison’s story. It showed his position in the period. I have never read or learned about black’s sexuality in their time of inequality. Before this, it had not occurred to me that they may feel unable to enjoy a white woman’s sexuality. As seen at the party, the narrartor saw the white woman as “taboo” and did not know how to act. This symbolizes his insecurity in society in general. Another theme of the short story by Ellison is the underlining message that blacks are not understood. As the narrator quotes “Booker T. Washington” in his graduation speech, everyone in the audience is appalled. They do not have the common sense to realize that Booker T. Washington is a vital part of American history. They are too ignorant and outright dumb to understand, which is why they react the way they do. They beg him to be quiet. What sadly happens is that the narrator’s insecurity in the time period forces him to apologize for making a mistake, and continue without the points that the wanted to make.… (mais)