The First Gun Crime in London

The First Gun Crime in London

Why was London merchant Robert Pakington shot dead crossing Cheapside as he walked to church on the morning of Sunday 13 November 1536? And who pulled the trigger in London's first gun crime?

Early in the morning of Sunday 13 November 1536, a London merchant named Robert Pakington was shot dead crossing Cheapside as he walked to church. It was the first gun crime in London's history. But who pulled the trigger? In a time of religious turmoil, was Pakington's murder perhaps provoked by his outspoken criticism of the clergy?


In this edition of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb speaks to historian and writer Derek Wilson, whose novel  The First Horseman launched a series exploring true, unsolved Tudor crimes.


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