Richard Turpin lived from 1705-1739. He was hanged at York and despite the fact that he died at the age of thirty four his notoriety lives on. He was actually an innkeeper's son from Hampstead Heath in Essex who turned to crime, beginning with cattle rustling and smuggling contraband, as well as the highway robbery. England was not policed at this time, so the chances of being caught were less than had there been an effective police force and so a life of crime was appealing to many who had not been born into comfortable circumstances.
He was quite active around the Midlands area of England (some pubs still claim an associations to him). However, one of his most famous expeditions from London to York on his famous horse, Black Bess is actually thought to have been done by another less famous highway robber, John Nevison, in 1676, some thirty odd years after Turpin's death.
He was quite active around the Midlands area of England (some pubs still claim an associations to him). However, one of his most famous expeditions from London to York on his famous horse, Black Bess is actually thought to have been done by another less famous highway robber, John Nevison, in 1676, some thirty odd years after Turpin's death.