The Wardrobe Murder: The Grim Discovery in 1889 Bury
News of the Times | Episode 592| 1889
A missing businessman. A manager with too many stories. A wardrobe that no one was meant to open.
In 1889 Bury, Lancashire, a routine visit to a bustling Bolton Street furniture shop ended in one of the most shocking Victorian murder discoveries ever recorded. Behind drawn blinds, shifted furniture, and a locked cupboard with a missing key, police found a scene that stunned even seasoned detectives.
This is the true story of George Gordon, a respected young businessman who vanished after a mid-week meeting — and the extraordinary investigation that exposed deception, forged letters, a fake customer, suspicious errands, and a chilling attempt to conceal a body in plain sight.
From disturbed flagstones in a cellar to charred ledgers in a hearth, every clue pointed toward one man: shop manager William Dukes.
Tonight, we unspool the lies, the forensic twists, and the Victorian policework that led to the discovery that would dominate northern newspapers and remain one of the most disturbing cases in Bury’s history.
🕯 PLUS: Today’s Further Particulars
A New Jersey gaol, a hands-on ghost, and a haunting with far more initiative than anyone wanted…
If you enjoy atmospheric Victorian true crime blended with real archival reporting, this is one to settle in for.
Warm drink ready, lights a little low — and perhaps… keep wardrobes firmly shut.
👤 Narrated by Robin Coles
📅 New episodes: Monday, Wednesday & Friday
🎞️ Long-form historical crime compilations: Final Sunday of every month
📚 Related cases from the archive:
•1889: The Infamous Bloody Trunk Case | Ep254
https://youtu.be/esL5RNishTU
1889: The Mystery of the Hansom Cab Murder | EP368
https://youtu.be/OObOZ1J_-Mk
1889: Was This the Ripper’s Comeback? The 1889 Whitechapel Murder | EP508
https://youtu.be/5Um9DOETHHI
1889: The Goatfell Murder: A Charming Stranger, A Missing Tourist, and the Mountain with Secrets | Ep521
https://youtu.be/nA-yUf84JK4
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