Forty Elephants - Revision history

Bruce: /* Sources */

2026-02-11T08:38:16Z

Sources

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	https://kaliannhollands.substack.com/p/victorian-girl-bosses-mary-carr-and		https://kaliannhollands.substack.com/p/victorian-girl-bosses-mary-carr-and

			https://www.suzannewinterly.com/blog/2025/3/7/the-forty-elephants-a-victorian-female-criminal-gang
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Bruce: /* Sources */

2026-02-11T08:29:34Z

Sources

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	= Sources =		= Sources =
	https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty_Elephants		https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty_Elephants

			https://kaliannhollands.substack.com/p/victorian-girl-bosses-mary-carr-and
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	<br>		<br>
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Bruce: /* Key members */

2026-02-11T07:53:33Z

Key members

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:53, 11 February 2026
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	= Key members =		= Key members =
			* '''[[Mary Carr]]''' -- Real-life leader of the Forty Elephants, a notorious all-female criminal gang in Victorian London.
	* '''[[Lillian Rose Kendall]]''' -- known as the “Bobbed-Haired Bandit,” who took over leadership after Diamond’s imprisonment in 1925 and led the gang during its decline.		* '''[[Lillian Rose Kendall]]''' -- known as the “Bobbed-Haired Bandit,” who took over leadership after Diamond’s imprisonment in 1925 and led the gang during its decline.

Bruce: /* Leadership */

2026-01-28T08:10:55Z

Leadership

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:10, 28 January 2026
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	Both Duggan and Carr would be incarcerated in 1905. Helen Sheen, nicknamed "Fair Helen", then had a brief stint as leader of the gang in the years 1905-1906. Sheen was arrested and sentenced to two years after drugging and stealing from a man.		Both Duggan and Carr would be incarcerated in 1905. Helen Sheen, nicknamed "Fair Helen", then had a brief stint as leader of the gang in the years 1905-1906. Sheen was arrested and sentenced to two years after drugging and stealing from a man.

			Carr, having being released from her last prison sentence, afterwards moved to Manchester, where she died in 1924.

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* Leadership */

2026-01-28T08:09:54Z

Leadership

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:09, 28 January 2026
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	Carr was later romantically involved with the leader of the Elephant and Castle gang, Alf Gorman. Carr was particularly known as a jewel thief in West End hotels towards the end of her career. Carr's charismatic leadership style made her so famous during her life that she was claimed to be the model for a number of famous paintings such as "The Maid With the Yellow Hair" (1895) by Frederick Leighton and Dorothy Tennant. It has also been suggested that Carr was inspiration for ''The Worst Woman in London'', a play by Walter Melville.		Carr was later romantically involved with the leader of the Elephant and Castle gang, Alf Gorman. Carr was particularly known as a jewel thief in West End hotels towards the end of her career. Carr's charismatic leadership style made her so famous during her life that she was claimed to be the model for a number of famous paintings such as "The Maid With the Yellow Hair" (1895) by Frederick Leighton and Dorothy Tennant. It has also been suggested that Carr was inspiration for ''The Worst Woman in London'', a play by Walter Melville.

			Contemporary headlines reported that, after Carr's trial and prison sentence for child abduction, fellow Forty Thieves member Minnie Duggan succeeded her. But as Carr would be released three years later, it is entirely possibly that Duggan was just temporarily filling the leadership role until Carr was released.

			Both Duggan and Carr would be incarcerated in 1905. Helen Sheen, nicknamed "Fair Helen", then had a brief stint as leader of the gang in the years 1905-1906. Sheen was arrested and sentenced to two years after drugging and stealing from a man.

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* Leadership */

2026-01-28T08:07:36Z

Leadership

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:07, 28 January 2026
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	= Leadership =		= Leadership =
	The first identifiable leader of the gang was Mary Carr, born in Holborn in 1862. It is thought that Carr became involved with the gang some time in the 1870s, and that she steadily advanced through the hierarchy to become a prominent member of the gang and eventually earning her the leadership position and the nickname ''"Queen of the Forty Thieves"''.		The first identifiable leader of the gang was Mary Carr, born in Holborn in 1862. It is thought that Carr became involved with the gang some time in the 1870s, and that she steadily advanced through the hierarchy to become a prominent member of the gang and eventually earning her the leadership position and the nickname ''"Queen of the Forty Thieves"''.

			Carr married a fellow criminal named Thomas Crane in 1888. The gang is said to have used Carr's home at 118 Stamford Street as their headquarters. The street had such a bad reputation that it was called "one of the ugliest and sordid streets in London".

			Carr would take on aliases such as Polly Carr, Eva Jackson, Anne Leslie and Jenny Lesley.

			Carr was later romantically involved with the leader of the Elephant and Castle gang, Alf Gorman. Carr was particularly known as a jewel thief in West End hotels towards the end of her career. Carr's charismatic leadership style made her so famous during her life that she was claimed to be the model for a number of famous paintings such as "The Maid With the Yellow Hair" (1895) by Frederick Leighton and Dorothy Tennant. It has also been suggested that Carr was inspiration for ''The Worst Woman in London'', a play by Walter Melville.

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* History */

2026-01-28T08:03:08Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:03, 28 January 2026
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	It's dubious whether the gang had a continuous existence under the name "The Forty Thieves", it being more likely that it existed merely as a subdivision under other gangs and under different leaders at different times and only emerging towards the end of the 19th century as a distinctive and separate organization. The name referring to an all-female gang is certainly attested in contemporary publications and documents from that period, with the earliest date being 1876.		It's dubious whether the gang had a continuous existence under the name "The Forty Thieves", it being more likely that it existed merely as a subdivision under other gangs and under different leaders at different times and only emerging towards the end of the 19th century as a distinctive and separate organization. The name referring to an all-female gang is certainly attested in contemporary publications and documents from that period, with the earliest date being 1876.

			= Leadership =
			The first identifiable leader of the gang was Mary Carr, born in Holborn in 1862. It is thought that Carr became involved with the gang some time in the 1870s, and that she steadily advanced through the hierarchy to become a prominent member of the gang and eventually earning her the leadership position and the nickname ''"Queen of the Forty Thieves"''.

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* History */

2026-01-28T08:01:36Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:01, 28 January 2026
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	There are mentions of young women and girls connected with or acting as accomplices to a male gang named "The Forty Thieves" as early as 1828. The members of this gang were between the ages ten and twenty. Both the male and female members of this gang carried tattooed marks on their hand in the form of dots made with ''"indian ink"'' by which the gang recognized each other. It is not known for certain if this was a predecessor to the later "Forty Elephants".		There are mentions of young women and girls connected with or acting as accomplices to a male gang named "The Forty Thieves" as early as 1828. The members of this gang were between the ages ten and twenty. Both the male and female members of this gang carried tattooed marks on their hand in the form of dots made with ''"indian ink"'' by which the gang recognized each other. It is not known for certain if this was a predecessor to the later "Forty Elephants".

			It's dubious whether the gang had a continuous existence under the name "The Forty Thieves", it being more likely that it existed merely as a subdivision under other gangs and under different leaders at different times and only emerging towards the end of the 19th century as a distinctive and separate organization. The name referring to an all-female gang is certainly attested in contemporary publications and documents from that period, with the earliest date being 1876.

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* History */

2026-01-28T08:00:29Z

History

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:00, 28 January 2026
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	= History =		= History =
	The Forty Thieves operated from the Elephant and Castle area of London. They were allied with the Elephant and Castle Mob led by the McDonald brothers. They raided quality stores in the West End of London and ranged all over the country. The gang was also known to masquerade as housemaids for wealthy families before ransacking their homes, often using false references. They were in existence from at least 1873 to the 1950s with some indications that they may have existed since the late 18th century.		The Forty Thieves operated from the Elephant and Castle area of London. They were allied with the Elephant and Castle Mob led by the McDonald brothers. They raided quality stores in the West End of London and ranged all over the country. The gang was also known to masquerade as housemaids for wealthy families before ransacking their homes, often using false references. They were in existence from at least 1873 to the 1950s with some indications that they may have existed since the late 18th century.

			There are mentions of young women and girls connected with or acting as accomplices to a male gang named "The Forty Thieves" as early as 1828. The members of this gang were between the ages ten and twenty. Both the male and female members of this gang carried tattooed marks on their hand in the form of dots made with ''"indian ink"'' by which the gang recognized each other. It is not known for certain if this was a predecessor to the later "Forty Elephants".

	= Key members =		= Key members =

Bruce: /* Intro */

2026-01-28T07:59:14Z

Intro

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:59, 28 January 2026
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	= Intro =		= Intro =
	The '''Forty Elephants''' or '''Forty Thieves''' were a 19th to 20th century all-female London crime syndicate who specialized in shoplifting, also called ''hoisting'' at the time. This gang was notable for its longevity and skill in avoiding police detection. The gang was led by successive "Queens," with Mary Carr being one of the earliest known leaders in the 1880s–1910s, who established the group’s structure and reputation. She was succeeded by Alice Diamond, also known as "Diamond Annie", who rose to prominence in the 1910s and led the gang through its peak in the 1920s and 1930s.		The '''Forty Elephants''' or '''Forty Thieves''' were a 19th to 20th century all-female London crime syndicate who specialized in shoplifting, also called ''hoisting'' at the time. This gang was notable for its longevity and skill in avoiding police detection. The gang was led by successive "Queens," with Mary Carr being one of the earliest known leaders in the 1880s–1910s, who established the group’s structure and reputation. She was succeeded by Alice Diamond, also known as "Diamond Annie", who rose to prominence in the 1910s and led the gang through its peak in the 1920s and 1930s.

			= History =
			The Forty Thieves operated from the Elephant and Castle area of London. They were allied with the Elephant and Castle Mob led by the McDonald brothers. They raided quality stores in the West End of London and ranged all over the country. The gang was also known to masquerade as housemaids for wealthy families before ransacking their homes, often using false references. They were in existence from at least 1873 to the 1950s with some indications that they may have existed since the late 18th century.

	= Key members =		= Key members =