Forty Elephants

Metropolitan Borough of Bermondsey

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.

Key members

• 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.

• Maggie Hill -- also known as "Baby Face" Maggie, who served as Diamond’s deputy and was infamous for her violent tactics, including blinding a police officer with a hatpin.

• Shirley Pitts -- who became the acknowledged queen in the 1960s and led a smaller-scale operation during the gang’s final years.

The gang operated with a strict "Hoister’s Code", emphasizing loyalty, sobriety during jobs, and equal profit-sharing. Members used elaborate disguises, custom clothing with hidden pockets, and even crossdressing to steal from high-end department stores. They also worked as housemaids under false pretenses to rob wealthy homes.

The gang’s notoriety peaked in the 1920s but declined due to increased store security, changing fashion, and the violent Lambeth Riot of 1925, which led to Alice Diamond’s 18-month prison sentence. After her release, the gang never regained its former power, and by the 1950s, it had effectively disbanded.

Sources

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

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