Royal Doulton Dick Turpin Highwayman w Horse Toby Character Jug D6528 7.5"

Description

Vintage Royal Doulton 6528 porcelain character jug pitcher of Dick Turpin showing the famous English highwayman with a green tricorn hat, black eye mask, and a black horse-shaped handle representing his equestrian friend Black Bess. Circa 1959.


The Real History of Dick Turpin:
While popular folklore transformed him into a romantic, dashing rogue, historical records reveal a more brutal reality.

• Early Life: Born in 1705 in Essex, England, Turpin originally started working as a butcher.
• Life of Crime: He quickly turned to a life of illegal activity, starting with cattle poaching and smuggling. He later joined the infamous "Gregory Gang" (also known as the Essex Gang), which terrorized households by breaking into isolated homes and torturing the occupants until they revealed where their valuables were hidden.
• The Highwayman: After the gang was dismantled by authorities, Turpin took to highway robbery, holding up travelers at gunpoint on the roads around London.
• Capture and Execution: Using the alias John Palmer, he moved north but was eventually arrested for horse theft and shooting a landlord's cockerel. His true identity was discovered when his former schoolmaster recognized his handwriting on a letter. Turpin was convicted and hanged for horse theft in York on April 7, 1739.

The Legend vs. Reality
The romantic image of Dick Turpin—including his famous overnight ride from London to York on his loyal black mare, Black Bess—was largely invented nearly a century after his death. This myth was popularized by Harrison Ainsworth’s 1834 gothic novel Rookwood, cementing him in British culture as a charming "King of the Road".

Condition

Very good

Dimensions

7.5"w x 6"d x 7.5"h