Acid Attacks in Britain, 1760–1975 (World Histories of Crime, Culture and Violence)

This Palgrave Pivot examines the history of the largely urban offence once known as vitriol throwing because the substance most commonly used was strong sulphuric acid, oil of vitriol. A relatively rare form of assault, it was motivated largely by revenge or jealousy and, because it was specifically designed to blind and mutilate, commonly targeted the victim’s face. The incidence of what was thus widely acknowledged to be an exceptionally cruel crime plateaued in the period 1850–1930 amid a sometimes surprisingly lenient legal response, before declining as a result of post-war social changes. In examining the factors that influenced both the crime and its punishment, the book makes an important contribution to criminal justice history by illuminating the role of gender, law and emotion from the perspective of both victim and perpetrator. Acknowledgements Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables Chapter 1: Introduction Acid Throwing in History and Historiography Laws Against Acid Throwing Aims, Methods and Sources Structure and Argument Chapter 2: Facts and Figures Incidence and Location Corrosive Fluids: Effects and Impact Acid Throwers and Their Victims Chapter 3: Motives and Contexts The Origins of Acid Throwing Motives for Acid Throwing Anger, Shame and Despair Case Study: Frederick John Byott, 1971 Continuity and Change in Motives for Acid Throwing Chapter 4: Law and Justice Trial Outcomes and Sentencing Case Study: Ellen Bevan, 1885 Provocation as a Mitigatory Defence Medicalised Responses to Acid Throwers Chapter 5: Conclusion Bibliography Primary Sources Manuscript Sources National Records of Scotland The National Archives, Kew The Signet Library, Edinburgh Online Printed Primary Sources Printed Works Newspapers, Journals and Periodicals Secondary Sources Online Publications Websites Index