Highway Robbery

• Highway robbery, threatening or attacking travellers to hand over valuable possessions, saw a dramatic rise in the 18th century due to factors like the lack of bank cards, a small banking system, and the growth of trade
• Urbanisation in the 18th century led to a small rural population, making country roads increasingly isolated and reducing the chances of highway robbers getting caught
• Turnpike trusts in the 18th century improved road surfaces by charging travelers tolls, leading to more travel opportunities and an increase in highway robbery targets
• Highway robbers operating on foot were known as 'footpads', while those on horseback were called 'highwaymen'; some became infamous, like 'Black Harry' in Derbyshire who robbed pack-mule trains
• In response to the severity of highway robbery, the government in 1772 introduced the death penalty for anyone found armed and in disguise on the high road
• In the 19th century, mounted horse patrols on major roads increased the chances of catching highway robbers, leading to a decline in the crime by 1815
• By the early 19th century, the growth of the banking system reduced the need for people to carry large sums of cash, further contributing to the decline of highway robbery
• The last reported case of highway robbery was in 1831, marking the decline and eventual end of this crime