Ménage à Trois in Peckham

Hull soon became too hot for Charles Peace. After some narrow escapes he moved to London and took a large and finely furnished house in Peckham, inducing both wife (known as Mrs Ward the housekeeper) and mistress to join him there. Mr Thompson was regarded by his neighbours as a respectable old man with private means, who dealt in musical instruments and sometimes invited them to pleasant musical evenings.

He bought a pony and trap, and drove out in the afternoons to select likely houses, returning after dark with his violin case full of housebreaking tools. The trap was parked nearby to be filled with loot and raced home after

the night's work. Peace lived comfortably here even though his mistress drank and his wife was jealous.

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