Cock Road was, in the 18th Century, a tiny little hamlet on the outskirts of Bristol. However, the exploits of the inhabitants brought it to the attention of the authorities of Bristol, Gloucestershire and Somerset. It was claimed that a notorious criminal gang came from Cock Road, who were engaged in horse stealing, burglary, highway robbery and possibly the first ever ram raid. They even had a structured protection racket where farmers paid according to the size of their estate.
Multiple generations of the same families were hung, transported and imprisoned. It took the full force of the authorities and the undermining of their way of life to stop the gang.
Authored by Steve Mills, published by the Bristol Radical History Group, 2013.
Product Code: 9781911522294