John Palmer, alias Richard Turpin. He was charged with stealing a black mare worth 3 pounds and a filly foal worth 20 shillings from Thomas Creasey at Welton, Yorkshire, on 1st March 1739. He pleaded not guilty, but was found guilty and hanged at York.

Dick Turpin is remembered as a highwayman, robbing travellers whilst on horseback, but he did this for only a short time. He spent most of his criminal career as leader of the 'Gregory Gang', robbing shops, houses and lonely farms in Essex. It was only in the late 1730s that he started to work as a highwayman with the notorious Matthew 'Tom' King. Then, after King was shot while trying to avoid arrest for horse stealing.

Turpin fled to Yorkshire.

 He took his mother's name of Palmer and carried on his traffic in horses.

 He was eventually arrested over a trivial matter. A local man, John Robinson, saw Turpin shoot a fowl belonging to his landlord and challenged him. Turpin threatened to kill him, so Robinson informed the authorities.

 During the investigation into the incident, Turpin's true identity and the extent of his crimes became known, and he was finished.

We may never have heard of Turpin but for a novel by Harrison Ainsworth called 'Rookwood'. Published in 1834, this book described Turpin's famous ride from London to York on a mare called Black Bess. The book was a best seller and turned Turpin into a legend. However, Turpin never made any such ride.

The real rider was a 17th century highwayman called John Nevison, who made the ride to give himself an alibi for a robbery.