The Killing in Castle Lane

By Julia Virdee

A Brutal Night in Victorian Bedford: The Story of Frederic Budd.

On a warm Sunday night in May 1863, 39-year-old solicitor Frederic Budd was walking home through the familiar streets of Bedford with his wife, Frances following a. pleasant day with friends. As they walked arm in arm along Castle Lane, a chance encounter with a group of men violently shattered their peaceful lives. Left bloodied and dazed, Frederic managed to reach his home on Kimbolton Road, by dawn the next morning, he was dead.

Two men stood trial for his murder. But how reliable were the witnesses that night? Could the words of the dead man be taken as fact? Was the evidence strong enough to send two individuals to a hangman's noose?

Based on meticulous research into court records, newspaper archives, and original testimonies, this book delves into the lives of the victim and those caught up in the dramatic events of the summer of 1863 in Bedford. Did the right men stand trial and did the jury deliver the right verdict?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1066644705
• ISBN13: 9781066644704
• Release Date: May 2026
• Publisher: Squidgehog Publishing Ltd
• Length: 146 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.3" x 6.0"