Rare Book & Manuscript Library

Descriptive Information

Title

Lines on the sorrowful end of Mary and Caroline Back

Description

This ballad tells the story of the murders of sisters Mary and Caroline Back by Caroline's lover, Didea Readanies a Spanish Legionnaire, who believed that Caroline was pregnant and that she intended to break up with him. The ballad emphasizes "not only murder but seduction, it was this villain's base intent" and encourages young women to be wary of foreign soldiers.

Call Number (click link to view in library catalog)

IUQ04151

See Also

Full Text Available at HathiTrust

Authors

Near relative.

Full Title

Lines on the sorrowful end of Mary and Caroline Back [i.e. Beck] : who met with their death on Sunday, August the third, through the jealousy of the lover of the sister Caroline, at Dover : the perpetrater of this fearful deed is Didea Readanies [i.e. Dedea Redanies], in the service of the Spanish Legion, and the cause of his commiting [sic] the murders was, firstly, that he believed a false report that was current, which was, that Caroline was pregnant, secondly, because Caroline returned his portrait, and they were going to part; thus, for these trifling things have two young and beautiful women been a sacrifice to his fearful disposition / in memory of which these verses have been written by a near relative.

Date

1856

From the Exhibit

Crymes and Rhymes: More Bloody Versicles

Publisher

E Hodges (printer)

Location

London

Language

English

Rights

This item is the physical property of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, may reside with the materials' creator(s) or their heirs.
The Rare Book & Manuscript Library's reproduction and publication policies are available here: https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections/reproduction-services/. The library welcomes requests for reproductions made from works in our collections, though restrictions may apply to certain materials. Please contact the library with any questions at askacurator@illinois.edu.

Type

Text

Medium

Ephemera

Bibliographic Citation

Near relative. Lines on the Sorrowful End of Mary and Caroline Beck. London: E. Hodges, printer, Wholesale Toy and Marble Warehouse, Grafton Street, Soho, 1856.