Sharp Tom – a nightmare for Londoners in 1681 (6 photos)

The strangest people have appeared and disappeared from time to time on the streets of London. From commoners like Theodore Hook, who brought the city to a standstill over a bet in 1810, to the London Monster of 1790, who roamed the streets with blades strapped to his knees.





Literally every corner of the British capital was saturated with elements of the supernatural. But long before these unceremonious destroyers, Londoners were haunted by a monster bordering on the mystical. His name was Whipping Tom.



London and its environs, where Tom operated

In a series of predators roaming the city, Whipping Tom was, perhaps, one of the most terrible. After all, what could be more terrible than a faceless creature jumping out of a shady alley to... spank you? That's exactly what happened.

In 1681, it became known that a man was wandering in the dark alleys of Fetter Lane, Chancery Lane, Strand, Fleet Street and Holborn after dusk. His prey was lonely women. Each time one of them passed, he would spring from his hiding place, lift her skirt and slap her viciously across the buttocks. With his palms or a rod, there was no telling what weapon he would use that day. But before the victim could react or turn to see his assailant, he would disappear into the gathering darkness.





No one could identify the man, not even the London police, whose effectiveness was soon called into question when the newspapers covered the deeds and the criminal and gave him the nickname "Whipping Tom". Soon, the name and his scream became the only identifying marks of the Buttock Spanker. Terror gripped the streets, and women began carrying penknives and other weapons to protect themselves.



London's Fleet Street

Ordinary citizens also tried to catch him, dressing up as women and hiding in areas where he was known to operate. But for the time being, the criminal's stealth remained unrivaled. Many began to wonder whether the Spanker was actually human or a supernatural being who disappeared before mortals could catch him.



Eventually, the efforts paid off - two men were caught for these strange crimes. But the trial record was lost due to the lapse of time. Accordingly, the public is still tormented by doubts about the existence and conviction of the real Tom.



These episodes left a deep mark on the minds and souls of people, and in 1681 Edward Brooks published a pamphlet that detailed the antics of the spanker and the experiences of the women who became his victims. This pamphlet became one of the first printed references to the strange criminal, whose identity remained a mystery.