My younger brothers and I grew up in an abusive home, both mentally and physically, but we never talked about killing our parents, there were many times I wished they were dead but I never thought about doing it, or having someone else kill them. I waited until I graduated high school and ran away, I was 17
I also was in the same position I'm 63 now. I still have issues mental weight with my mother who is such a narcissist and says she never even touched me and my sister but as you know. And I know that she did of course you beat the hell out head up against the dresser dragged us around the house by our hair while we were naked. I have air problems because of her hitting me so much in the head she cracked a broomstick over my back and threw me down the stairs. Or pushed me down the stairs I walk with the cane now and I am going to see a doctor this week actually because of this vile person. That is my mother. Just because someone gives birth to you does not make them motherly. I've had my children's friends friends hug me and call me mom because her mom was a drunk or whatever whoever reading this I assure you. Understand I could go on. If you have children when you stop reading this please make sure you have them just because for no other reason
He committed a horrifying crime at an age marked by big emotions and poor impulse control. Then after serving time and being allowed to mature in a stable environment, he ends up a fairly decent human being. Well I never.
He definitely suffered brain damage to his prefrontal cortex, the part responsible with complex thoughts and impulse control. If the scars were still on his temple, it would have been a serious injury, and inflicted while his skull was still soft and less able to protect his brain
I was actually very moved that he saved another child from abuse and became his father, well dobe, proof people can get better. Yeah it's possible something was wrong with him mentally or with his brain but sounds like it got better as he grew up.
He was already in a stable environment with his family. As for the RUclips psychological assessment of prefrontal cortex damage B.S; why didn’t he continue making horrific decisions after release from jail. Nah, to you all. This kid was engrossed with his Penny Dreadful magazines and decided to act out those fantasies to see what it was like.
@@miketemple7686 are you also the type to claim violent video games and movies make kids want to be violent? sounds to me like he snapped; if what they claimed was true that the mother was physically abusive, maybe that was the final straw and he decided to act. maybe he just had some sort of other mental health condition that had no real name at the time other than "not quite right". whatever it be, we may never know the true answer.
I'm familiar with this case as I've read a book 'The Wicked Boy' by Kate Summerscale on the life of Robert Coombes. The reason why Robert murdered his mother out of anger because she had beaten his young brother the previous evening in front of other local children whom Robert & his brother had been playing with. The reason why Mrs Coombes had physically abused her 2 sons is that her husband was frequently away for longer periods as he worked for a shipping firm as a liner's steward out of sheer loneliness & frustation. I firmly believe that the 2 Coombe boys may have been abused mentally & physically since early childhood as the clue lay on Robert's severe headaches which he was taken to a family doctor from the age of 3 years old. The doctor advised both parents that Robert shouldn't have his head be struck any more. Why the doctor failed to alert the authorities of the fact that he suspected Robert was an abused child is a mystery to this day.
@@TheFunkhouser " Why the doctor failed to alert the authorities of the fact that he suspected Robert was an abused child is a mystery to this day". No mystery. It was legal.
The most surprising bits of this story wasn't the murder, it was: - The Victorian justice system not wanting to hang someone, regardless of circumstance - The person being sent to a Victorian mental hospital and coming out of it (vs dying of TB or something) - The person actually seeming to have been largely rehabilitated by the process and going on to lead a normal, if in some elements admirable, life. Like... the system actually worked for once?
It might have also had to do with the war. Seeing death in another way may also have emphasised the cruelty and consequences of it, which he may not have been able to process properly when he was younger. Considering what the brothers did immediately afterwards, it seems like it was originally viewed, particularly by Robert, in the same sort of way as ‘getting the house to themselves’.
the exception that proves the rule Amazing this little sociopath didn't hurt more people and actually received super effective treatments in the conditions you state... yes..
I'm always fascinated by child killers who somehow manage to grow up to be functional members of society -- I have to wonder how, when they go so wrong so young, that they straighten out.
I think he might have been telling the truth about being abused by his mother. Generally children that age who murder their parents do so for one of two reasons, either they are being abused and believe that is the only way to make it stop, or they are deeply mentally ill. The fact that he was a functional adult points to the former rather than the later
I think in those cases perhaps it's because what is wrong with them that allowed them to do what they did as a child is the result of a trauma, not an innate personality trait like sociopathy? They can be helped to develop and overcome the trauma. I'm thinking of Mary Bell and her desperate childhood with an abusive prostitute mother who pimped her out. The most interesting example seems to be with James Bulger's killers, Venables and Thompson. At the time Robert Thompson, from a desperately dysfunctional home with an alcoholic mother was thought to be the leader, while Jon Venables, from a home where his parents cared about him, charmed the police officers into feeling sorry for him. Yet all these years later Thompson has managed to stay out of trouble and has become - so far as we know- a functional member of society, whereas Venables has been back in prison for child pornography and other offences. It is hard not to draw the conclusion that -however you might feel about them for their crime as children, and this is absolutely NO excuse for what they did- Thompson back then was damaged by his environment, which allowed his actions that day and removed from that environment he was able to develop and change, whereas Venables has something innately just WRONG with his personality, that all the 'rehabilitation' in the world cannot change.
@@platedlizard Well there are people out there accusing their parents of abuse and found out in court after they murdered them were good parenrts. I dont buy his story. It sounds he was a rotten little pyschopath
It's a odd story. A boy murders his mother and welcomes his own death and somehow leaves a place like Broadmoor in his thirties as a functioning member of society. And he was even kind of heroic serving in Gallipoli, taking in a abused child, and reenlisting to serve again in his 50s. I was expecting more tragedy but he sounded like a guy I wouldn't mind having as a neighbor. Did some Victorian doctor do something right or did he just out grow his issues?
he got rid of the problem , i dont think he was even actually troubled , abuse can make you do some wild stuff , and goes to show how he had compassion for his adopted son and others on the battlefield , he probably didn't want anyone else to go through what he and his brother did , i dont think there was any evil to this besides maybe the mother
I never heard of this story before. You wonder how Robert was able to deal with what he had done and proceeded to live out a “normal” life. It’s quite an incredible tale.
I mean if the parent is abusive a number of kids in that household survive by not considering them good parents. That thought process justifies a lot of what he did to escape such a toxic life. Heck may even count as self defense. We don’t really know what went down between them.
I assure you it's formed prior to birth. But it develops further, it's not "done cooking" until young men are in their early to mid 20s, a bit earlier in young women. That's why high school girls tend to be so much more mature than boys. @@davidmoore2308
Horrific to think he could be capable of murdering his mother, let alone at that young age. Going on to adopt a son and fighting for his country took bravery. Wow, what a mix of emotions I'm feeling 🤯
Ppl are more than one or two decisions. Those capable of great evil have often done heroic things, like Ted bundy saving a drowning kid. It does make me question the mom tho if that was robert’s one and only act of violence. A child psychopath wouldn’t just stop being violent once he’d murdered someone. An abusive home life would explain so much of his behavior
Hey just look at the James Bulger murderers!!! One hasn’t had an issue since release… The other had been in trouble including possession of child porn!!! I think we need more research!!! The thing is without taking the chance of releasing these potentially dangerous people we get no relevant data. So it’s something we need to have very balanced compassion for. Justice goes out the window in juvenile cases!! It’s all about rehabilitation or justification for life long monitoring!!! I just wonder if these people actually understand what they’ve done??? I say this cuz I think if just want to end my existence of I did something so bad!!! Unfortunately there’s cases like Edmond Kemper who murdered his grandparents in 1964 released in 1970 and resumed killing all but immediately… I think he’s probably the exception (I hope)…
The considerable head trauma suffered by Robert at a protracted, difficult birth may account in part for his crime. Traumatic brain injury often features as one of the often overlooked elements which can precede such shocking events 😢
My family life was dysfunctional, and my dad was abusive. My sister and I played this game where we'd say how we would kill him in out early-mid teens. It was rather cathartic, and allowed us to express some of the trauma. We obviously never acted on any of these plans.
it’s hard to admit stuff like this but it truly does give more insight. at the same time, people who havent gone through abuse will probably never understand how you could say all that, while at the same time never truly wishing an ounce of actual harm, but I understand you completely. Stuff like this proves just how hard it can be to not judge people who have experiences others have never once gone through
He was abused. For those people who say they would never think of killing their parents even when abused, all I can say is, anybody can snap. Even the most patient and kindest person has a breaking point and the abuser deserved what they themselves caused.
I thought about doing my mom in when I was a little kid, even had it planned out. She was severely abusive and it felt like a her or me sort of thing. I didn't go through with it obviously but I can understand how a child would want to.
True, but it isn't so much that he snapped but that his behaviour afterwards of being completely unconcerned was abnormal. We don't know what state he was in when he killed her but in the period afterwards he didn't seem to present any of the normal shock and remorse somone who snapped could be expected to feel. No matter how much he hated her she WAS still the person to whom he should have had an emotional attachment - even a complicated one - yet his actions in the period after her death suggest none.
@@julierobinson3633 If your mother never acted like a mother and was more your enemy, trust me, there is no emotional attachment. I'm not going to care at all when my "birth giver" dies. Why should I?
As soon as the narrator mentioned the two boys being so different from the parents, I had a feeling they were being heavily abused. No one is raised by a great mother and hard-working father, and all of their kids (just two this time) happened to be sullen and unlike either one. If it was just Robert, ok, but Robert Jr AND Nathaniel...
Yeah.. exactly what I was thinking.. and then trying to blame it on "penny dreadfuls" is no different than more resently, blaming Marylin Manson for school shootings. Psychopaths aren't born they're created through neglect and indifference.
There but for the grace of God go you then , ? You cannot set yourself up as judge and jury ? We are only human and the mind can be a very cruel thing !
@@WendyJones-zx7is what is that supposed to mean?! I have known 7 and 9 year olds both well capable of, and bragging about doing away with their elders. In my own family, no less. 13 years old is a laughable standard to be shocked, in my book.
The only thing that ever gets me befuddled about what people are capable of is, living in the house with a rotting human corpse. The smell is unmistakable, strong and horrible. If being able to do that doesn't prove insanity...anyway, Good morning Paul and crew, thanks for another doozy. ☕🌻 And good morning WINnies. 🤍
Especially in the heat of summer with no ventilation or AC! Mind you, the general stink of daily life was different then - the streets were full of horse crap!
My BFF was a Mountie here in Canada. She said the first time you smell a rotting corpse you will never ever forget the smell. She was asked to attend a hotel because the staff couldn't open the door. It was on the fourth floor. She said the moment she stepped in the lobby she knew the person was dead. The smell was unmistakable.
Wow what a story, I live in NSW so I found this very interesting. Terrible crime at such a young age, but sounds like he found redemption in helping others, which is admirable.
I think from his life after the hospital we can give some credence to the abuse allegation he leaves at his mother. His focus on the breakfast before hanging and being suicidal ads credence to the claims the brother may have been beaten for “stealing food”. Also he didn’t try to blame the mentally disabled adult which would be the go to for a truly evil child. It’s a good case for rehabilitative Justice even if the crime was without warrant.
That would definitely make sense, and explain why he adopted an abused child himself, likely wanting to save the kid before he turned out the same way...
Oh for goodness' sake. Don't any of you people (commenters above this) realise the reason so many teens and even younger, are out of control - now, not then - is because of a LACK of discipline; a fear of clipping your child around the ear for stealing etc., because the Dept., of Children then "gets" you. I'm not writing of beating children up; that's a LOT different to turning a child over your knee and spanking them. There's a massive difference between abuse and warranted spankings. No wonder the world has gone nuts!
I read the book about this ,, had never heard of it before then. He ended up in Australia!! My family were from Plaistow in the 1940s. Im glad you covered this largely unknown story
On Robert’s AIF Attestation papers he was asked have you ever been an apprentice. He answered yes, 5 years Crowthorne Berkshire…. the location of Broadmoor.
I know I'm playing devil's advocate here but given the scope of this story I'm genuinely curious if he was being abused by his mother. No that doesn't make it okay or even less horrific that he killed her but it might explain some things.
The book goes into more detail about how crazy the mum was - genuinely cruel and abusive. Robert's motive was to protect his little brother from her. In the book, Summerscale notes that the younger brother was manipulated into turning on Robert in court. Summerscale makes the point the boys were complicit in the murder though the deed was committed by Robert. Separated for years, they briefly reunited in Australia when they were both serving in the war.
Odd really, because from his behaviour regarding his mother's murder it is simple to diagnose him as a sociopath. But that is not something that can be cured, no matter how long he was in a mental hospital. And yet as an adult he seems to have shown no signs of that and led an exemplary life. (I know that most spciopaths are NOT murderers, but they are also people with recognisable personality traits that don't seem to fit with his helping others in later life. So his behaviour as an adolescent suggests some ongoing trauma at the time that was never uncovered?
That is incorrect. Plenty of sociopaths will absolutely help others all the bloody time. Of course they will, if they see a benefit to themselves. He knows he needs to clear up his image, so adopting an orphan, even going to war is absolutely something sociopaths would do. Self-serving doesn't mean never helping, as weird as it sounds. (In fact, the military is THE place to meet all kinds of sociopaths, striving to rise in the ranks, make a name for themselves (and sometimes kill without repercussions)).
I mean, there's plenty here we may not know. He could've easily killed others as a child, killed animals, or gone on to kill as an adult. Heck, he may have abused his adopted son. So much is lost to time in stories this old. I doubt very much he just straightened out and committed one crime.
Children can't be diagnosed as having antisocial personality disorder (sociopaths) because they are still developing their personalities. Conduct disorder possibly.
@@alimay8344 Can't be diagnosed, but probably do still have it? I wasn't diagnosed as having Aspergers until my mid 40s but I didn't suddenly develop it at that age...
Then it was Penny Dreadfuls to blame, 100 years later it was a Child’s Play VHS in the Bulger case. People are always desperate to point to an aspect of contemporary media which has perverted young minds, when it’s obvious that this sort of crime has the chance of cropping up at any point in history.
This is like 5 minutes walking from my home I never knew of this story. I’ve walked past this place countless times and you’d never know it was any sort of historical site
Imagine the pain emotionally and physically, mentally that he indeed survived and having had enough ended that life for all to live a better life. Just because they’re parents doesn’t make the life of the child’s safe. Horrible humans have children to abuse and sell for parts or houses of evil.
What a tragic story. It is a fact that a very high percentage of all criminals have suffered some type of head injury in their lives. This fact rings true of Robert and shame on his mother, shame, shame, shame! That his doctor had to tell the mother to stop hitting his head is testament to him having a head injury which manifested as headaches. How hard does one have to hit a child to incur these headaches he had. Issues with food as well when Robert remarked that as long as he had a good supper beforehand, that he cared not if he was suicided or was hanged. So beaten across the head and little food for a growing child not to mention the father away, appeared to make the perfect storm. He undoubtedly had a head injury of a type that perhaps made him cold to what he did but we would never know. Who really would even now. So many years in prison, just a horrid life. Shame on the mother again. Then to become a stretcher bearer in Gallipoli my goodness. The stretcher bearers being the bravest of all over there. I myself am from NSW in Australia and indeed there were many farmers that had come back from Gallipoli and dairied here. They were given plots of land or pioneer settlements. My great uncle had served underage in Gallipoli and received a Pioneer's Settlement. Also dairied. His dear daughter who only died a few years ago at 93 had told me that her mother said he was never the same from the war. Those soldiers were another special breed indeed. Getting back to Robert though, I think it took a special breed to be able to fight over there and to be a stretcher bearer, well just maybe his head injury left a kind of emptiness on some level in his brain where he just didn't see/feel/care of danger. We will never know. I hope he is resting in peace. I am just so saddened for him.
I'm sure that was what motivated Robert. No doubt he strongly identified with the abused boy Harry, and saw himself, and gis younger brother, in Harry. Only this time, as an adult, he could do something about the situation. He could be the parent that he'd wished he'd had, growing up.
I am so glad that you survived your throat cancer and I am going to look up your Red Dog City band. Like so many here, I also enjoy your Scottish accent and well spoken voice. ❤ from West Virginia where so many people from Scotland, Wales,Ireland, and, of course, Great Britain came over to live. My family came from all of them, too.❤
I was curious as to where he went in Australia. Nana Glen, NSW apparently. And passed away at Coffs Harbour, which for you that don't know is on the coast of New South Wales up towards the Queensland border.
Riveting! Unlike so many of these crime history channels, whose narrators have irritating, droning voices, and no verbal presentation skills, the narration here is MASTERFUL! Utterly engrossing throughout, and I love the added touch of the contemporary costume! I have just subscribed, and will watch every single episode. Thank you for an absorbing RUclips channel. Keep them coming!
Between the school bombings, ammonium nitrate explosions, or throwing yourself off Niagara Falls for clout or being murdered by your young child I'm proud to say 135 years later everything- Wait. That's not quite right...
How have i never stumbled upon your channel earlier? This is the kind of storytelling that is gruesome, but also very much suitable for school. Very nice style, sir. You've got yourself another subscriber! And thank you for making this video 😊
I love your sense of style and general manner of presenting, but even moreso the way you humanised Robert by going into detail about his life after his incarceration. Many other creators would've focused on the salacious details and mocked his apparent change of heart later in life, but you were very respectful and I appreciate that. It seems shocking to me that a Victorian asylum actually helped someone, but we don't actually know why he got better later on, so . . . Either way, great video, thank you for your hard work.
I somehow find it a little hard to believe that his story turned out as well as it ostensibly did. Psychopaths don't usually 'straighten out' and reform themselves as they become older. Assuming his mother did abuse him and his brother, I highly doubt he would have acted the way he did all throughout the trial if he only killed her to put an end to the abuse - which only confirms that he did in fact have psychopathic tendencies. I wonder if he did other terrible deeds as an adult and managed to hide them. His keenness to enlist might easily be due to a morbid fascination with violence, not to mention reckless and risky behaviour (similar to his going about town, telling all sorts of tall tales to people, while his mother was dead at home) - which is known to excite psychopaths ... I also find the adoption of a young boy rather suspicious - can't help but wonder if he had ulterior motives for that too. And teaching music to children ...
I find it unlikely he was abused as well, when people actually blamed the mom for being too lenient. Also, his brother didn't confirm any of it. Why? My guess is that he never learned impulse control, so when the boys went too far and the mom tried to rein them in, he snapped. I'm also leaning towards he either was just the worst brat and grew up or he just was never caught again and adopted the child to further establish his newly clean image. It's not that unbelievable. Plenty of disappearances and murders are never solved.
I agree with you on that he showed psychopathic tendencies (the murder, the very deliberate attempt to cover it up through practical means and lies, including through the exploitation of a disabled man, what seem to be lies as to the circumstances that led to it, the oppositional attitude towards authority figures, the callous behavior in court, the fascination with violence, the risk-seeking behavior, the lack of self-preservation instinct…). What I don’t agree with, though your suspicions may very well be warranted, is that that’s incompatible with a normal enough life in adulthood. Psychopathy is estimated to affect 1-2% of the population. That would include many people that function within society and, while some may fit the stereotype of the surgeon, military man, or cutthroat lawyer or CEO, chances are plenty are just regular people - the equivalent of some farmer/village music teacher. Sure, most of these non-criminal psychopaths will never have been convicted or even got close to committing a violent crime, but I don’t think there’s anything unbelievable in the story of a young psychopath whose childhood environment couldn’t or wouldn’t rein him in, but who learned how to be high functioning after spending most of his formative years in an asylum in which his antisocial behavior addressed. It doesn’t mean he was cured, but he could totally have learned how to manage his symptoms and/or had the incentive to after suffering the practical consequences of getting caught. Psychopathy can present as a variety of combinations of symptoms, each on a spectrum. Not all psychopaths are impossibly impulsive or sadistic, and - just like any neurotypical person - they can have varying degrees of intelligence or ability to adapt and learn from previous experiences.
This story really was quite an emotion stirring one. This young man murders his mother in cold blood, then goes on later in life to serve in the military and get honored for bravery, I do think he was trying to atone for what he did also by taking in the young boy and live a better life. I hope he was at peace with himself and truly meant the things he did that were good when he passed away. Thank you Paul for yet another good video.
The book about this case, "The Wicked Boy" by Kate Summerscale, goes into detail about the abusive behavior of their mother. She was apparently starving them for periods of time as well as beating them. Summerscale met and talked to the by then elderly adopted son, and he only had good things to say about his adoptive father. The son, Harry, also paid for a memorial headstone for Robert's grave.
@@balletshoes From a psychological perspective, it seems to me that Robert saw himself in the role pf protector to his brother Nattie. It ws Nattie getting the worst of the beatings and threats. I don't think it fits with what is known of Robert's actions that he simply made up the abuse stories. Robert had the opportunity to push the blamr onto the disabled man who helped them. But he didn't. Because he doesn't seem to be fundamentally a liar. He changed his story about what happened in order to protect Nattie from the consequences. I believe Nattie WAS involved and knew in advance.
@@balletshoes The mother wrote letters to her husband and in some of them she complained that the boys "ate too much." I mean they were at an age where lots of growth is happening. Of course kids have great appetites for food. I think it wss mentioned that the boys were disciplined - maybe it was Nattie - for "stealing food" from I think, the family pantry. You can see from the photos that Robert at least, was clearly not overweight, so this "eating too much" was not because he was gluttonous and overweight from eating more than he needed. This gives credence to tje claims that the mother regularly deprived them of food and they were often hungry and driven to do things like sneak food when their mother was asleep or something. You have to then ask, what can we infer about a mother who thinks of her children as burdens, and deliberately doesn't feed them and lets them go hungry, regularly?
Nice hearing a fellow Scot telling the tales. Sounds as though Robert grew up to be a good soul, he must have been mentally unwell as a child but evolved into a decent and contributing member of society.
What a fascinating story...young Robert seemed to have sociopathic tendencies but adult Robert seems to be completely different person. If I may guess... yes, he was bratty as a boy just like his brother, very spoiled. But there seems to be a piece of the puzzle missing. He was not a psychopath, he hated his mother this much for some reason.
I wonder about that. Many people thought to be saints publicly turn out to be monsters behind closed doors. What may those boys have endured? Robert never made any excuses outside of saying their mother beat his brother once. Was there more happening? Not all abuse is physical, after all. Or at least, it doesn’t always leave a visible mark.
His mother probably abused him and/or his brother, it was good that he saved another abused child as he got older.I wonder though if he had something wrong with his brain but as he and his brain grew the possible damage got better.
@@teijaflink2226 He may just have not been able to think of a better way to deal with the abusive mother at his young age but after maturing he had. Maybe he saved two boys from abuse his brother and later his adoptive son. Guess we'll never know for sure.
Aside from the great narration done by Paul - I just love this channel's artistic direction ! It was self evident, upon first seeing the seated indoor background narration. And chef's kiss, to this video's intro and outro shots ! 😍 It's greatly appreciated.
I'm quite amazed at how Robert apparently managed to turn his life around, especially after staying at Broadmoor for so long 😅 I hope the family all found peace in the end, may they rest easy 🙏
The author of The Wicked Boy said in an interview she feels Robert actually had a better life BECAUSE of Broadmoor because he had access to music and books, etc. His little brother lived a more predictable life for that class - difficult blue collar work for low pay like their father.
Great story and video as always! 👍You really should do audiobooks as you tell such gruesome tales with a soothing voice. Here’s to many more…Well I Never!
@@trevorjennings721 just seen your message Trevor and as I live in the UK we were over Covid nearly two years ago. That said I did catch it when everything was back to normal! Hope you didn’t catch it and if you did it didn’t last very long. We both must be Well I Never fans… love the videos and how he tells the stories. Anna
@@annaconda3083 Hey Anna, It’s really nice getting a message from you. I am so happy to know you’re safe from the virus. I am also safe from the virus too. Hope you’re having a nice and a wonderful day today??
I think I saw this case about a year ago on either Brief Case or Forgotten Lives... Absolutely horrific! This was a good commentary of a horrible story
I've been following you for years, and I enjoy your channels. This video starts in a style that suits you perfectly - I think you've found your stride with marvelous story telling. Your face is honest, handsome, and has character, you appear intelligent (I think you're clever in focusing on the narrator) - my attention was riveted when the clip started in silence, just your profile, you create suspence immediately. Seeing you on the Royal Docks bench, I was distracted by the words on it and the traffic going by above you - moving things in modern day. Your stories are written and narrated so well, I almost resent the distractions. You set a mood in your video's - mostly in black and white with old pictures and photos (mostly B & W), with only your voice and the story - I think black and white sets an other-worldly mood. I felt torn between centuries when the video went from B & W to a modern bench with cars going by in color. All of a sudden I wasn't in the safe little capsule of your story, I came back to having my attention split between your story and 2024. I love the little coccoon of history you create, it's just you telling us a lovely, terrifying tale (the whole world falls away) of mystery and intrigue...something unique and private. Seeing color (other than your outfit, and a stationary background) was like a commercial when I'm watching a good movie. I've written a manuscript 🙄. I wanted to give you feedback since I love your channel and want you to prosper - know that my intent is not to criticize. On the contrary, I've wanted to tell you for years how much I enjoy your videos. I'm an artist, and I love seeing creative folks succeed. You create an atmosphere that takes me out of this crazy time, into what feels like a small group of us - leaning forward in front of a fireplace, having to catch every word. Thank you for your creations, you've given me much wicked enjoyment for years (I'm housebound in a wheelchair, so your stories take me away). My respect to you, Sir. xx
The fact that he went from a remorseless murderer to a decent, mature man who helped people baffles me. Very unrealistic transition for me. That kid seems pretty crafty, though.
Hi 👋 I’m a new subscriber to your channel, I watch Fascinating Horror every week and your channel came up on my homepage. I love your videos, the way you narrate them, the care and attention you give to each video. Keep up the great work😊
A child of that age acting like this either has an emotional disconnection to their surroundings as a trauma response (abuse, emotional neglect, ect.) or there is a pathological problem underlying from birth (sociopoathy, psychopathy) . Good that they were not held accountable as adults cause very likely this murder was caused by something that happened to them beforehand. In times with no child protection services and an ethic, that holds parents in a high standard if they just seem to follow social rules on the outside, i am very cautious when accounts of the parenrs are like: she was orderly and had her house tidy. The more admired a fassade is in victorian England, the more suspicious i am that being a child in such a family might not be the luck it seems to be. Children behaving, taking up no emotional space , always behaving controlled and orderly is not likely a sign of a healthy, psychologicaly sound enviroment, cause that is just not how human children are by nature. I akso saw a comment stating, that some said, the mother was overwhelmed and had anxiety attacks abd using her okdest son as support. That is matter of factly child abuse, especially in that age cause a chikd cannot handle to be responsible for the wellbeing of the caretaker. Very interesting case and wonderfully narrated as always. ❤
There was some child protection, kids were frequently removed from parents, but I would think this family were better off than most of their charges and more hidden?
@@nicolad8822 It is so sad that we can never know for sure, cause they haven't had the knowledge of child psychology like we have today and the records we have just too little and with too much bias because of the horrendous murder he committed . But i think that they put him into an psychiatric facility rather er than a prison, was already an advanced move and the way he was able to become a positive member of society later shows, that he was able to change his way of reacting and controlling his behavior. This way this case i an example why treating children differently than adults is the correct way of handling
This might be the first time the Almighty Algorithm had suggested a channel I will enjoy! I guess actively looking for true crime or art history that brought me to you! What a great story, thank you! Subscribed!
Hearing about this case and how successfully rehabilitated Robert was makes wonder more about what Mary Bell and Robert Thompson have done with their lives since getting released. I doubt we’ll ever know.
It’s good to hear that he went on to turn his life around and become a good man even after committing such a heinous crime. If this isn’t proof that people can change (provided, of course, that they have access to the right resources and are willing to put in the effort), I don’t know what is.
You’re never a good man if you’ve stabbed your loving mother to death and continued on happily living a few feet from her tortured corpse. Period. Additionally, I very seriously doubt he went on to live a “wholesome “life. I’m pretty sure he did many other nefarious things but was mature enough to cover them up as an adult. Just saying.
The story of the younger brother telling him to do it actually reminds me of when I was growing up. I am autistic and my younger cousin was always coming up with these plans that we should do, which she would then send me off to do on my own and then I'd get in trouble because everyone knew I was the bad kid (we didn't know I was autistic at the time - they weren't really diagnosing girls back then.) My mom knew what was going on but my uncle, my dad and their whole family thought it was 100% me. I never would have killed my mom, but that's because she was the most stable and loving person in my life. Had she been abusive, I don't know. I certainly had no trouble turning my emotional "love" feeling off when people were too awful to me (over time.) Even the laughing when he shouldn't and not realizing the severity of the situation are things autistic people do. I'm not at all saying he was autistic, most of us wouldn't ever kill anyone and many of us have suffered abuse, but if he had some sort of mental problems from the head trauma or if he was socially awkward enough and wanting to stick up for his beloved brother against an abusive mom, I could totally see his brother using that to his advantage and then lying about it later (that's another thing - autistic kids are generally pretty honest, but regular kids maybe not so much.)
I went through all the same thought processes you did, by the sound of it. Additional flags for me were perhaps he had that deep sense of fairness we autistic people often have, and his brother being severely beaten for needing something as basic as food (and probably not for the first time) was a factor. I thought often about killing my abusive parents, but the truth is I was too terrified of them to even try. I'm in my 50s now, I ghosted those people over 30 years ago, and only their deaths release me from the fear (one down, one to go.)
I can relate completely. 'Mommy Deearest,/ Witch on a Stick' was my abuser. Her favorite comment directed toward me was, "why can't you be more like your sister. Why, even in the womb, you were bad!! She excused my sister because apparently, my IQ was higher than hers, so I would pretend to be retarded to get back.Isucceeded in making her life miserable. Never mind that I ruined my life as well. There was also verbal and physical abuse involved. (My sister was almost too terrified of the family dynamics to even breathe.) My father was the kindest, most gentle person I have ever known, but he just stood back and sadly observed . Once my mother calmed down, he wltake me shopping and we'd go for ice cream. How insane was that?
You have an engaging way of telling a story! I watch a lot of these true crime videos and no matter how interesting the story is, if the person narrating doesn’t have that JE NE SAIS QUOI it’s hard to stay interested.
WOW 😮!!!! All I can say is “Well I Never”!!! I can’t believe that they put him in a mental institution. He knew exactly what he was doing! Yes, I agree he is mentally unstable but not insane! He knew exactly what he was doing! I’m a Forensic Psychology major!
Do you ever get odd looks from the locals when you walk down the street in such classy gentlemanly attire? edit: love your content. Keep up this great work here :)
Age is never determinant in the depth of evil a child can hold. The may not always understand the full effect of their own guilt. But they are often capable of depths of evil during times of evil deeds. Interesting how they can do good later in lie it is almost like they can separate the wrong and do what is right.
I swear I was just thinking a minute ago that this would be a good case for him to make a video about and literally a minute later I was stunned to see it was the very next video to play in my recommended feed. I read "The Wicked Boy" by Kate Summerscale a few years back. If you are interested in Victorian true crime at all then I highly recommend this book.
I had a mother who was verbally, mentally, and physically abusive. There was not a day that she did not do or say something to me. I moved to Australia, thanking that she could not get here because she did not like flying. But she got here. When my son was born and i was still in hospital, my mother's first words were to tell me about a cot death. She sent me posion pen letters and so much more. I was drained of everything and too scared to even talk to some people. I spent the better part of 20 years in counselling and was eventually diagnosed with depression and bipolor effective mood disorder. The best thing i did was forgive her and my father and my ex-husband . I do wish i had it in me to leave when i turned 16
Do you feel the verbal abuse has stayed with you longer than the physical abuse? I forget the smacks, but the cutting comments stayed with me for years
She did you wrong. She was in the wrong. You are in the right and that is the power seat. You are the bigger person. Forgiveness isn't about decreeing someone right or accepting what they did. It means that you refuse to ask for revenge or repayment....that is all it is. It isn't reconcilement or resuming a relationship! You are not required to do that and don't let anyone tell you that this is what forgiveness means. Forgiveness and reconcilement are 2 DIFFERENT things. Turn her fate and future over to God while not wanting repayment or revenge. As for praying for her good - pray for her salvation and leave it at that - there is nothing better to wish for a person and then watch God work in your life. He will handle it. Trust me.
I read the book a few years ago and, if I remember correctly, the father was informed by telegram when he arrived in America. However I might be misremembering.
I really enjoy your channel . This was yet another great story told so well by your good self . I can’t seem to find pier Hill fairground in London. Did they go to the Southend on sea pier?
I lived in Plaistow at the turn of the century when I was working at the Royal Free…memories…found it interesting to hear this story about a place that was my home once. Thank-you!
His father died 16th July 1913 aged about 67 at Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Must have carried on working the ships I should think. Probate granted to Robert Allen Coombes, our boy here, described as a Tailor.
My father, whom I loved, was very abusive with me. As the eldest I paid for everything and anything my siblings did. As soon as I turned 18 I left and have been taking care of myself. I forgave him as he had a terrible childhood and really never knew the love of his father. I swore I would not be that way with my children. At 69 with four children and 11 grandchildren I am blessed.
This was so interesting! I've never heard of it before. It's quite scary but very interesting how when he got out he seemed like an okay person. So strange.
I suspect the children were mistreated or abused by the mother. Maybe he was trying to save his little brother. Otherwise he would have become conspicuous later in life.
I may be a terrible human being but I don't believe in miraculous turnarounds. People with psychopathic tendencies often do well in a wartime environment - they get the excitement they crave and don't suffer as much. Do we know that he wasn't abusive (sexually or otherwise) to his already defenseless step son? My bet is he was the same psycho he was as a kid.
The book writer interviewed the adopted son, who was elderly. The son remembered Robert as an incredibly kind man. Descriptions of the mother's behavior behind closed doors by the boys were someone prone to rages and starving her children.
My younger brothers and I grew up in an abusive home, both mentally and physically, but we never talked about killing our parents, there were many times I wished they were dead but I never thought about doing it, or having someone else kill them. I waited until I graduated high school and ran away, I was 17
I hope things are better for you now.Wishing u the best.
That's rough
I also was in the same position I'm 63 now. I still have issues mental weight with my mother who is such a narcissist and says she never even touched me and my sister but as you know. And I know that she did of course you beat the hell out head up against the dresser dragged us around the house by our hair while we were naked. I have air problems because of her hitting me so much in the head she cracked a broomstick over my back and threw me down the stairs. Or pushed me down the stairs I walk with the cane now and I am going to see a doctor this week actually because of this vile person. That is my mother. Just because someone gives birth to you does not make them motherly. I've had my children's friends friends hug me and call me mom because her mom was a drunk or whatever whoever reading this I assure you. Understand I could go on. If you have children when you stop reading this please make sure you have them just because for no other reason
Please excuse the.
@@peggyjones9080 I am so sorry. You deserved to be cared for not hurt by your mother.
He committed a horrifying crime at an age marked by big emotions and poor impulse control. Then after serving time and being allowed to mature in a stable environment, he ends up a fairly decent human being. Well I never.
He definitely suffered brain damage to his prefrontal cortex, the part responsible with complex thoughts and impulse control. If the scars were still on his temple, it would have been a serious injury, and inflicted while his skull was still soft and less able to protect his brain
brain damage too as an infant... i am surprised he turned it around, and it wasn't an act to do more evil...
I was actually very moved that he saved another child from abuse and became his father, well dobe, proof people can get better. Yeah it's possible something was wrong with him mentally or with his brain but sounds like it got better as he grew up.
He was already in a stable environment with his family. As for the RUclips psychological assessment of prefrontal cortex damage B.S; why didn’t he continue making horrific decisions after release from jail. Nah, to you all. This kid was engrossed with his Penny Dreadful magazines and decided to act out those fantasies to see what it was like.
@@miketemple7686 are you also the type to claim violent video games and movies make kids want to be violent? sounds to me like he snapped; if what they claimed was true that the mother was physically abusive, maybe that was the final straw and he decided to act. maybe he just had some sort of other mental health condition that had no real name at the time other than "not quite right". whatever it be, we may never know the true answer.
I'm familiar with this case as I've read a book 'The Wicked Boy' by Kate Summerscale on the life of Robert Coombes. The reason why Robert murdered his mother out of anger because she had beaten his young brother the previous evening in front of other local children whom Robert & his brother had been playing with. The reason why Mrs Coombes had physically abused her 2 sons is that her husband was frequently away for longer periods as he worked for a shipping firm as a liner's steward out of sheer loneliness & frustation. I firmly believe that the 2 Coombe boys may have been abused mentally & physically since early childhood as the clue lay on Robert's severe headaches which he was taken to a family doctor from the age of 3 years old. The doctor advised both parents that Robert shouldn't have his head be struck any more. Why the doctor failed to alert the authorities of the fact that he suspected Robert was an abused child is a mystery to this day.
Corporal punishment was legal and normal in those days (all the way up to year 2000 in private schools).
Totally correct!! Those poor kids!
@@martinaasandersen3775 so whats your point lol?
@@TheFunkhouser " Why the doctor failed to alert the authorities of the fact that he suspected Robert was an abused child is a mystery to this day". No mystery. It was legal.
Parents had full, legal control over how they disciplined their children even if their methods constitute abuse by today’s standards.
He adopting an abused child says even more about his early life than even the information he killed his mother after she beaten his little brother.
I thought this exact same thing
Tough call. I understand what you mean 😌.
The most surprising bits of this story wasn't the murder, it was:
- The Victorian justice system not wanting to hang someone, regardless of circumstance
- The person being sent to a Victorian mental hospital and coming out of it (vs dying of TB or something)
- The person actually seeming to have been largely rehabilitated by the process and going on to lead a normal, if in some elements admirable, life.
Like... the system actually worked for once?
ikr? thats the real shock.
He probably wasn't poor
It might have also had to do with the war. Seeing death in another way may also have emphasised the cruelty and consequences of it, which he may not have been able to process properly when he was younger.
Considering what the brothers did immediately afterwards, it seems like it was originally viewed, particularly by Robert, in the same sort of way as ‘getting the house to themselves’.
the exception that proves the rule
Amazing this little sociopath didn't hurt more people and actually received super effective treatments in the conditions you state... yes..
This was the late Victorian period, not the Dark Ages!
I'm always fascinated by child killers who somehow manage to grow up to be functional members of society -- I have to wonder how, when they go so wrong so young, that they straighten out.
Let alone going off to Broadmoor at that age in that time!
I think he might have been telling the truth about being abused by his mother. Generally children that age who murder their parents do so for one of two reasons, either they are being abused and believe that is the only way to make it stop, or they are deeply mentally ill. The fact that he was a functional adult points to the former rather than the later
I think in those cases perhaps it's because what is wrong with them that allowed them to do what they did as a child is the result of a trauma, not an innate personality trait like sociopathy? They can be helped to develop and overcome the trauma. I'm thinking of Mary Bell and her desperate childhood with an abusive prostitute mother who pimped her out.
The most interesting example seems to be with James Bulger's killers, Venables and Thompson. At the time Robert Thompson, from a desperately dysfunctional home with an alcoholic mother was thought to be the leader, while Jon Venables, from a home where his parents cared about him, charmed the police officers into feeling sorry for him.
Yet all these years later Thompson has managed to stay out of trouble and has become - so far as we know- a functional member of society, whereas Venables has been back in prison for child pornography and other offences. It is hard not to draw the conclusion that -however you might feel about them for their crime as children, and this is absolutely NO excuse for what they did- Thompson back then was damaged by his environment, which allowed his actions that day and removed from that environment he was able to develop and change, whereas Venables has something innately just WRONG with his personality, that all the 'rehabilitation' in the world cannot change.
You dont know if he didnt kill again. He should of been hung when he was of age. murder is murder regardless .
@@platedlizard Well there are people out there accusing their parents of abuse and found out in court after they murdered them were good parenrts. I dont buy his story. It sounds he was a rotten little pyschopath
It's a odd story. A boy murders his mother and welcomes his own death and somehow leaves a place like Broadmoor in his thirties as a functioning member of society. And he was even kind of heroic serving in Gallipoli, taking in a abused child, and reenlisting to serve again in his 50s. I was expecting more tragedy but he sounded like a guy I wouldn't mind having as a neighbor. Did some Victorian doctor do something right or did he just out grow his issues?
I think his only issue was his mother and therefore it was no longer an issue as such.
Mother was probably abusive
@@ChiefHerzensCoach That's what I thought too
he got rid of the problem , i dont think he was even actually troubled , abuse can make you do some wild stuff , and goes to show how he had compassion for his adopted son and others on the battlefield , he probably didn't want anyone else to go through what he and his brother did , i dont think there was any evil to this besides maybe the mother
"AN" odd story......
"AN" abused..........
N between two a's !!!!!!!!!
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
I never heard of this story before. You wonder how Robert was able to deal with what he had done and proceeded to live out a “normal” life. It’s quite an incredible tale.
probably because didn't really care, I have dealt with children that are completely emotionally detached,
Robert supposedly suffered from scars on his head from his mother's abuse and thought his brother was going to end up the same way.
His frontal cortex would have had time to form by the time he got out.
I mean if the parent is abusive a number of kids in that household survive by not considering them good parents. That thought process justifies a lot of what he did to escape such a toxic life. Heck may even count as self defense. We don’t really know what went down between them.
I assure you it's formed prior to birth. But it develops further, it's not "done cooking" until young men are in their early to mid 20s, a bit earlier in young women. That's why high school girls tend to be so much more mature than boys. @@davidmoore2308
Horrific to think he could be capable of murdering his mother, let alone at that young age. Going on to adopt a son and fighting for his country took bravery. Wow, what a mix of emotions I'm feeling 🤯
It has happend alot throughout history. Humans are unpredictable and can be vindictive without cause, why I dont trust them .
Wonder if he and his brother whete abused and he had enough but still extremely disturbing story.
Ppl are more than one or two decisions. Those capable of great evil have often done heroic things, like Ted bundy saving a drowning kid. It does make me question the mom tho if that was robert’s one and only act of violence. A child psychopath wouldn’t just stop being violent once he’d murdered someone. An abusive home life would explain so much of his behavior
Hey just look at the James Bulger murderers!!! One hasn’t had an issue since release… The other had been in trouble including possession of child porn!!! I think we need more research!!! The thing is without taking the chance of releasing these potentially dangerous people we get no relevant data. So it’s something we need to have very balanced compassion for. Justice goes out the window in juvenile cases!! It’s all about rehabilitation or justification for life long monitoring!!!
I just wonder if these people actually understand what they’ve done??? I say this cuz I think if just want to end my existence of I did something so bad!!!
Unfortunately there’s cases like Edmond Kemper who murdered his grandparents in 1964 released in 1970 and resumed killing all but immediately… I think he’s probably the exception (I hope)…
@@rheverend I agree.
The considerable head trauma suffered by Robert at a protracted, difficult birth may account in part for his crime. Traumatic brain injury often features as one of the often overlooked elements which can precede such shocking events 😢
Hello Emmy, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
Im sorry....it can cause the frontal lobe 2 b damaged, so the person feels no fear or remorse....but they CHOOSE to kill or not
@@trevorjennings721 Trev here is spamming the comment sections trying to chat up women in a fashion that indicates it's a bot.
Reported.
Emny,Not necessarily..
I have a TBI & I never murdered anyone
Also, suffering trauma to the frontal lobe, has been proven to cause schizophrenia.
My family life was dysfunctional, and my dad was abusive. My sister and I played this game where we'd say how we would kill him in out early-mid teens. It was rather cathartic, and allowed us to express some of the trauma. We obviously never acted on any of these plans.
I understand
it’s hard to admit stuff like this but it truly does give more insight. at the same time, people who havent gone through abuse will probably never understand how you could say all that, while at the same time never truly wishing an ounce of actual harm, but I understand you completely. Stuff like this proves just how hard it can be to not judge people who have experiences others have never once gone through
He was abused. For those people who say they would never think of killing their parents even when abused, all I can say is, anybody can snap. Even the most patient and kindest person has a breaking point and the abuser deserved what they themselves caused.
I thought about doing my mom in when I was a little kid, even had it planned out. She was severely abusive and it felt like a her or me sort of thing. I didn't go through with it obviously but I can understand how a child would want to.
There go i but for the Grace of God
@@siobhanmcneenan3253 🤮🤢
True, but it isn't so much that he snapped but that his behaviour afterwards of being completely unconcerned was abnormal. We don't know what state he was in when he killed her but in the period afterwards he didn't seem to present any of the normal shock and remorse somone who snapped could be expected to feel. No matter how much he hated her she WAS still the person to whom he should have had an emotional attachment - even a complicated one - yet his actions in the period after her death suggest none.
@@julierobinson3633 If your mother never acted like a mother and was more your enemy, trust me, there is no emotional attachment.
I'm not going to care at all when my "birth giver" dies. Why should I?
As soon as the narrator mentioned the two boys being so different from the parents, I had a feeling they were being heavily abused. No one is raised by a great mother and hard-working father, and all of their kids (just two this time) happened to be sullen and unlike either one. If it was just Robert, ok, but Robert Jr AND Nathaniel...
Yeah.. exactly what I was thinking.. and then trying to blame it on "penny dreadfuls" is no different than more resently, blaming Marylin Manson for school shootings.
Psychopaths aren't born they're created through neglect and indifference.
It's not just the killing that's baffling, it's the craftiness of these boys, the planning and cover up at such a tender age. Shocking 😮
There but for the grace of God go you then , ? You cannot set yourself up as judge and jury ? We are only human and the mind can be a very cruel thing !
@@WendyJones-zx7is what is that supposed to mean?!
I have known 7 and 9 year olds both well capable of, and bragging about doing away with their elders.
In my own family, no less.
13 years old is a laughable standard to be shocked, in my book.
A great storyteller, a true gentleman and a man of fashion!
I come here for the amazing, intriguing stories. I stay to gather fashion ideas from the outstanding host. Long live this channel.
Hear hear!!
The only thing that ever gets me befuddled about what people are capable of is, living in the house with a rotting human corpse. The smell is unmistakable, strong and horrible.
If being able to do that doesn't prove insanity...anyway, Good morning Paul and crew, thanks for another doozy. ☕🌻 And good morning WINnies. 🤍
Especially in the heat of summer with no ventilation or AC! Mind you, the general stink of daily life was different then - the streets were full of horse crap!
What have you two been up to?
My BFF was a Mountie here in Canada. She said the first time you smell a rotting corpse you will never ever forget the smell. She was asked to attend a hotel because the staff couldn't open the door. It was on the fourth floor. She said the moment she stepped in the lobby she knew the person was dead. The smell was unmistakable.
As a general rule, humans noses get acclimated to almost any smell after 3 hours.
They don't always smell. And insanity is defined by repetition... He only killed once. Doofus
Wow what a story, I live in NSW so I found this very interesting. Terrible crime at such a young age, but sounds like he found redemption in helping others, which is admirable.
I think from his life after the hospital we can give some credence to the abuse allegation he leaves at his mother. His focus on the breakfast before hanging and being suicidal ads credence to the claims the brother may have been beaten for “stealing food”. Also he didn’t try to blame the mentally disabled adult which would be the go to for a truly evil child. It’s a good case for rehabilitative Justice even if the crime was without warrant.
@@trevorjennings721 and Trevor-bot again.
Yes I agree with this completely! I think the boys were abused by their mother.
Children rarely act in such a way without there having been some abuse beforehand💔
That would definitely make sense, and explain why he adopted an abused child himself, likely wanting to save the kid before he turned out the same way...
Oh for goodness' sake. Don't any of you people (commenters above this) realise the reason so many teens and even younger, are out of control - now, not then - is because of a LACK of discipline; a fear of clipping your child around the ear for stealing etc., because the Dept., of Children then "gets" you. I'm not writing of beating children up; that's a LOT different to turning a child over your knee and spanking them. There's a massive difference between abuse and warranted spankings. No wonder the world has gone nuts!
Wow, what a post. Straight into the story without the usual long winded intro.
Well done for an informative post. ❤
I read the book about this ,, had never heard of it before then. He ended up in Australia!! My family were from Plaistow in the 1940s. Im glad you covered this largely unknown story
What was the book called?
@@shaneogden3622 It's probably 'The Wicked Boy' by Kate Summerscale, as referenced in this video. Highly recommended.
@@joannaw5913 Thanks. I've heard of the book but wasn't all that interested until I saw this video.
@@joannaw5913 Yes - a great book! I found the audio version was great, but you forego the illustrations and photos.
He should never have been allowed to emigrate to another country. Keep your murderers at home under lock and key in your own country!
On Robert’s AIF Attestation papers he was asked have you ever been an apprentice. He answered yes, 5 years Crowthorne Berkshire…. the location of Broadmoor.
I know I'm playing devil's advocate here but given the scope of this story I'm genuinely curious if he was being abused by his mother. No that doesn't make it okay or even less horrific that he killed her but it might explain some things.
Indeed how did he get the bump on the head, that triggered such a tragedy 🤔🎭
The book goes into more detail about how crazy the mum was - genuinely cruel and abusive. Robert's motive was to protect his little brother from her. In the book, Summerscale notes that the younger brother was manipulated into turning on Robert in court. Summerscale makes the point the boys were complicit in the murder though the deed was committed by Robert. Separated for years, they briefly reunited in Australia when they were both serving in the war.
Nathaniel’s evidence did say Robert had slept in her room the night of the murder.
Odd really, because from his behaviour regarding his mother's murder it is simple to diagnose him as a sociopath. But that is not something that can be cured, no matter how long he was in a mental hospital. And yet as an adult he seems to have shown no signs of that and led an exemplary life. (I know that most spciopaths are NOT murderers, but they are also people with recognisable personality traits that don't seem to fit with his helping others in later life.
So his behaviour as an adolescent suggests some ongoing trauma at the time that was never uncovered?
Well he probably murdered quite a few while at war.
That is incorrect. Plenty of sociopaths will absolutely help others all the bloody time. Of course they will, if they see a benefit to themselves. He knows he needs to clear up his image, so adopting an orphan, even going to war is absolutely something sociopaths would do. Self-serving doesn't mean never helping, as weird as it sounds. (In fact, the military is THE place to meet all kinds of sociopaths, striving to rise in the ranks, make a name for themselves (and sometimes kill without repercussions)).
I mean, there's plenty here we may not know. He could've easily killed others as a child, killed animals, or gone on to kill as an adult. Heck, he may have abused his adopted son. So much is lost to time in stories this old. I doubt very much he just straightened out and committed one crime.
Children can't be diagnosed as having antisocial personality disorder (sociopaths) because they are still developing their personalities. Conduct disorder possibly.
@@alimay8344 Can't be diagnosed, but probably do still have it? I wasn't diagnosed as having Aspergers until my mid 40s but I didn't suddenly develop it at that age...
Then it was Penny Dreadfuls to blame, 100 years later it was a Child’s Play VHS in the Bulger case. People are always desperate to point to an aspect of contemporary media which has perverted young minds, when it’s obvious that this sort of crime has the chance of cropping up at any point in history.
This is like 5 minutes walking from my home I never knew of this story. I’ve walked past this place countless times and you’d never know it was any sort of historical site
This is truly one of my favorite RUclips channel, another great story told by a great gentleman
Imagine the pain emotionally and physically, mentally that he indeed survived and having had enough ended that life for all to live a better life. Just because they’re parents doesn’t make the life of the child’s safe. Horrible humans have children to abuse and sell for parts or houses of evil.
Hello Gloria, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
Perhaps he was badly abused himself by his mother and that’s why he adopted the boy perhaps he understood his plight
Hello Clare, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
My favourite thing about this channel is how good this tall Victorian ghost is at using camera equipment. Way to go, man!
What a tragic story. It is a fact that a very high percentage of all criminals have suffered some type of head injury in their lives. This fact rings true of Robert and shame on his mother, shame, shame, shame! That his doctor had to tell the mother to stop hitting his head is testament to him having a head injury which manifested as headaches. How hard does one have to hit a child to incur these headaches he had. Issues with food as well when Robert remarked that as long as he had a good supper beforehand, that he cared not if he was suicided or was hanged. So beaten across the head and little food for a growing child not to mention the father away, appeared to make the perfect storm. He undoubtedly had a head injury of a type that perhaps made him cold to what he did but we would never know. Who really would even now. So many years in prison, just a horrid life. Shame on the mother again. Then to become a stretcher bearer in Gallipoli my goodness. The stretcher bearers being the bravest of all over there. I myself am from NSW in Australia and indeed there were many farmers that had come back from Gallipoli and dairied here. They were given plots of land or pioneer settlements. My great uncle had served underage in Gallipoli and received a Pioneer's Settlement. Also dairied. His dear daughter who only died a few years ago at 93 had told me that her mother said he was never the same from the war. Those soldiers were another special breed indeed. Getting back to Robert though, I think it took a special breed to be able to fight over there and to be a stretcher bearer, well just maybe his head injury left a kind of emptiness on some level in his brain where he just didn't see/feel/care of danger. We will never know. I hope he is resting in peace. I am just so saddened for him.
Hello Tracy, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
What sad start to life.
I like to think he adopted the child to give him the childhood he himself never had.
RIP
Hello Amy, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
I'm sure that was what motivated Robert. No doubt he strongly identified with the abused boy Harry, and saw himself, and gis younger brother, in Harry. Only this time, as an adult, he could do something about the situation. He could be the parent that he'd wished he'd had, growing up.
People are more complicated than most of us want to acknowledge. All I can say is I hope his redemption was an honest attempt to atone for his crime.
I am so glad that you survived your throat cancer and I am going to look up your Red Dog City band.
Like so many here, I also enjoy your Scottish accent and well spoken voice.
❤ from West Virginia where so many people from Scotland, Wales,Ireland, and, of course, Great Britain came over to live.
My family came from all of them, too.❤
I was curious as to where he went in Australia. Nana Glen, NSW apparently. And passed away at Coffs Harbour, which for you that don't know is on the coast of New South Wales up towards the Queensland border.
Riveting! Unlike so many of these crime history channels, whose narrators have irritating, droning voices, and no verbal presentation skills, the narration here is MASTERFUL! Utterly engrossing throughout, and I love the added touch of the contemporary costume! I have just subscribed, and will watch every single episode. Thank you for an absorbing RUclips channel. Keep them coming!
I adore the presenter's sartorial style, along with the set design for his study. Snazzy!
Between the school bombings, ammonium nitrate explosions, or throwing yourself off Niagara Falls for clout or being murdered by your young child I'm proud to say 135 years later everything-
Wait. That's not quite right...
The more things change, the more things stay the same.
Oh dear 😄
Such an underrated channel! Subscribed. Your annunciation is remarkable! 10/10 would recommend
Enunciation.
Wow. What a tale. The truth really is often more strange than fiction. Thank you for this video.
Hello Kathleen, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
You are so bloody cool. I’m loving the stories. Thank you so much for making these videos! 🖤
How have i never stumbled upon your channel earlier? This is the kind of storytelling that is gruesome, but also very much suitable for school. Very nice style, sir. You've got yourself another subscriber!
And thank you for making this video 😊
I love your sense of style and general manner of presenting, but even moreso the way you humanised Robert by going into detail about his life after his incarceration. Many other creators would've focused on the salacious details and mocked his apparent change of heart later in life, but you were very respectful and I appreciate that. It seems shocking to me that a Victorian asylum actually helped someone, but we don't actually know why he got better later on, so . . . Either way, great video, thank you for your hard work.
I somehow find it a little hard to believe that his story turned out as well as it ostensibly did. Psychopaths don't usually 'straighten out' and reform themselves as they become older. Assuming his mother did abuse him and his brother, I highly doubt he would have acted the way he did all throughout the trial if he only killed her to put an end to the abuse - which only confirms that he did in fact have psychopathic tendencies. I wonder if he did other terrible deeds as an adult and managed to hide them. His keenness to enlist might easily be due to a morbid fascination with violence, not to mention reckless and risky behaviour (similar to his going about town, telling all sorts of tall tales to people, while his mother was dead at home) - which is known to excite psychopaths ... I also find the adoption of a young boy rather suspicious - can't help but wonder if he had ulterior motives for that too. And teaching music to children ...
👏👏👏👏👍 yep. I totally CONCUR!
Inevitably he would have done other bad deeds,as you say going unnoticed.
I find it unlikely he was abused as well, when people actually blamed the mom for being too lenient. Also, his brother didn't confirm any of it. Why?
My guess is that he never learned impulse control, so when the boys went too far and the mom tried to rein them in, he snapped.
I'm also leaning towards he either was just the worst brat and grew up or he just was never caught again and adopted the child to further establish his newly clean image. It's not that unbelievable. Plenty of disappearances and murders are never solved.
I feel like all the time at the hospital might be a factor. It is possible to learn healthy coping behavior.
I agree with you on that he showed psychopathic tendencies (the murder, the very deliberate attempt to cover it up through practical means and lies, including through the exploitation of a disabled man, what seem to be lies as to the circumstances that led to it, the oppositional attitude towards authority figures, the callous behavior in court, the fascination with violence, the risk-seeking behavior, the lack of self-preservation instinct…). What I don’t agree with, though your suspicions may very well be warranted, is that that’s incompatible with a normal enough life in adulthood.
Psychopathy is estimated to affect 1-2% of the population. That would include many people that function within society and, while some may fit the stereotype of the surgeon, military man, or cutthroat lawyer or CEO, chances are plenty are just regular people - the equivalent of some farmer/village music teacher. Sure, most of these non-criminal psychopaths will never have been convicted or even got close to committing a violent crime, but I don’t think there’s anything unbelievable in the story of a young psychopath whose childhood environment couldn’t or wouldn’t rein him in, but who learned how to be high functioning after spending most of his formative years in an asylum in which his antisocial behavior addressed. It doesn’t mean he was cured, but he could totally have learned how to manage his symptoms and/or had the incentive to after suffering the practical consequences of getting caught.
Psychopathy can present as a variety of combinations of symptoms, each on a spectrum. Not all psychopaths are impossibly impulsive or sadistic, and - just like any neurotypical person - they can have varying degrees of intelligence or ability to adapt and learn from previous experiences.
This story really was quite an emotion stirring one. This young man murders his mother in cold blood, then goes on later in life to serve in the military and get honored for bravery, I do think he was trying to atone for what he did also by taking in the young boy and live a better life. I hope he was at peace with himself and truly meant the things he did that were good when he passed away. Thank you Paul for yet another good video.
Hello Shilo, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
The book about this case, "The Wicked Boy" by Kate Summerscale, goes into detail about the abusive behavior of their mother. She was apparently starving them for periods of time as well as beating them.
Summerscale met and talked to the by then elderly adopted son, and he only had good things to say about his adoptive father. The son, Harry, also paid for a memorial headstone for Robert's grave.
@@balletshoes From a psychological perspective, it seems to me that Robert saw himself in the role pf protector to his brother Nattie. It ws Nattie getting the worst of the beatings and threats.
I don't think it fits with what is known of Robert's actions that he simply made up the abuse stories.
Robert had the opportunity to push the blamr onto the disabled man who helped them. But he didn't. Because he doesn't seem to be fundamentally a liar. He changed his story about what happened in order to protect Nattie from the consequences. I believe Nattie WAS involved and knew in advance.
@@balletshoes The mother wrote letters to her husband and in some of them she complained that the boys "ate too much." I mean they were at an age where lots of growth is happening. Of course kids have great appetites for food. I think it wss mentioned that the boys were disciplined - maybe it was Nattie - for "stealing food" from I think, the family pantry. You can see from the photos that Robert at least, was clearly not overweight, so this "eating too much" was not because he was gluttonous and overweight from eating more than he needed. This gives credence to tje claims that the mother regularly deprived them of food and they were often hungry and driven to do things like sneak food when their mother was asleep or something.
You have to then ask, what can we infer about a mother who thinks of her children as burdens, and deliberately doesn't feed them and lets them go hungry, regularly?
Nice hearing a fellow Scot telling the tales. Sounds as though Robert grew up to be a good soul, he must have been mentally unwell as a child but evolved into a decent and contributing member of society.
Hi, first timer, hearing your stories- love it😊!!
I love these “field-trip” episodes.
Awesome channel
Holy crap. Thats a hell of a turnaround
What a fascinating story...young Robert seemed to have sociopathic tendencies but adult Robert seems to be completely different person. If I may guess... yes, he was bratty as a boy just like his brother, very spoiled. But there seems to be a piece of the puzzle missing. He was not a psychopath, he hated his mother this much for some reason.
I wonder about that. Many people thought to be saints publicly turn out to be monsters behind closed doors. What may those boys have endured? Robert never made any excuses outside of saying their mother beat his brother once. Was there more happening? Not all abuse is physical, after all. Or at least, it doesn’t always leave a visible mark.
His mother probably abused him and/or his brother, it was good that he saved another abused child as he got older.I wonder though if he had something wrong with his brain but as he and his brain grew the possible damage got better.
@@teijaflink2226 He may just have not been able to think of a better way to deal with the abusive mother at his young age but after maturing he had.
Maybe he saved two boys from abuse his brother and later his adoptive son.
Guess we'll never know for sure.
@@sylverscale Why assume that the mother was abusive?
@@rickydiola1045 I was thinking the same thing...
Aside from the great narration done by Paul - I just love this channel's artistic direction !
It was self evident, upon first seeing the seated indoor background narration.
And chef's kiss, to this video's intro and outro shots ! 😍
It's greatly appreciated.
I'm quite amazed at how Robert apparently managed to turn his life around, especially after staying at Broadmoor for so long 😅 I hope the family all found peace in the end, may they rest easy 🙏
Hello Teresa, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
The author of The Wicked Boy said in an interview she feels Robert actually had a better life BECAUSE of Broadmoor because he had access to music and books, etc. His little brother lived a more predictable life for that class - difficult blue collar work for low pay like their father.
Hmmmm.....it makes you wonder what his mother did, to make him hate her so. A psychopath doesnt just kill once and then live an exemplary life.
Dude your videos deserve so many more views, you do an awesome job. I love watching every video.
"He read the Penny Dreadfuls" seems to be the equivalent of "They played killer games / watched TV / watched movies / read comics" of that time.
Just come across this story which is very well told. I love reading and hearing of tales like this, you have me hooked as a new subscriber.
Great story and video as always! 👍You really should do audiobooks as you tell such gruesome tales with a soothing voice. Here’s to many more…Well I Never!
Hello Anna, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
@@trevorjennings721 just seen your message Trevor and as I live in the UK we were over Covid nearly two years ago. That said I did catch it when everything was back to normal! Hope you didn’t catch it and if you did it didn’t last very long. We both must be Well I Never fans… love the videos and how he tells the stories. Anna
@@annaconda3083 Hey Anna,
It’s really nice getting a message from you. I am so happy to know you’re safe from the virus. I am also safe from the virus too. Hope you’re having a nice and a wonderful day today??
I think I saw this case about a year ago on either Brief Case or Forgotten Lives... Absolutely horrific!
This was a good commentary of a horrible story
Hello Sheri, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
I've been following you for years, and I enjoy your channels. This video starts in a style that suits you perfectly - I think you've found your stride with marvelous story telling. Your face is honest, handsome, and has character, you appear intelligent (I think you're clever in focusing on the narrator) - my attention was riveted when the clip started in silence, just your profile, you create suspence immediately.
Seeing you on the Royal Docks bench, I was distracted by the words on it and the traffic going by above you - moving things in modern day. Your stories are written and narrated so well, I almost resent the distractions. You set a mood in your video's - mostly in black and white with old pictures and photos (mostly B & W), with only your voice and the story - I think black and white sets an other-worldly mood. I felt torn between centuries when the video went from B & W to a modern bench with cars going by in color. All of a sudden I wasn't in the safe little capsule of your story, I came back to having my attention split between your story and 2024. I love the little coccoon of history you create, it's just you telling us a lovely, terrifying tale (the whole world falls away) of mystery and intrigue...something unique and private. Seeing color (other than your outfit, and a stationary background) was like a commercial when I'm watching a good movie.
I've written a manuscript 🙄. I wanted to give you feedback since I love your channel and want you to prosper - know that my intent is not to criticize. On the contrary, I've wanted to tell you for years how much I enjoy your videos. I'm an artist, and I love seeing creative folks succeed. You create an atmosphere that takes me out of this crazy time, into what feels like a small group of us - leaning forward in front of a fireplace, having to catch every word. Thank you for your creations, you've given me much wicked enjoyment for years (I'm housebound in a wheelchair, so your stories take me away). My respect to you, Sir. xx
The fact that he went from a remorseless murderer to a decent, mature man who helped people baffles me. Very unrealistic transition for me. That kid seems pretty crafty, though.
Hi 👋 I’m a new subscriber to your channel, I watch Fascinating Horror every week and your channel came up on my homepage. I love your videos, the way you narrate them, the care and attention you give to each video. Keep up the great work😊
Hello Marta, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
A child of that age acting like this either has an emotional disconnection to their surroundings as a trauma response (abuse, emotional neglect, ect.) or there is a pathological problem underlying from birth (sociopoathy, psychopathy) . Good that they were not held accountable as adults cause very likely this murder was caused by something that happened to them beforehand. In times with no child protection services and an ethic, that holds parents in a high standard if they just seem to follow social rules on the outside, i am very cautious when accounts of the parenrs are like: she was orderly and had her house tidy. The more admired a fassade is in victorian England, the more suspicious i am that being a child in such a family might not be the luck it seems to be. Children behaving, taking up no emotional space , always behaving controlled and orderly is not likely a sign of a healthy, psychologicaly sound enviroment, cause that is just not how human children are by nature. I akso saw a comment stating, that some said, the mother was overwhelmed and had anxiety attacks abd using her okdest son as support. That is matter of factly child abuse, especially in that age cause a chikd cannot handle to be responsible for the wellbeing of the caretaker.
Very interesting case and wonderfully narrated as always. ❤
There was some child protection, kids were frequently removed from parents, but I would think this family were better off than most of their charges and more hidden?
@@nicolad8822 It is so sad that we can never know for sure, cause they haven't had the knowledge of child psychology like we have today and the records we have just too little and with too much bias because of the horrendous murder he committed . But i think that they put him into an psychiatric facility rather er than a prison, was already an advanced move and the way he was able to become a positive member of society later shows, that he was able to change his way of reacting and controlling his behavior. This way this case i an example why treating children differently than adults is the correct way of handling
This might be the first time the Almighty Algorithm had suggested a channel I will enjoy! I guess actively looking for true crime or art history that brought me to you! What a great story, thank you! Subscribed!
Hello Rene 0:13 , how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
Child killers are absolutely terrifying to me.
Hearing about this case and how successfully rehabilitated Robert was makes wonder more about what Mary Bell and Robert Thompson have done with their lives since getting released. I doubt we’ll ever know.
Iam not morbid but as a fellow Scot I find your vlogs very very informative love them keep up the. good work 👍
It’s good to hear that he went on to turn his life around and become a good man even after committing such a heinous crime. If this isn’t proof that people can change (provided, of course, that they have access to the right resources and are willing to put in the effort), I don’t know what is.
Should never have been released who cares if turned his life around he took a life, his mother.
You’re never a good man if you’ve stabbed your loving mother to death and continued on happily living a few feet from her tortured corpse. Period. Additionally, I very seriously doubt he went on to live a “wholesome “life. I’m pretty sure he did many other nefarious things but was mature enough to cover them up as an adult. Just saying.
Thanks for another awesome video ❤
its so extreme that it wonders what might of happened to cause him to do it, if anything.
Some folks just have it in them, I do wonder though if the forceps pressing into his skull at birth had something to do with it. We will never know.
you do these so well mate i look forward to them take care and have a nice weekend
Beautiful storytelling, locations and presentation. Thanks Paul.
Normally you hear about victorian era mental hospitals making people worse but in this case i guess they fixed him?
The story of the younger brother telling him to do it actually reminds me of when I was growing up. I am autistic and my younger cousin was always coming up with these plans that we should do, which she would then send me off to do on my own and then I'd get in trouble because everyone knew I was the bad kid (we didn't know I was autistic at the time - they weren't really diagnosing girls back then.) My mom knew what was going on but my uncle, my dad and their whole family thought it was 100% me. I never would have killed my mom, but that's because she was the most stable and loving person in my life. Had she been abusive, I don't know. I certainly had no trouble turning my emotional "love" feeling off when people were too awful to me (over time.) Even the laughing when he shouldn't and not realizing the severity of the situation are things autistic people do. I'm not at all saying he was autistic, most of us wouldn't ever kill anyone and many of us have suffered abuse, but if he had some sort of mental problems from the head trauma or if he was socially awkward enough and wanting to stick up for his beloved brother against an abusive mom, I could totally see his brother using that to his advantage and then lying about it later (that's another thing - autistic kids are generally pretty honest, but regular kids maybe not so much.)
I went through all the same thought processes you did, by the sound of it. Additional flags for me were perhaps he had that deep sense of fairness we autistic people often have, and his brother being severely beaten for needing something as basic as food (and probably not for the first time) was a factor. I thought often about killing my abusive parents, but the truth is I was too terrified of them to even try. I'm in my 50s now, I ghosted those people over 30 years ago, and only their deaths release me from the fear (one down, one to go.)
I can relate completely. 'Mommy Deearest,/ Witch on a Stick' was my abuser. Her favorite comment directed toward me was, "why can't you be more like your sister. Why, even in the womb, you were bad!!
She excused my sister because apparently, my IQ was higher than hers, so I would pretend to be retarded to get back.Isucceeded in making her life miserable. Never mind that I ruined my life as well. There was also verbal and physical abuse involved. (My sister was almost too terrified of the family dynamics to even breathe.)
My father was the kindest, most gentle person I have ever known, but he just stood back and sadly observed . Once my mother calmed down, he wltake me shopping and we'd go for ice cream.
How insane was that?
You have an engaging way of telling a story! I watch a lot of these true crime videos and no matter how interesting the story is, if the person narrating doesn’t have that JE NE SAIS QUOI it’s hard to stay interested.
these videos are so good man keep it up
This was a well condensed telling of the story. If anyone wants to know more, the book The Wicked Boy is a great read or audiobook.
I wonder how he came to terms with murdering his own mother. What a strange story.
Probably never did
If she was abusive then who cares? There would be no love there.
WOW 😮!!!! All I can say is “Well I Never”!!! I can’t believe that they put him in a mental institution. He knew exactly what he was doing! Yes, I agree he is mentally unstable but not insane! He knew exactly what he was doing! I’m a Forensic Psychology major!
The illustrations are so nice. Very period accurate and fun
I thoroughly enjoy the setting and manner in which you tell these stories.
Keep up the very good work sir and blessings from Scotland.
🙏🏼
Do you ever get odd looks from the locals when you walk down the street in such classy gentlemanly attire?
edit: love your content. Keep up this great work here :)
One of just a few articulate story-tellers on RUclips
Off topic - but I really like the wallpaper pattern behind you.
Age is never determinant in the depth of evil a child can hold. The may not always understand the full effect of their own guilt. But they are often capable of depths of evil during times of evil deeds. Interesting how they can do good later in lie it is almost like they can separate the wrong and do what is right.
Hello Donna, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
Thanks!
Thank you so much!
I swear I was just thinking a minute ago that this would be a good case for him to make a video about and literally a minute later I was stunned to see it was the very next video to play in my recommended feed. I read "The Wicked Boy" by Kate Summerscale a few years back. If you are interested in Victorian true crime at all then I highly recommend this book.
You are such a good storyteller. You and Mr. Ballen are the greatest on RUclips. Thank you your videos!
I had a mother who was verbally, mentally, and physically abusive. There was not a day that she did not do or say something to me. I moved to Australia, thanking that she could not get here because she did not like flying. But she got here. When my son was born and i was still in hospital, my mother's first words were to tell me about a cot death. She sent me posion pen letters and so much more.
I was drained of everything and too scared to even talk to some people. I spent the better part of 20 years in counselling and was eventually diagnosed with depression and bipolor effective mood disorder. The best thing i did was forgive her and my father and my ex-husband .
I do wish i had it in me to leave when i turned 16
Do you feel the verbal abuse has stayed with you longer than the physical abuse? I forget the smacks, but the cutting comments stayed with me for years
@adrienneclarke3953 the comments took a long time to get over. People don't believe words can harm because they have never been used agenst them
She did you wrong. She was in the wrong. You are in the right and that is the power seat. You are the bigger person. Forgiveness isn't about decreeing someone right or accepting what they did. It means that you refuse to ask for revenge or repayment....that is all it is. It isn't reconcilement or resuming a relationship! You are not required to do that and don't let anyone tell you that this is what forgiveness means. Forgiveness and reconcilement are 2 DIFFERENT things. Turn her fate and future over to God while not wanting repayment or revenge. As for praying for her good - pray for her salvation and leave it at that - there is nothing better to wish for a person and then watch God work in your life. He will handle it. Trust me.
I’m wondering when and how the father found out.
I read the book a few years ago and, if I remember correctly, the father was informed by telegram when he arrived in America. However I might be misremembering.
A contemporary newspaper representation of him getting the news by telegram appears at 12:00 in the video.
You can tell which kid was the wrong one by their reactions in court. I’m glad he got the help he needed and built a somewhat normal life.
Hello Laura, how are you doing today, hope you’re fine and safe from the COVID-19 virus??
@@trevorjennings721 and here is Trev-bot again, trying to catfish.
I really enjoy your channel . This was yet another great story told so well by your good self .
I can’t seem to find pier Hill fairground in London. Did they go to the Southend on sea pier?
I lived in Plaistow at the turn of the century when I was working at the Royal Free…memories…found it interesting to hear this story about a place that was my home once. Thank-you!
But, what happened to his father? There's a big hole in this story.
His father died 16th July 1913 aged about 67 at Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Must have carried on working the ships I should think. Probate granted to Robert Allen Coombes, our boy here, described as a Tailor.
My father, whom I loved, was very abusive with me. As the eldest I paid for everything and anything my siblings did. As soon as I turned 18 I left and have been taking care of myself. I forgave him as he had a terrible childhood and really never knew the love of his father. I swore I would not be that way with my children. At 69 with four children and 11 grandchildren I am blessed.
This was so interesting! I've never heard of it before. It's quite scary but very interesting how when he got out he seemed like an okay person. So strange.
I suspect the children were mistreated or abused by the mother. Maybe he was trying to save his little brother. Otherwise he would have become conspicuous later in life.
Well, I never. Thank you for an interesting video presentation. Full of intrigue .
Nineteenth century,Europe domestic crimes,are the most interesting, and your commentary makes them come alive, thanks
I may be a terrible human being but I don't believe in miraculous turnarounds. People with psychopathic tendencies often do well in a wartime environment - they get the excitement they crave and don't suffer as much. Do we know that he wasn't abusive (sexually or otherwise) to his already defenseless step son? My bet is he was the same psycho he was as a kid.
The book writer interviewed the adopted son, who was elderly. The son remembered Robert as an incredibly kind man. Descriptions of the mother's behavior behind closed doors by the boys were someone prone to rages and starving her children.
Well researched and presented. The narrator speaks clearly and well. Altogether excellent.