Did a Sweeney Todd REALLY exist?

[ozone20]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 3:32pm

This i found to be an interesting read. (a bit lentghy tho).

"But most myths and legends have a basis somewhere in truth, and Sweeney Todd is no different. There really was a mad barber, he really did use a trapdoor and straight razor to rob and kill customers, and most did end up as filling for meat pies. Extensive, painstaking research by British author Peter Haining has shown this without a doubt. Todd’s life and exploits are not nearly as romantic as Sondheim would have us believe, but then who would pay to see a musical about a psychopathic mass murderer unless there was more to the story? What follows is the true story of the Demon Barber of Fleet Street. There is little romantic or even melodramatic about the life and times of Sweeney Todd. He was an amoral, bitter man who lusted for money and was not averse to killing to get it."


http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial9/sweeney/
Updated On: 1/17/06 at 03:32 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 3:33pm

I've read that before and it is interesting enough to make me beleive there was one, yet of course they mustn't have been as fun as angie and len

[GYPSY1527]

Posted: 1/17/06 at 4:12pm

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/demonbarber/penny/index.html

This website gives some great background information on the tale of Sweeney Todd.

Just as a side note, when I went to London, I visited Fleet Street and was told that back in the 17th and 18th Century, it was the largest 'meat packing' district of London and of England. Makes you wonder....

Edit:
If you read on there is an interesting real article about a man named "Sawney Beane" who with his wife participated in cannabilism. I think any way you look at it, there were people who did what Sweeney did and writers in the 18th century took advantage of the situation and created a fictional, yet reality based character Sweeney Todd.

Updated On: 1/17/06 at 04:12 PM

[Gypsy2]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 8:54pm

My friend did a forensics report on "the real" Sweeney Todd. Supposedly, he killed hundreds of people, but he was only persecuted for ONE murder - the only one that could be proven with evidence.