Ridiculous History — CLASSIC: The Forty Elephants: London’s All-Female Jewel Thieves

October 4, 2025 | Hosted by Ben Bowlin & Noel Brown

Episode Overview

In this "classic" episode, Ben and Noel unearth the story of the Forty Elephants, a formidable and long-lasting all-female criminal syndicate from London. Known for their cunning, longevity, and sheer audacity, this gang outwitted society, the law, and even contemporary gender stereotypes to thrive in jewel theft and organized crime for over two centuries. The hosts provide context, colorful anecdotes, and a spirited discussion of the methods, key personalities, and legacy of this remarkable crew.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Allure and Reality of Heist Culture (03:00–04:50)

• Ben and Noel open by riffing on heist fantasies, with playful banter about their own imagined criminal roles—the "bag man," the "inside man," the "shady government liaison," and the essential "hacker."
  • Quote [04:24]: “They usually refer to me, Ben Bolin, in my past heist, as either the inside man or the shady government liaison.” — Ben

2. Introduction to the Forty Elephants (06:10–07:30)

• The gang, also called the Forty Thieves, operated out of London’s Elephant and Castle area, with a lineage stretching, almost unbelievably, back some 200 years.
  • Quote [07:14]: "No. 200 years. And this gang was made entirely of female criminals operating out of the Elephant and Castle area of London, which I find to be a magnificently whimsical name for an area.” — Ben

3. Gang Structure and Methods (08:26–13:03)

• The Forty Elephants were highly organized, running in cells with a militaristic discipline and always ruled by a “queen.”
• They collaborated with the predominantly male Elephant and Castle Mob for muscle, but developed their own uniquely clever criminal methods, including:
  • Masquerading as housemaids for wealthy families,
  • Employing elaborate disguise work with false references,
  • Overwhelming shops with their numbers to shoplift en masse.
  • Maintaining reserve funds to bail out arrested members and greasing local authorities.
  • Diverse criminal activity, including blackmailing wealthy men.
  • Quote [13:03]: “Kind of a hydra organization. Cut off one head and two will rise in its place.” — Ben

4. The Power of Social Norms & Gender (14:22–15:53)

• The gang exploited the era’s misogynistic perceptions: women—particularly well-dressed ones—weren’t typically suspected of serious crime.
  • Quote [14:52]: “You want to respect their privacy. You don't want to be forward in this very repressed age. So there were some upsides here…” — Ben

5. Control of Territory & Policing Crime (15:29–17:22)

• The Forty Elephants enforced strict control over their territory, demanding a cut from crimes by others in their patch (like a “mob tax”), and using the Elephant and Castle Mob to collect debts or mete out punishment.
• They were adept at both violence and cunning; Diamond Annie, their leader, wore fists full of diamond rings as weapons.
  • Quote [16:01]: “Diamond Annie, for example, got her name because she had a fistful of diamond rings that if she clocked you in the face with, you'd probably lose an eye…” — Noel

6. Organizational Sophistication & Longevity (17:22–20:00)

• The organization supported its members through fines, bail money, and caring for dependents—contributing to its extraordinary persistence over generations.

7. Disguising and Offloading Stolen Goods (23:03–24:45)

• The group relied on networks of fences, market traders, and pawnshops.
• High-value clothes would be resold with new labels in department stores, making it harder to track stolen goods.

8. Alice “Diamond Annie” Diamond – The Legendary Leader (24:45–28:08)

• Alice Diamond (also known as Annie) became Queen in 1915; her leadership marked the gang’s most notorious period.
• She was born in poverty, daughter of a violent father with a criminal past; her toughness and strategic mind solidified her influence.
  • Quote [25:10]: “Diamond was her real name. It wasn’t just a cool moniker.” — Ben

9. The Lifestyle & Public Perception (28:08–30:46)

• The gang led a glamorous, extravagant public life—partying at pubs and clubs, inspired by flapper-era celebrities, but always facing the hard edge of risk.

10. The Downfall: Betrayal, Violence, and the End (36:23–42:59)

• Internal betrayal triggered their decline. When member Marie Britton fell for an outsider, she violated a gang rule and, fearing retribution, brought her father to a tense meeting with Annie and Babyface Maggie.
• Violence broke out; Maggie slashed at Britton’s father with a razor. The resultant melee drew police attention.
• Key arrests (especially of Alice Diamond and Maggie) left a power vacuum. By the 1930s–1950s, the gang’s influence had waned, becoming mere shoplifters.
  • Quote [37:28]: “Marie had fallen in love with someone outside of London’s underworld… she was called up to see Alice and Babyface Maggie, and Marie was scared.” — Ben
  • Quote [39:11]: “…the ringleader of the 40 Elephants, Alice Diamonds. Diamond Alice. Annie Diamonds. Diamond Annie was arrested.” — Noel

11. Legacy, Modern Crime & Gendered Criminality (43:26–44:54)

• The hosts contrast contemporary gang activity — mostly devoid of the Forty Elephants’ organization — and muse on how London crime still favors non-gun methods compared to other countries.

12. Final Reflections and Listener Engagement (44:54–47:14)

• The hosts fantasize about a BBC TV series à la Peaky Blinders based on the Forty Elephants and invite ideas for casting.
• Quote [46:57]: “You know who I could picture as being Babyface Maggie? Melissa McCarthy.” — Noel

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [13:03] Ben: “Kind of a hydra organization. Cut off one head and two will rise in its place.”
• [14:52] Ben: “You want to respect their privacy…there were some upsides here.”
• [16:01] Noel: “Diamond Annie…if she clocked you in the face…you'd probably lose an eye.”
• [24:24] Ben: “Diamond was her real name. It wasn’t just a cool moniker.”
• [28:05] Noel: “Or possibly crushed under the thumb of some man.”
• [37:28] Ben: “She was called up to see Alice and Baby Face Maggie, and Marie was scared.”
• [46:57] Noel: “You know who I could picture as being Babyface Maggie? Melissa McCarthy.”
• [44:31] Ben: “Unless you want to say the banking cartels are gangs, but they rob people in a different way.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:00–04:50 — Heist banter and roles
• 06:10–07:30 — Who were the Forty Elephants?
• 08:26–13:03 — Structure, methods, alliances with men’s gangs
• 14:22–15:53 — Exploiting gender roles, territory
• 17:22–20:00 — Gang support, generational knowledge
• 23:03–24:45 — Fencing stolen goods
• 24:45–28:08 — Alice Diamond’s backstory
• 28:08–30:46 — Lifestyle and the hard realities
• 36:23–42:59 — The beginning of the end: Marie Britton incident, Annie’s downfall
• 43:26–44:54 — Modern gang legacy
• 44:54–47:14 — TV adaptation speculation, listener engagement

Overall Tone & Style

Ben and Noel maintain a playful, irreverent, and conspiratorial style throughout the episode, mixing historical research with comic asides, pop culture references, and speculative tangents. Their rapport is friendly, sometimes silly, but always respectful and enthusiastic about the peculiar histories they uncover.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

If you've never heard of the Forty Elephants, this episode delivers a fascinating portrait of one of history's most successful and least remembered criminal organizations—100% led by women, masters of disguise and organization, thriving despite class, gender, and police scrutiny, all while living loudly and glamorously. Their tale is a reminder of the ingenuity, audacity, and adaptability of groups history often overlooks.

Additional Resources Mentioned

• Books by Brian MacDonald, including Gangs of London and Alice Diamond and the Forty Elephants
• The Guardian article by Amelia Hill: “Girl Gang's Grip on Underworld Revealed”
• TED Talk by Steven Levitt on drug dealing economics
• TV series Peaky Blinders (comparison)
• Brian K. Vaughan’s comics Saga and Y: The Last Man

Engagement

How would you cast a modern TV series on the Forty Elephants? Who’d play Diamond Annie or Babyface Maggie? Find the hosts and other “Ridiculous Historians” online to share your choices or nominate another overlooked criminal dynasty.