How an All-Female Gang Changed the Face of Crime in 19th-Century London

Forget the male gangster club; this London gang was made up entirely of women, all of whom were determined and professional. The Forty Elephants weren’t sidekicks or accessories—they built an empire that thrived for decades, pulling off daring heists long before the term “girl gang” even existed.

They didn’t call themselves the Elephants just to sound cool. The Forty Elephants took their name from the London neighborhood of Elephant and Castle, their stomping ground. This place became the birthplace of one of the most fascinating and underrated criminal gangs in history.

Newspapers began reporting on them in the early 1870s, but they were likely active long before that. These women operated in secret until their shoplifting became too brazen to be ignored. In 1873, the press officially took notice of them.

They weren’t operating in a vacuum. The Forty Elephants had ties to the notorious Elephant and Castle Mob. (Think of them as partners.) While the men handled the fights, the women ran the business—and they often outshone the men in that regard.

The term “hoisting” might bring to mind the lifting of heavy crates, but in their world, it referred to shoplifting with style. These women were interested in diamonds, fur coats, and perfumes. In fact, they were so skillful that the salespeople hardly even noticed what was missing.

Forget handbags. These women turned entire outfits into tools of the trade. Dresses, skirts, and even underwear were sewn with secret pockets. They could clear out the shelves and walk out looking as if they’d just finished their shopping—not as if they’d ransacked the store.

Victorian manners provided the gang with their best cover. The clerks were too polite to look under a lady’s skirt or accuse her openly, and this hands-off attitude made the stores easy targets. The Forty Elephants knew exactly how to take advantage of this.

Looking rich was part of the plan. They wore elegant hats, fine fabrics, and flashy jewelry—sometimes stolen, sometimes rented. Posing as high-society shoppers, they walked into London’s most exclusive department stores and stole luxury items right under everyone’s noses.

When the pressure became too much in London, the gang didn’t exactly lay low; instead, they expanded their operations across the country. From Manchester to Birmingham, they carried out robberies with the same precision. Their reputation grew with every train ride, turning them into a traveling sensation in the criminal underworld.

That doesn’t mean all their schemes involved shoplifting. Some members would seduce wealthy men, then use stolen letters or scandalous secrets to demand money in exchange for their silence. It wasn’t love—it was business; they knew how to turn the tables and embarrass powerful people.

Some members used fake references to get hired as domestic workers in wealthy households. Once inside, they would steal jewelry, silverware, or cash before disappearing without a trace. This was a more discreet type of operation, but just as effective as their public heists.

The Forty Elephants were territorial. If other thieves stole from stores in their neighborhood without their permission, the gang would often force them to hand over the goods or pay them a share of the loot. This unofficial “protection” system showed just how organized they were.

Mary Carr was one of the gang’s earliest leaders. Born in 1862, she led with keen instinct and courage. Nicknamed “the Queen of the Forty Thieves,” she earned respect through her discipline, loyalty, and clever operations, which helped shape the gang’s future.

Alice Diamond took over as leader of the gang in the 1910s and led it to new heights. With her sharp wit and powerful fists, she transformed the Forty Elephants into one of the most feared gangs in Great Britain.

After Alice Diamond was imprisoned, Maggie Hill took over as leader and kept the gang active well into the 1930s, adapting to tighter security measures and changing fashion trends. She came from a family with deep ties to the underworld and was known for her fierce loyalty to the gang.

It wasn’t a chaotic gang. The Forty Elephants had rules, ranks, and discipline. Members followed a code of conduct, and leadership wasn’t just a matter of style—it also required intelligence and guts. If you broke the code, you were kicked out. It was as simple as that.

In the 1920s, their influence skyrocketed. The gang was no longer a small circle; it had more than seventy active members, all trained in theft and deception. It had become a well-oiled network, powerful enough to strike fear into the hearts of shopkeepers throughout Great Britain.

Even after their leaders were imprisoned, the Forty Elephants did not disappear. New women took over, keeping the gang’s activities going throughout the 1930s and beyond. Their strong network enabled them to survive arrests that might have destroyed smaller groups.

These women didn’t steal to survive. They stole to live life to the fullest. Parties, custom-made outfits, chic apartments: they used their proceeds to enjoy a lifestyle that most women could only dream of. Crime may not pay forever, but it certainly paid off for a while.

Their story continues to capture the imagination. From history books to the Disney+ series A Thousand Blows, the Forty Elephants continue to fascinate. They weren’t just thieves. They were legends who turned the criminal world upside down.