arch-cove
– the head of a gang or mob; governor; president.
arch gonnof
– the head of a gang of thieves.
The use of “arch” to signify the leader or head of a gang is still in use today. Action-adventure movies or television shows often use the terms “arch enemy” or “arch villain.”
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Sources
Matsell, George W. [...]
Note: This post is part of a series on Convict Transportation to the American colonies.
Thief-Taker General
Any discussion of the state of England’s criminal underworld in the early 18th century must include Jonathan Wild, the self-described “Thief-Taker General of Great Britain and Ireland.” Wild had his hand in almost every facet of England’s criminal world [...]
