Jack Sheppard was a notorious British robber, thief and highwayman during the early 18th century. He gained great popularity among the lower classes of the London as a result of his ability to escape arrest and his taunting of the legal authorities.

Sheppard was arrested five times and managed to escape from prison four times. His escapes were daring and audacious. However he was finally captured and hanged.

Daniel Defoe wrote and sold a puported autobiography of the author at the hanging and Sheppard's life and criminal career were celebrated in many books and plays.

Cruikshank provided a number of illustrations to a book about Jack Sheppard by Harrison Ainsworth.