Joan Annetts was often sent to the local grocers with her basket and shopping list by her mother, but on one tragic day she never returned and was never seen alive again. George Frederick Annetts was the son of a Berkshire farm labourer. In 1911, when he was 22, George worked as a handyman at Eridge Castle, which belonged to Reginald William Bransby Nevill, the 2nd Marquess of Abergavenny. While working at Eridge Castle, George met Emma Brookfield, a 28-year-old stillroom mai

John Betts was a quiet well respected local man, working as a shoemaker and growing fruits to sell to the community. His son William was very different, lazy and quarrelsome, which became fatal for John. John Betts was born in 1819 in Teston, Kent. The firstborn child of John Betts (Sr.) and Sophie Everest. His only full sibling, his sister Harriet, was born in 1820. In 1822, when John was three years old, his mother died at age 26 during childbirth, along with his newborn br

Elsie Emily Cameron thought she had found the love of her life but their relationship had fatal consequences for her in the end. John Norman Holmes Thorpe, known as Norman, was born on 22 June 1900 at Sultan Road in North End, Portsmouth. He was the only son of John Charles Adolphus Thorne, who was 24, and Katie Ada Holmes, who was 23. Both parents were from Portsea Island. His father worked as a steam-engine fitter at the dockyard. When Norman was six, his mother died at the

Rosie Smith, a promiscuous woman who seemed to enjoy the company of military men until she became the victim at the hands of a veteran. LIFE STORY OF ROSE Rose Smith was born on 31 January 1884 in Chatham to George Benton, a 44 year old farm labourer and Army pensioner and Maria Hellmouth 25 years old from Windsor. She was the youngest of four daughters. Rose was three when her father died aged 47 on 17 February 1887 from Phthisis Asthenia. A year later, on 19 February 1888

The turbulent marriage of John and Susanna White ends with murder 35-year-old John White married 31-year-old Susanna Wellden on 20 April 1845 at St. Mary-the-Virgin Church in Dover, Kent. Before marrying John White, Susannah had two daughters: Mary Ann Abott Wellden, born in 1838, and Louisa Wellden, born in 1843. Later, both girls listed John Wellden as their father on their marriage certificates. On Mary Ann's baptism record, both she and Susannah used the surname Abott Wel

Alexander McBurney was born in Antrim, Ireland, in 1835 to Thomas McBurney and Eleanor. He was the 4th of 5 boys and 1 girl. By 1851, Alexander's mother was widowed. Details of his father are unknown due to a lack of records. The Young Ireland rebellion of 1848 had failed. The potato famine persisted, so life was hard. She worked as a muslin sewer. Alexander and his siblings worked as labourers and servants. In the broader geopolitical context, the years before the Crimean Wa

A turbulent relationship takes a turn for the worse when hop picking This case begins with Lucy Ann, the daughter of William Edward Lankstead, a bricklayer's labourer from Brighton, Sussex (their name evolved into Langstead over time in some records), and Mary, née Bailey, a laundress from Hanging Heaton, Yorkshire . Her father was Edward Bailey, a journeyman weaver in the shoddy industry who had gone bankrupt in 1848. Their first child, Henry William, was born in 1857, fol

Mary Ann rejected Stephen Fox after 18 months of courting, but Stephen wasn't happy! Stephen Fox was born in Ramsgate Kent on 15th June...

The Life and Death of Inspector Walls Arthur Walls was born in Falmer, Sussex, in October 1867 to Timothy Walls, a bricklayer's...

William Brown Errington accused of poisoning his wife Sarah William Brown Errington was born on 16th November 1809 in Southwark , Surrey...

The terrible murder of little 5 year old Edith Jeal sent waves of shock around Kemptown. Edward Jeal was born in Kemptown, Brighton, ...

The criminal trial of Thomas Turner for the unlawful assault on Emma Carrett Thomas Turner was born in November 1814 in Tunbridge, Wells...

A young man went from a pick pocketing charge to the charge of the murder of his Gaoler James Wellerd was born in Appledore , Kent, in...

Thomas Fordred hanged for her murder Thomas Fordred was born in 1825 in Margate Kent to John Fordred, a Shepherd and Ann Nee Sutton. He...

The story of Mad John Leigh and the murder of his sister-in-law John William Leigh was the illegitimate son of John William Perry Farren,...

This involved two families Walter Smallwood white was born on 8 Nov 1807 in Royston, Hertfordshire, England. He was a Boot Maker and also...

Mary Ann Geering is known as the Guestling Murderess Mary Ann was born in the parish of Westfield , about three miles from Guestling, in...

Alfred Eldridge hung for a horrific murder with Alfred Holden Blog 33 . Richard Steed was born on 26th May 1808 in Hoath, Kent , the 5th...

A case of insanity or just brutal murder? William Wilton was the youngest of 6 children (5 boys, and 1 girl) born in July 1847 to John...

A soldier with a terrible outlook on life, leads to an atrocious murder Alfred Holden was born in Birmingham in 1840 to George Holden a...