A beloved son murders his mother after going insane
Sarah Beard was born in Horsted Keynes, Sussex in 1812. the seventh and last born child of James Beard from Horsted Keynes and Elizabeth Tester from Wivelsfield, Sussex.
On 6th May 1829, at age 17 she married John BackshallFirstborn age 27, an agricultural labourer from Ardingly Sussex at the parish church Horsted Keynes, Sussex. They settled in Ardingly and had 11 children, The First born was Amos born in 1831, then Lucy in 1833 (Died a week old) John in 1835, Sarah Ann in 1838, James Beard in 1839, George in 1842 Jane Elizabeth in 1844, Harriett in 1847, William Francis in 1850, Fanny in 1852 and the last born Newton in 1855.
John was employed as a cowman by Mr J. Dudgeon, Esq., of Fearcelands, West Hoathly Sussex and they occupied a neat little cottage on the left-hand side of the high road from Lindfield through Hampstead to Turners Hill, about two miles and a half from the parish church of Ardingly, and some three hundred yards south of the White Hart Inn, West Hoathly.
The cottage was on the extreme border of the parish of Ardingly and separated from West Hoathly by a road which led from the turnpike onto the Wakehurst estate. The humble dwelling place of the Backshalls was most pleasantly situated facing the east, and on the opposite side of the way is a fringe of fine oaks, a woodland stretches away almost as far the eye can reach, the prospect being terminated by the high ground upon which West Hoathly church stands prominent. The exterior of the cottage was of bricks and tiles, with four small windows facing the road. It stood in a nice little garden which appeared to have been carefully attended to. On the right is a group of luxuriant elder trees, and on the left, a tall pear tree drooping its topmost branches over the roof. A trimmed box tree of fantastic shape stood at the garden gate, and over the doorway and halfway up the house were scores of bright red roses. A well, a rainwater butt, a faggot stack, and pig pounds. The interior consisted of a brick-floored kitchen or living room, a washhouse, and two bedrooms.
The family appeared to have been on good terms. The children growing up, moving out to work and some getting married. Amos was first in 1854, Sarah Ann in 1857, James in 1863, Jane in 1865, and John in 1866.
Their son George, was said to have been of a sullen reserved disposition, saying very little even when spoken to. but it was said that his mother was very fond of him, and he returned her affection.
On Sunday 14th June 1868, although they had not seen each other for some time, His mother had said, ''George is the best son I ever had'' Less than two days afterwards George was to take his mother's life.
George had been employed as an agricultural labourer by Mr Smith, Esq., of Paddockhurst, and was living with his brother Amos, in a cottage near Ardingly church, about two miles and a half from his parent's cottage.
On the morning of Tuesday 16th June, he got up at about five o'clock, It was said he appeared to be very rational and collected. He said, ''I'm not well, Ann'', to his brother's wife, and looked at her rather fixedly, but he ate a hearty breakfast of bacon, and there was nothing very particular in his manner or appearance to attract attention.
After having his breakfast, He took a razor belonging to his brother, sat down in an armchair, and cut off some hard skin on his hand, as if to try whether it was sharp or to extract a thorn. but little notice was taken of him.
Afterwards, he left his lodgings, no one noticed that he had taken the razor with him. He then proceeded to his father's house which he was seen entering by a woman, named Gander. immediately afterwards a loud screaming was heard by Newton, age 12, who was the only child who still lived at home. He had just seen his mother alive and well, and was at the back of the house, chopping wood.
He ran into the kitchen and the sight which met his eyes was almost sufficient to petrify him with horror. His poor mother, whose screams had by this time ceased, was lying at full length on the brick floor, and blood was flowing from a frightful gash in her throat. Kneeling on her, with hell in his eyes and the fury of the demon at his heart was George, cutting her throat with the razor in his right hand, while his left hand was being used to hold down his mother's arms. Newton asked his brother what he was doing, and instead of making a reply, George thrust the razor towards his brother, as if he meant to cut him too. A very frightened Newton ran out of the house to get help. but before anyone returned George had disappeared.
The lifeless body of the poor woman was a truly horrifying spectacle, discovered by those who went to the cottage, The body was lying in a pool of blood, the whole of the vessels and muscles of the throat had been severed, everything had been cut through but the backbone.
George was soon traced without difficulty. It appeared that he had come out of the house, hands dripping with blood, and proceeded towards Wakehurst,
The alarm quickly spread, and Mr Benjamin Budgen, the parish constable of West Hoathly, went in pursuit with a willingness, which gave him great credit. He ran as far and as fast as could and heard that the young man had been seen washing his hands in a pond near Wakehurst. When PC Budgen was out of breath and could go no further on foot, he borrowed a horse, overtook the prisoner, and immediately apprehended him.
On being told the charge, George simply said " I'll go with ya''.When questioned as to his motive, he said, ''I had plenty of reasons for doing it, and you will know more soon''.
He was then taken to Cuckfield and locked up. Now, to the state of his mind, he seemed very rational and collected in his conversation, both before and after the murder.
He was said to be very restless in his cell and on Wednesday morning, he called to Supt. Pocock, and asked him, ''Have you ever read of Jesus Christ?'' The officer answered ''yes'', and the prisoner replied, ''I believe I am he and have thought so for a long time. I was obliged to kill my mother, or I would have been sent to hell forever''
The prisoner's conduct since his incarceration was said to point to one fact, that although the murder was deliberately perpetrated, and the prisoner had walked two miles to carry out his crime, he must have been labouring under a fit of insanity, He also fully admitted his guilt and had done so several times.
Everyone who knew the family was shocked at the crime committed, no motive could be thought of and all the evidence showed, that Sarah was fond of her son and that the son was equally fond of his mother.
The day after the murder, on Wednesday 17th, the Inquest was held at the White Hart Inn, West Hoathly, which is kept by Mr Thomas Waller, before Mr L. G. Fullagar, Esq., the Coroner for East Sussex. The prisoner was absent, upon his wish
The following were on the jury; —Mr F. H. Howard (foreman) Mr John Burt, Mr Thomas Cooke, Mr Richard Pilbeam, Mr William Cooke, Mr Jeremiah Bartley, Mr Richard Comber, Mr John Arnold, Mr Henry Lewry, Mr George Box, Mr Henry Nash, Mr Albert Sayers, and Mr Thomas Comber.
Rev. Lowe, of Ardingly, and Dr. Potts, surgeon, were also present
The jury having been sworn in, then proceeded to the cottage, where a heart-rending sight met them. Sat in the corner of the room, in which the horrid deed had been perpetrated, was John, husband of the murdered and father of the murderer, his grey hair was brushed smoothly down over his forehead and his eyes were fixed on the dark red spot on the floor, which his wife’s blood had been recently removed from.
In another corner sat daughter Jane, endeavouring to quell the fretting of her infant ironically named George by pressing it to her bosom. The little boy knew something was wrong and would not be comforted.
The jury was then, directed to the left and taken to the bedroom of the deceased where the corpse lay on the white sheets, and on lifting the cloth which covered the head, the horrible nature of the wound was apparent. The flesh, muscles, and vessels had been completely divided into the backbone, and the blood on the trunk appeared to be moist. There were scratches on the skin, which were doubtless made in the struggle. The jury having viewed the body, then returned to the inn,
The first witness called was Philadelphia, wife of John Budgen, labourer, of Rockhurst Lodge, in the parish —
''l know the poor woman, the deceased. I have known her for five years. She was a very quiet woman, that ever could be. Her husband is a cowman to Esq. J. Dudgeon, I saw her alright and well on Monday evening last. She was out in her garden, just going to feed her pigs. That was the last time I saw her alive''
''Yesterday morning, a little before seven, her little boy came and said, Mrs. Budgen, George is killing mother; he is cutting her throat,” I said. It cannot be so.” He said. “Yes. it is, I saw the blood running." I threw down what I had, and ran as quickly as I could to her house. The neighbours all came out to see what was the matter with the little boy. When I got to the cottage. I saw no one but the poor woman, lying in the kitchen in her blood and saw she was quite dead. When I lifted her bead. I noticed that the blood ran from her throat. She was quite warm. I did not see the son George.
We sent for her husband, who was at work at Pearcelands''.
Replying to a question from Dr Potts she said ''l did not see the son George. The little boy said “ There goes George down the road”, but I did not see
In reply to a question put to her by a Mr Juryman—'' I was not at all afraid, I was too intent on going to her assistance to notice much else. I would have gone in, even if I had known George would be there''.
Next Witness was Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Gamp, a labourer of Brighton Sussex —
''l went past the gate of Mrs Backshall, yesterday morning at seven o’clock. I saw a young man go into the house, just as I went past. I knew the murdered woman, but not the young man who went In. I heard a dreadful scream about half a minute after went in. The screaming came from the house. I walked to the bottom of the garden, and the screaming continued. I then went back to the gate, and the little boy came out of the house. I asked him what was the matter. he said, “George has killed my mother." Just at that moment, the young man I had seen go into the house came out. His bands were dripping with blood. He shook his hands up and down, shaking the blood off them and put them in his pockets. The little boy told me, he was the brother of the young man. The man came out and walked down the hill and away, and I saw no more of him. He passed on one side of the road and I was on the other side. I did not go Into the cottage, because they were strangers to me''.
Responding to a question by the Jury—'' I think I would know him again if was dressed in the same clothes. I was so frightened when he came out streaming with blood, that I went over to the other side of the road''
Responding to a question by Dr Potts (surgeon) —''l only saw the left of the man as he swung the blood off his hands. The right hand was in his pocket''.
The Coroner asked ''can you tell us how he was dressed?''
Elizabeth replied - ''He had on a loose big, jacket and a cloth cap.
The Coroner then asked '' Do you know what sort of man he was, did he have whiskers?''
She replied - '' I don’t know, I did not notice. I was very much frightened when he came out of the house I was frightened because of the blood on his hands, I said to the little boy, make haste, my dear, and fetch someone''.
Coroner then asked ''is this the little boy?'', pointing to Newton.
''Yes'' She replied
Newton Backsall who they referred to was a small child, aged 12, with a head of hair and a sunburnt face, was next to take the stand
He wept quietly while giving his evidence -
''The deceased is my mother and I lived with her. I was behind the house chopping wood yesterday morning and heard my mother scream. I ran in and saw George on his knees putting a razor to her throat. She was lying on the brick floor of the kitchen bleeding. I do not see my brother come into the house, he does not live there. I went out to work with my father, and when I came home I looked into the house and saw my mother, quite well, making a fire, standing up. We had not had our breakfast''
He was examined by Dr Potts '' What did you do when you saw your brother cutting your mother's throat?''
Newton replied ''l asked him what he was got at. He raised the razor as if he would cut me, but did not say anything.
''he was on his knees at that time? —''Yes''.
''What did you do then?''
He replied ''I ran out of the door and went up to Mrs Budgen''
''Did you see any more of your brother?''
He replied ''Yes, I saw him down at the turning, on the road, going towards Hapstead''
''What was doing when you left the house?''
Newton replied ''He was not done with cutting my mother. He was still kneeling her''.
He was questioned by the Coroner ''what happened next?''
Newton responded ''When I ran out of the house I saw the woman who had just left the room''.
''Have you ever heard of any quarrel''
He replied ''No, sir''.
Mr Howard (foreman) then questioned him
He replied ''l thought was going to cut me because he shook the razor close to me without speaking. He very often did not speak
The coroner questioned ''was your mother fond of George''
''Yes''
''And he seemed fond of her''
''Yes Sir''
Mr Howard (foreman) ''When had she seen him last''
''Not for four or five months
''When he came did he usually give your mother money?''
Newton replied '' Yes he paid her for his washing, she used to wash for him''
''Did she give him presents when he came?''
''She used to sometimes give him a few nuts''
Replying to a question by Dr. Potts ''When he shoved the razor at me, It was in his right hand. He held my mother’s arms down with his left hand across her body''
The Coroner having read over the evidence, asked the witness if he had anything more to say. He answered ''Her legs were grazed and I had not seen the razor before''
The next witness was Ann. wife of Amos Backshall, brother of the prisoner —
''My husband lives at Knowles Farm, Ardingly, and is a labourer. The prisoner lodged with me. When he got up we had a conversation about his grocery things. As soon as he had done with breakfast he took the razor from the corner cupboard in the kitchen. He sat down in my husband's armchair and seemed to cut the skin from his hand as if taking out a thorn. I was washing the baby, and after coming back from throwing the water away, he went out''.
P.C.34 E. S. C. then produced the razor clotted with blood and the witness burst into tears, and said, “That is the razor." In response to Dr Pott's questioning, she replied ''George did not complain of his head overnight, nor say he was not well. He said the next morning, *‘l am not well, Ann!” He was sulky but not drunk.
Her response to a question from Mr Howard. ''He looked very hard at me yesterday morning before he went out. He has been a long time with me, and I have never heard him say anything against his mother or anyone. He never gave me an angry word. He was like an old man and used to keep himself to himself. He would not play with the children, he would keep himself reserved. He never had any miswords with anyone.
P. C. Walter White, stationed at Hapstead, then took the stand to give his evidence —
''At about half past seven I received information that George Backshall had murdered his mother. I went towards the house and met the prisoner in the custody of P. C. Windsor''.
''Going into the house with Benjamin I saw the body of the woman lying on the floor with her throat cut. in a pool of blood. I found the razor produced, lying by the back of her head. ordered the body to be taken upstairs''.
''When I met the prisoner, I asked him, Are you the man that killed his mother? He said, ''Yeah." I asked him his motive for doing so, and he was angered, You will find out more about it by and bye. That was all that was said''
Answers to questioning from Mr Howard (foreman) ''Before he said anything, did either you or Windsor caution him?
''No' said PC White
Mr Howard: ''Did you see anything singular in his manner?''
Pc White: replied ''No, sir''
Rev. Lowe then asked ''did he seem quite collected?''
PC White ''Yes, sir''.
Mr J. W. Potts, the surgeon, of West Hoathiy, gave his evidence
''l saw the woman yesterday about quarter past seven. I found her lying on her right side, her head and shoulders in a pool of blood. She was perfectly dead. I saw a razor open at her back, covered in blood, and a razor case in front of her, very near her face. I raised her head and found that her throat had been cut.
I examined the wound and found all the vessels and muscles in the front part of the neck, Everything was « to the backbone. The razor must have been pasted several across her throat, and from the slanting direction of the wound, the razor must have been held in the right hand. Death was occasioned by loss of blood from the wounds and must have been almost spontaneous.
Mr Howard (foreman put a question to the surgeon ''Could she by any possibility have inflicted the wounds herself!
Mr Potts replied ''No''.
The Coroner —What reason have you for that opinion?''
Dr Potts ''I think the razor must have been drawn across more than once, and she would doubtless have fainted from loss of blood the first cut''.
Dr Potts finished his evidence by saying ''There were recent slight marks on the shins. I would say they were occasioned by the naila of a boot. The razor produced is the same one I saw near her body''
PC Benjamin. Budgen, the parish constable of West Hoathly, took the stand
''Yesterday morning Mrs Elherington came running up say George Backshall had cut his mother’s throat. I sent for Dr. Potts I did not know she was dead, and then went to the house where I saw her quite dead''.
''I then started in pursuit of George Buckshall whom I have known from quite a child and on my way I heard, that he had washed his hands at the pond. Being overcome with running borrowed a horse and rode after him. I overtook him about halfway past Wakehurst. When got past him, I jumped off the horse and took him into custody.''
''In answer to the charge he said, ''All right I will go with you.'' Then left him in the charge of my brother and son and rode on to tell the Ardingly policeman''.
''When I came back I said to him, How in the world could you think of doing such thing this.” He said ''I had plenty of reasons for it and you will know more about it soon''. I then said to him ''Did you know your mother was dead when you left her.” He answered, '‘I meant her to be.”
PC Budgen continues ''Police constables Windsor and White and my brother were present. White spoke to him and asked him how came to do it. He said he did do it''.
Replying to a question put to him by Mr. Howard ''He is a strange man and I saw no difference in him at that time''.
By the Coroner ''He has worked for me at times and was not a man to say much. You had to draw things out of him.
Edward Pollard, a hoop maker, of West Hoathly, proved more evidence after going with P. C. Windsor on his cart, to take the prisoner down the road. When they met PC Budgen and the other constable.
He heard Pc Budgen ask him the questions as discussed above.
Superintendent Pocock then brought in a sack containing the clothes worn by the prisoner at the time of the murder. They consisted of a bog loose lightish jacket, a cloth cap and a pair of trousers. There were streaks and spots of blood on each garment.
The Supt. deposed —The prisoner was brought to the police station at Cuckfield yesterday morning. The constable with him, charged him with killing his mother. I told him the charge —that he was in custody for killing his mother, and he said, ''Yes.” I saw had blood on his clothes and ordered them to be taken from him. Those produced are the same''.
''This morning when I went to see that he was all right about six o’clock, he called to me and on turning to lease the cell said, '' Have you ever read of Jesus Christ!” I said ''Ye.” He answered, ''Well, l am he, I am'', Supt Pocock replied ''Do you think so?” He said, “Yes''. Pocock then asked him, “ Who told you you were Jesus Christ!” He said,'' Nobody''
Supt Pocock then asked him, How long have you thought you have been Je Christ!” He said, “Some time''.
Pocock then enquired. “Do you think, now, that you are Jesus Christ? ''
He said, ''Ye” and added, ''I was obliged to kill my mother, or I should have been sent to Hell forever.” I then left him.
Mr Howard—'' Did he ever speak ramblingly to you at any other time?
Supt Pocock replied —'' No''
''Has any medical man seen him since has been in custody ''
—''No''.
The Coroner then summed the case to the jury, remarking that he thought from the experience they had heard, that this was which would not give them much trouble in coming to the verdict, that was their duty to give after they well considered the evidence.
He was not the first witness, but he would read it first because he was the principal testimony, the remainder of the evidence being principally corroborative. It was for them 'to judge the importance of being attached to that evidence. He was but a child, but they had heard the way, in which he had given his evidence, It certainly seemed to him that he had given it, in the most straightforward, intelligent way, and if they considered him credibleness, they could return but one verdict.
Having read the evidence. The coroner said, ''If you place reliance upon that, and I see no reason why you should not, there should be only one verdict you can give. It is well also, to consider the strong corroborative nature of the other evidence. The only reason for not finding a verdict of wilful murder, in which a man takes the life of another person, is when the evidence warrants the jury, in return verdict of manslaughter''.
''Now murder can only be reduced to manslaughter when it is shown that the deed is done, inflicting death, under some strong passion, such as a man in a great heat, snatching up a weapon and inflicting a deadly wound But there is nothing to show such circumstances in this case. There was no evidence of any quarrel because the time that the man was in the house was short, it does not appear that he had seen his mother for some time. I do not know how you can avoid bringing a verdict of wilful murder''.
''There is only one other point, as the man’s state of mind.
When the facts, were given in detail by various witnesses, it was evident from that and the conversation that took place between the prisoner and those who apprehended him, that the prisoner was insane.
But that was not for the Jury to decide. The inquest was to decide the cause of death and the jury eventually gave the verdict of wilful murder against the prisoner, A coroner's warrant was issued and George was then committed to trial on that charge, at the next Assizes.
Lewes Assizes Friday 17th July Tried before Baron Martin was found insane on arraignment
Mr Lumlay Smith appeared for the prosecution, and Mr Grantham for the defence.
George Backshall, 25, labourer, a sullen-looking young man, was placed in the dock on the charge of murdering his mother, Sarah by cutting her head off at Ardingly, on 16th June
In answer, the learned Judge, Mr Grantham said he had witnesses to present that prove the prisoner was insane and he would like to call them at once.
His Lordship then directed the jury to be sworn to try the question of whether the prisoner was insane and unfit to take his trial upon the Indictment which had been laid against him.
The jury having been sworn, Grantham called the witnesses
Charles Lockhart Robertson, Esq., M.D., medical superintendent of the Sussex County Lunatic Asylum, Hayward’s Heath. deposed that he had examined the prisoner at the bar. on the 2nd July, and found him abounding under the delusion that he was Jesus Christ, and that he was obliged to kill his mother to save her soul.
The Judge said he would not trouble Mr Grantham to call more witnesses, he thought the of Dr Robertson would be quite sufficient to satisfy the jury of too prisoner’s insanity.
The law of the country provided that before prisoners could be tried he must be in a sound state of mind. In this case, the man was indicted for the murder of his mother, and it appears he was under the delusion that he was obliged to do so to save her soul
There was not the slightest ill feeling between both parties, and under all the circumstances he thought the jury might safely say the prisoner was not fit to take his trial.
The jury at once returned a verdict declaring the prisoner was insane
His Lordship then directed the prisoner to be confined during Her Majesty's pleasure
Life After
George was transferred on 5th Aug 1868 to Broadmoor Asylum Crowthorne Berkshire and remained there until he died in 1877
John Backshall remained in Ardingly and died at age 82 in August 1884 and was buried in the parish church with his wife on 31st August
Newton joined the military at age 20 in 1876, he fought in Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880 and died in 1913 at age 57. He never married.
Sources
(1868, July 22). The Ardingly Matricide. Brighton Guardian, pg7.
(1868 June 25) Horrible murder in Sussex Brighton Gazette -pg 4
(1868 June 23) The Inquest Chichester Express and West Sussex Journal pg 3
Bring your backstory to lifeTM (no date) Ancestry® | Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History Records. Available at: http://www.ancestry.co.uk/ (Accessed: 09 February 2024).
Archive, T.B.N. (no date) History’s colourful stories in black and white, Home | Search the archive | British Newspaper Archive. Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
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