The Murder of Mary Forward by Heskett Swatland
Mary Jenner was born on 5 Jun 1853 in Sissinghurst, Kent. Mary was the 4th of 6 children, 4 boys and 2 girls of John Jenner an Agricultural Labourer from Cranbrook, Kent and Mary Ann Boorman Daughter of William Boorman an Ostler from Kilndown Cranbrook.
In 1871 at age 18, she worked as a domestic servant at the Bull Inn in Stone Street, which was pulled down to provide a petrol forecourt for Cranbrook Engineering Works in 1937 and in 2016, the designated area, along with Wilkes field was set to become a new Community Centre, 28 residential dwellings, including conversion of the listed building to residential use..
On 25th Dec 1877 at age 24 at Cranbrook, she Married George Forward, a Cranbrook lad and agricultural Labourer at age 20 and they remained in Cranbrook.
They welcomed their first son George into the world just under 4 months later on 21 Apr 1878, then Charles on 4 Jan 1880, then Frederick on 14 April 1882
In 1891 they lived at Camden Hill Cranbrook, then in 1901, they moved to Golford Street, and finally, in 1911, they were living at 7 Camden Terrace in Camden Hill.
By 1912, all three of their sons had married and moved out. George was Living in Walton on Thames, Surrey, with his wife Sarah, Charles remained in Cranbrook with his wife Laura and Frederick was living in Burley, Hampshire, with his wife Mabel. They had all become domestic Gardeners.
Heskett Silvester Leonard Swatland was born 2nd Mar 1873 in Cranbrook. He was the 2nd born child of 7 children, 2 boys and 5 girls by his father Isaac Dobell, the illegitimate son of Rachel Dobell, who had married Thomas Swatland. Both were from Cranbrook Kent England, and his mother Jane Joyce, was the daughter of William Joyce, living in Marwood, Devon, England.
Heskett's father had suffered from mental health over his life and records show, he had been committed to the Kent Asylum twice before his marriage in 1864 for several weeks and 1868 for 2 months but seemed to have settled down after his marriage to Jane in 1869 He became a farmer of 17 acres but then was again committed in 1882 for a month and a year later in Oct 1883 where he remained and died there on 10 Nov 1883, when Heskett was 10 years old.
They seem have lost the land he was working on and finances, His mother is recorded on the 1891 census as living at Mill Lane, on parish relief. Her sons, Heskett 18 and Louis 15 were still living at home and working as farm laborers
His sister Ethel was Admitted to the Asylum on the 1st Sept 1908 and according to records by November 1911 she had not improved.
His other 2 sisters Annie and Constance were staying with their Aunt in Spring Cottages in Cranbrook and his other sister Maud and brother Louis had both got married, so it was just him and his youngest sister Cora living at home with his mother.
His mother then passed away in Mar 1912 and his sister Ethel had been discharged from the Asylum and was living back at home.
With Heskett's Mother having died in March and a family history of mental health, this may have triggered his insanity of what happened next, and with Mary Froward being a local and possibly a friend of his mothers, that could have been why she was sent for, hoping she could pacify his upset but instead it ended in her death.
The Fateful day
On Friday 17th May 1912 Heskett suddenly showed signs of a mental disturbance, behaving in a strange and excitable manner. To try to calm him Mrs Forward was sent for, but she was unable to pacify him. Heskett obtained an axe and ended up taking Mary Forward's life that morning and Heskett Swatland was arrested for her murder.
The inquest was opened the next afternoon on Saturday 18th May by Mr Duncan Murton at Sissinghurst School.
Her Husband George had identified her body but knew nothing about the situation which ended in her death.
Cora Swatland, his sister gave evidence and reported that around 4 am, her brother had complained of feeling unwell and asked her to bring some tea, she did so and he went to bed again, she heard nothing more from him til 8.30 am, when he told her he was ill and thought he was going to die. Shortly afterwards she heard him talking to Mr Saint out of the bedroom window. Afterward, their sister Ethel had called out to her saying Heskett was out of bed. Cora told him to get back. He then told her to burn his waistcoat and vest because his aunt had been sewing on it. She had to do as he asked. Then he asked her to burn the counterpane, giving the same reason and endeavored to get hold of the gasoline.
Cora then went out to call Mr Saint who came and tried to keep Heskett quiet. Cora then suggested fetching Mrs Forward, who came in and Heskett told her to open the door, as he wanted to go out, saying to her ''you'll be alright'' She said to him, ''Put your shoes on'' which he did and he went out. Mrs Forward followed out after, to talk to him. He was then said to be behaving quietly. Cora said she took out some salts and lemon water for him to take and asked Mrs Forward to persuade him to take it. He threw the cup in the garden and Mrs Forward came back and said she could do nothing with him. Mrs. Forward then went out the back door to a neighbor's house. Cora then saw her brother pick up an iron bar (which was produced as evidence) and began to knock the flowers about. Mrs Forward came round the corner of the house and Heskett said ''You go away, or I will hit you'' Mrs Forward went away and Heskett went back into the house and asked Cora for an axe. He asked twice and to put him off, she said she didn't know where it was. He told her where it was and said he was going to chop down a tree. He then got excited again and kept banging on the door, so Cora eventually gave him the axe, as she thought he was going to come through the door. He then chopped into the rose tree at the front of the house and afterward a plum tree. Then she heard Mr Saint say ''Leave that tree alone, it's not yours'' Heskett turned to Mr Saint as if to strike him but Cora did not think it would come to that. She then tried to get out to call a policeman but could not open the back door. She heard her sister Ethel scream, she then went out the front door and at the back of Mr. Churchills found Mrs Forward lying in a pool of Blood.
Her sister Ethel then gave evidence and corroborated about the plum tree and said she had concealed the paraffin when her brother asked for it, as she was afraid he would set the house on fire. He had threatened to strike her with the axe and she ran off to call a policeman and Mr. Crampton, (who I believe was the clerk to the Union of Cranbrook). On her return, she said she saw Mrs Crompton run past but could see nothing else because of the hedge. Cora then came and asked her ''Where is Mrs Forward?'' Ethel then saw her brother run out of the front gate and the policeman was after him. She went around the back of Mrs. Churchills and saw Mrs Forward lying by the back door.
Next was Frank Herbert Saint, a 57 year old retired farmer, who lived in Mill lane and he reported that Heskett had spoken to him out the bedroom window saying ''There is trouble up above (meaning heaven) two powers are fighting against each other''
PC Hughes next to give evidence and said he had been called to Mill Lane at about 9.15 am by Mr Punnett. He found Heskett cutting down the Plum tree. Then looking at a woman going up Mill Lane he said ''here she goes'' and ran after her. Both Heskett and the woman turned into Mr Churchill's gate and the policeman followed and upon turning the corner of the house, he saw something lying on the ground and the man standing nearby, who immediately turned around and ran towards the road. He followed, calling out to Mr Churchill for assistance. The Prisoner on reaching the road, raised the axe above his head saying to PC Hughes ''it's your turn next'' but PC Hughes closed in on him and knocked the axe from his hand and with Mr Churchill's assistance handcuffed the prisoner, who was then taken to the Cranbrook Police station. on the way he had said he had killed several people.
Harry Charles Churchill gave his evidence. He was an Engineer, who lived a few doors up from the Swatlands, in Mill house (now Park View) had heard PC Hughes call for help at around 9.30 am. He said the constable said he had a madman to deal with, so he ran out and got behind Heskett, who was standing in front of the constable with an axe above his head. He helped the constable to get the axe from Heskett and it was thrown over the hedge, then helped him to handcuff the man, who said ''I've killed her, I've killed her, she is lying at the back of your house Mr. Churchill''. He said then found Mrs. Forward lying on her right side with her feet towards the back door, she appeared not to have moved but lay where she had fallen.
Next, to give evidence was the medical team who dealt with Mrs Forward.
Dr. Joyce of Cranbrook, as relation of Hesketts mother, said he had received a message that Heskett had become insane and shortly afterward another message, that he had attacked a woman. He said he had reached the spot at around 10 am and found the deceased lying in Mr Churchill's house, quite unconscious. There explained that there was a wound behind her right ear 11/2 inches long, extending into the bone. There was considerable bleeding from this and also from the external ear and her nose and mouth. There was a superficial graze on the upper part of the right cheek. He attended to her and had her removed to her own home, where she died in the evening from a fracture to the skull - what was technically known as a star fracture, which might well have been caused by the axe, which was produced as evidence.
Then came Harriett Edith Pierson, the certified district nurse in Cranbrook, who dressed the injuries and remained with Mrs. Forward. She said the patient murmured ''Oh dear, oh dear'' but she didn't think she was sensible and she never regained consciousness.
The next witness was Leo Punnett, a builder living next door to Mr Saint stated that Heskett had been working for him but did not notice anything strange about him except that he was lacking in his work lately.
The next to give evidence was Superintendent Thomas Fowle. He stated that after Mrs Forward's death, he went to the prisoner's cell to formally charge him with killing her. After the caution, Heskett had replied ''I was out of my mind at the time but I understand what you say now'' He said shortly before 8 that Saturday morning, the prisoner expressed the wish to make a statement and said ''I wish to say, I do not care about anything about myself. I am guilty but I am very sorry for the others. It is more than I can express. I will suffer the extreme penalty of the law'' He siad the prisoner was quite sensible and realized his position.
The coroner having summed up, pointed out that they had nothing to do with Swatlands state of mind but must pass judgement on Mary Forwards death.
The coroner stated that this all amounts to the verdict of wilful murder.
The jury agreed and also expressed their sympathy with both families.
The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder by the blow of an axe, given by Swatland. and he was committed for trial on the coroner's warrant.
The coroner then considered the constable deserving of high commendation, for so promptly arresting the prisoner and Mr. Churchill for his assistance.
On Monday 20th May, Swatland was then brought up to the police station Cranbrook before Mr T B Jobson and charged with the wilful murder of Mary Forward.
The prisoner was in a state of utter collapse and had undergone an exceedingly bad heart attack on Saturday night and had to be brought to the police court in a chair, carried by 2 constables.
He appeared dazed and exceedingly weak and shook considerably during the 2-3 minutes occupied by the necessary evidence taken for a formal remand.
Superintendent Thomas Fowle stated the prisoner was brought to the police station for a serious assault upon Mrs Forward at Cranbrook that day and at 9.40 pm that same night, the woman died and he was charged with her murder.
After formal evidence had been taken he was remanded until Friday next
At Cranbrook Police Court Fri 25 May
The prisoner still appeared very ill, but quite conscious of what was said and was allowed to be seated during the hearing.
Mr. Ley, who appeared for the prosecution, on behalf of the Treasury. In opening the case, he briefly referred to the circumstances lending the attack on the deceased, stating the prisoner, ran after the deceased with an axe and subsequently, she was found the ground unconscious with wounds in her head. The evidence that followed was practically identical to that taken at the inquest, with no new facts being elicited.
The prisoner's sister Ethel was too unwell with her mental health to attend the Court, and the testimony of three other witnesses who attended the inquest was dispensed with.
Mr. Ley then said that full evidence to the whole matter, would be provided at the Assizes, Mr. Ley referred at intervals to a plan of the locality by Mr. Churchill to Supt. Fowle. the latter having taken measurements in detail.
The Prison Medical then testified as to the prisoner's condition.
The prisoner, in reply to the formal charge and inquiry from the Bench, whether he desired to say anything, said in a clear and distinct voice ''Yes sir, there was no forethought."
on the question of if he desired to call any witnesses, he said: "No sir. none."
The prisoner was then formally committed for trial at the next Assizes.
At the Maidstone Assizes on Thursday 27th June 1912 Heskett Pleaded not guilty, under instruction from his lawyer.
Evidence for the prosecution was that the prisoner was very excited at the time, and attacked the deceased woman with an axe killing her after she endeavored to quieten him.
For the defense, it was stated he was insane at the time of the murder. It could be possible they brought up the family history of mental health. Along with His father and sister Maud's Asylum admittance, another sister a year younger than Heskett, Annie Emily had also been committed into an asylum in Kent for a month in 1894.
The Jury verdict was guilty but insane at the time of the crime and the Judge ordered that he be detained during his Majesty Pleasure.
He was sent to Oakwood mental institution in Maidstone and then on 1 Jul 1912 he was admitted to Broadmoor Asylum in Berkshire, England, and remained there until his death on 14 Nov 1913. Age 40
Life after for the Forward family
Her husband George remained in Cranbrook until he died in 1933 at age 76
Son George remained in Walton upon Thames with his wife Sarah and their 2 children Sidney and Edith, working as a Platelayer for the London and South West Railway Company and died in 1952 at age 73
Son Charles remained in Cranbrook with his wife Laura and their son Charles, He became a Head Gardener and died in the Maidstone district in 1947 at age 67
Son Frederick, went to Canada in March 1913, then to Florida, in 1920 His wife Lucy Mabel, and sons Cyril and Leroy followed him in September 1913, they had 2 more children William born in Canada in 1918, and John in Florida in 1926. He became a manager for an orange farm called Citrus House in Forest City, Seminole, Florida, and died in 1942 age 60 in Maitland Orange County Florida, and is buried at the Edgewood-Greenwood Cemetery Apopka in Orange County
Sources
1. Whitstable Times Whitstable (1912) , 'Tragedy In Cranbook' May 25 p6-6
2. Kent & Sussex Courier (1912) ‘ The Cranbrook Murder Charge’, 31 May, pp. 8 – 8
3. Kent & Sussex Courier (1912) ‘ Tragedy in Cranbrook’, 24 May, pp. 11–11.
4. Kent & Sussex Courier (1912) ‘ The Cranbrook Murder’, 28 June, pp. 7–7
5. 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).
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