Frances Kidder hanged for the murder of her Stepdaughter
Frances Kiidder born Frances Drury in Brenchley Kent, in the last Quarter of 1842. The illegitimate daughter of 16 year old Frances Drury and it has been said 17 year old John Vousden was her father. Her Mother then married 24 year old John James Turner from New Romney Kent on 2nd April 1843 at Brenchley and She moved to New Romney with Frances, who then took the surname 'Turner' on future records, so may not have even known she was illegitimate, or that John turner was not her real father, or maybe she did and had some deep resentment, which she later took out on others.
Her mother and John went on to have 10 more children between 1844 - 1867. All were christened except Frances.
In 1856, James Voulsden age 31 married a young local Widow Mary Warchus Nee Hysted, who had 3 children under 10 and they had 2 more children.
In 1861, at the age of 19, Frances had become a domestic servant working for John and Sarah English. John was a Bookseller and News Agent, living on the High street of Folkestone. Kent
On 26th December 1864, she gave birth to her daughter Emma, the illegitimate child of William Henry Kidder.
William Henry Kidder was born in 1827 in Saltwood Kent and had been working as a farm laborer. In 1861 he was living on Theatre Street Hythe Kent
He had been working as a carrier on a farm, and had a Housekeeper named Eliza Staples, with a 4-year-old child named Louisa Staples born in 1856, she was their illegitimate daughter, They had another daughter named Ellen Kidder Staples born in 1862.
Eliza had passed away in August 1863 and the children were living with her parents Richard and Rebecca Staples. in Selling Kent.
Frances married William in Hythe on 1st Feb 1865, seemingly unaware of these children.
A summons by a magistrate had been served upon William to be affiliated with his daughters but when he married Frances the summons fell to the ground but eventually Louisa the eldest, was to come to live with them sometime in 1865, which was said to have angered Frances.
His other daughter with Eliza, Ellen Kidder Staples, remained at Selling Kent with her Grand
parents
Frances had a temper, and liked to argue with her neighbors, according to the two newspaper articles I found from 1865:
Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette - Saturday 09 September 1865
BOROUGH PETTY SESSION —Thursday 7 Sep 1865 Before P. Monypenny. Esq. (Mayor), James Watts and W. Raynor, Esqs
'Neighbours’ Quarrels. —Frances Kidder was summoned for assaulting Elizabeth Baker. Both are married women, the complainant being an elderly person. The complainant said that on the 23rd of August, she was in the passage to her house and going indoors. The defendant at the time was breaking open a door with a pair of pincers. She said to her, You mustn't break that door open and make a thoroughfare for all sorts of people through our passage. The Defendant then used very violent language, and flung the pincers at Mrs. Baker, hitting her in the arm. Maria Henniker, wife of William Henniker, living in the same house as Mrs.Baker, corroborated her statement. Superintendent Friend was deposed to having served the defendant with the summons on the previous day, telling her the nature of it. The Defendant, who did not appear, was ordered to pay a fine of 5s with 11s. costs, in default seven days imprisonment with hard labor.
There was also trouble within their relationship according to this next article:
Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 14 November 1865
Borough Petty Sessions.—(Before W. Rayner, and J. Taylor, Esqs.)
A Ruffianly Husband.—A potato dealer and greengrocer named William Kidder, was summoned by his wife for assaulting her. The defendant did not appear. Personal service of the summons was proved by Police-constable Wright. Frances Kidder, the wife of the accused, a young woman tidily dressed with a young infant in her arms, deposed: ''On the 7th of November, my husband knocked me about very much. He did so yesterday, and also on Saturday night, and the night before. On Tuesday he struck me on the head and I knocked against a shelf, and then he kicked me on the legs. He had his boots on, and there were marks all over my legs from his kicks. On Monday night he pushed me out of the door in the pouring rain, and I was out all night. Yesterday, after he received the summons, he knocked me about again and declared he would murder me if I came here today. He said he would destroy everything in the place, and he tried to starve me and my child. We had nothing to eat yesterday or the day before. He asked me not to suckle this baby because she should not live''.—Mr. Wilks: ''This woman has before taken out summonses against her husband, but they have not come before the magistrates because she has withdrawn them''.—The Bench thought this was a case in which a warrant should be issued, and one was accordingly made out for the apprehension of the man.
Nothing seemed to have come of this, no criminal record was found for William or newspaper report follow-up, so she must have withdrawn her charge against him again.
It seems that she was the aggressive one, looking at the previous and next newspaper reports but by all accounts, he was neither a saint.
Kentish Express - Saturday 09 December 1865 8-8
THURSDAY.7 Dec 1865 —Before the Mayor and John Taylor, Esq.—Neighbours Quarrels
Frances Kidder, the wife of William Kidder, appeared to summons charged with breaking two panes of glass of the value of 10d., that of Bertha Potter. The parties were neighbours, and from some cause, totally unknown to the victim. As stated by her, the defendant threw a brickbat, which she produced in court, through her window, into a room in which she was sitting.—The Bench fined the defendant 10s. including damage and costs, allowing her a week for payment.
But sadly the above articles are nothing compared to the evil crimes she was to commit on Williams daughter Louisa, which ended with her murder on Sunday 25th August 1867 at New Romney.
He must have regretted the marriage as it seems to have been one of constant quarrels and fighting, both appearing before authorities on different occasions, sometimes it was William accusing Frances and as you've seen from the article above, sometimes it was Frances accusing William. Other times it was the neighbours accusing Frances. ''The kidders again'' became a frequent title in the Hythe news.
Mary Potter in one of the articles was a relative of Williams and on another occasion, Frances was accused of throwing water down her chimney, while Mary was sitting by her fire, She was accused of cutting the harness to Williams's Cart and accused someone else of doing it, whereby getting them punished for it.
On the 15th of February 1866 24th May she was fined for assaulting Louisa.
She was then convicted and fined for wilfully damaging a window curtain and pinafore the property of William Henniker and on June 21st, she was again fined for wilfully damaging a pair of trousers belonging to William Henniker.
She has also made her appearance at court on other occasions besides those mentioned, irrespective of the disputes between herself and her husband.
Among other accusations made against her, it is said that her husband had to conceal his money to prevent her from helping herself to it; and that on one occasion she found where it was and went and bought herself several expensive dresses.
Frances seemed to be a woman not only of violent temperament but of very cruel and malicious tendencies. She had the strongest possible hatred for Louisa and sought her vengeance upon her unceasingly.
The testimony of the neighbors goes to show that her deliberate aim must have been to kill it by ill-treatment.
For days together it was reported that she gave the poor child nothing more than a slice of bread and butter to eat and she would not allow it to sleep on a bed but made her sleep on a sack on the corner of a damp floor, and when her husband filled the sack with chaff she took it out again.
The beatings she gave the child were awful. Day after day the neighbors could hear her thrashing it heavily with a stick, and the poor girl screaming with agony. Louisa has been known to get away from her and rush out of doors covered with blood and bruises, and take refuge with some one of the neighbors, who she stayed with for days together.
The neighbors fully expected she would one day kill the child,
Their allegations to that effect were made to Superintendent Friend, of the Hythe borough police, sadly that officer treated these allegations lightly, although he seems to have told the woman Kidder what had been stated to him.
In February 1866, William Henniker took the child before the magistrates after Mrs. Kidder had been ill-treating her, (no doubt the reason she later took revenge on him, as mentioned above) She was ordered to pay a fine of £1 or to go to prison for fourteen days and at the suggestion of the magistrates William put the child out to keep, 'the child then lived for some few months in peace; but he neglect to keep the weekly payments up to the person who had her in their charge and they were obliged to send her back to her father's house, where she appears to have led the same unhappy life as before.
In July 1867 Frances was injured in an accident by being thrown out of a cart, while helping William with his work. She was laid up for a month, and they had to employ a nurse to attend to her.
The narrative of this nurse is truly harrowing; blows, curses, and threats were the daily portion of the child as soon as Mrs. Kidder could get about, and she is said to have more than once expressed her determination to kill the deceased.
When she got somewhat better, Frances went down for a week to her parent's cottage at New Romney, It was located on the eastern side of the town of New Romney, close to the Dymchurch road
She took her daughter Emma, and Louisa with her.
There Louisa seemed to have been comparatively well treated but it was said that she told a playmate she liked living at her grandmother's, for there she had enough to eat and a bed to lie on, and added, " And look at my pretty frock."
On the evening of Sunday 25th, 1867, William was to come with a cart to bring them home.
That day, Frances had declined to go out with her father and mother, and it appears she went out shortly before 8 pm, taking Louisa with her, telling a younger sister Rhoda, to take her daughter Emma, and their little brother Charley, a short distance on the Dymchurch road. Previous to taking Louisa out, her " pretty frock " had been taken off, substituted for an old one, and an old bonnet replaced the child's best hat.
When her Father and Mother returned home and found Frances and the Louisa were absent, they were alarmed and a search was immediately made for them, but without effect.
At ten o'clock Frances returned with her clothes wet and dirty and without Louisa. William had by this time arrived, and he called for the police and gave her into custody for murder.
Very soon a good deal of excitement prevailed, and a search with lanterns was commenced in the fields between the Dymchurch road and the sea. These fields are intersected with ditches; they are rather wild and lonely at night time, and not at all the locality one would choose for a walk.
In one of the ditches the deceased was found. She was then quite dead, and as the water was only a foot deep the surmise is that she was held under until she ceased to struggle. At another part of the ditch surrounding the field, the vegetation had been disturbed, as if a person had been through there and got into the next field, by which they could reach the Dymchurch road again, without going along a private footpath, which is the only means of access to the first field, and where anyone would be more likely to be noticed leaving the field.
The body was taken to the Ship Inn. It was swollen with the water, but the limbs had an emaciated appearance.
News spread fast across New Romney and Hythe.
Monday 27th August, an inquest was held on the body of the deceased child at the Town Hall
Presided over by William Dering Walker, Esq., Mayor of New Romney, and coroner for the borough by virtue of his office. The verdict: Death by drowning and wilful murder at the hands of Frances Kidder
Frances Kidder, age 24, was then brought before one of the magistrates for the county, Mr. H. B. Walker, Esq., at the Town Hall, New Romney. and was then charged with the wilful murder of Louisa Staples, aged eleven years.
The prisoner appeared to be greatly affected by the position in which she was placed and subsequently, she had several fits in the gaol, after her removal from the Court.
She is said to be a ''young woman of middle height and does not possess bad-looking countenance''. Evidence was given sufficient to justify a remand, and the further hearing was then adjourned to Wednesday.
On Wednesday 29th August, the prisoner Frances Kidder was again brought up, and placed before Mr. H. B. Walker and Mr. W. D. Walker, Esqs.
She became greatly excited during the proceedings, and went into a fit, so that it was necessary to adjourn the Court until she had recovered, and in the meantime, she was attended by a medical gentleman.
The evidence was almost precisely the same as that given at the inquest, and no additional witnesses were called.
The prisoner herself put several questions to the witnesses.
Her father John Turner stated that Louisa slept in a little crib, with one of his daughters. On Sunday evening he left his house at a quarter past seven. Frances said she did not want to go out that night, and he left her and her child, his daughter Rhoda, Williams's daughter Louisa, and their son, little boy Charley, at home.
On their return, they stopped off at Mrs. Stringer's house (which is near the cottage) at a little after eight. When he got home he sent his wife indoors. he stopped outside a little while. When he went in, he only found Rhoda and little Emma downstairs, Charley was in bed.
After he had been uptown to try and find Frances and Louisa, he went down as far as the Plough and returned to the house in about five minutes.
Finding Frances still was not in, he went uptown again and returned. He then met Mr Waters and got back again about nine o'clock with him. He went in and again, after seeing them not returned, went uptown in search, and then when he returned, and found Frances still hadn't arrived, they started a search in different directions.
On going to the house again, he heard she was indoors, and when he went in, his wife was crying. She said that William had just arrived and gone upstairs, and John went upstairs after him, carrying a candle with him.
He found Frances sitting on a box in his bedroom, with her head leaning on her hand, and her arm resting on her knees. She was dressed in a muslin dress which she had been wearing all day. She had on a muslin top, but no bonnet or hat. Her clothes were wet and dirty.
William said to her, "What have you done with my child? She made no reply. John then said, " If you have done anything wrong, you had better speak the truth about it." She made no reply to him but she said to her husband, "I don't want you" William said ''I should give her charge of the police'' and he left.
The policeman came back with William, and he said to her, " I shall give you a charge for murdering a child." She replied, " I have not done it." The policeman took the wet clothes that the prisoner had on when John first saw her, from under the bedstead. He said he did not notice whether the petticoats were wet or not. John then repeated his evidence regarding the search for and finding of the body of the deceased.
He said he had seen Louisa in the mauve dress that was produced, the last time he saw her on Sunday evening. She had also worn a black hat during the day but when the body was found she had on an old black alpaca frock.
He believed Louisa wore the alpaca frock on Sunday morning, but at dinner time Frances changed the dress for the mauve frock, so the old alpaca dress and the old brown bonnet must have been substituted for the hat and mauve frock when she left the house in the evening to go out with Frances.
Frances did not eat anything at tea time, and he asked her what was the matter, and she said her head ached very much.
Her sister Rhoda Turner age 12, then gave her evidence, she said that when she left home to go to Mr. Wheeler Cobb's, on being told to do so Frances, Louisa then had the black alpaca frock. She asked to take Louisa but Frances refused
Frances then asked her the question ''You ask me to let Louisa go'' Rhoda replied '' Yes, and you refused''.
Rhoda then spoke of a conversation between herself, Louisa, and Jane Smith, when they went with the other children down to the New Cut to wash their feet, she admitted that she did say to Louisa that she need not be afraid of wetting her feet, for she would have plenty of water soon; she would be drowned before she got home. This matter, however, was not evidence, and the girl was not pressed to give the reason she had for saying so.
Jane Smith, a local girl of 15, said that Louisa had told her on Thursday afternoon that her step-mother had tried to strangle her the previous night and showed the marks on her neck. She also said that her step-mother had told her that she meant to make off with her before she went back to Hythe; that she should drown her in dyke going along.
Another witness Eliza Evans said Mrs. Kidder was in her house on Saturday afternoon, and they were talking about different things when she asked her if that was Williams's child who was with her. She would not answer, but when she asked her again, she replied ''Yes, and I mean to get rid of her before I get home; I hate the very sight of her.” She asked her why she hated the child. She answered. ''Oh, because she is always making mischief, and there will never be any peace all the time she is alive''. She asked her, “What does Kidder say?” Frances replied, “Oh, he hates her as much as I do, and wants to get rid of her just as bad.’’ She further said, ''he calls her his bastard child'' and that She did not like other people’s bastards.
A local woman Mary Fagg gave evidence, that on Sunday she heard the suppressed cry from a child coming from the meadow where the body was found but when she looked she didn't see or hear anything further and dismissed it as nothing.
A neighbour Caroline Page said she saw the child in her old clothing leave the house on Sunday night and the mother followed her.
Corporal Isaac Sage, on the staff of the School of Musketry, Hythe, said he married a sister of the child’s grandmother ''I know William and his present wife. I know them intimately. I frequently saw Louisa, and from the statements from the child she had been very badly used by the mother-in-law. I have frequently seen her with black eyes, and bruises on her body, which she said had been given to her by her step-mother''. He said that both Frances and William had been summoned to the Court at Hythe on one occasion, for ill-treating the child. Frances was punished by the magistrates and the authorities of the town also prosecuted them
The child’s maternal grandfather, Richard Staples who lives at Selling, said he had on several times, had gone down to Hythe about the ill-treatment of the child. explaining that once the child was taken away from Frances by the police authorities at Hythe, on account of her cruel treatment and put out to keep He said ''the father, I believe, having to pay for it. I heard of the child being found drowned yesterday and I was not surprised at it, as I always feared Mrs. Kidder would make away with the child. I have known Louisa from infancy—she was small and rather cross-eyed. At one time she was a very lively, sprightly child, but lately, she has been quite dull and seemed to have no life in her. For the last two years, she hasn't been growing, so I do not doubt the ill-usage to which she has been neglected''.
The other witnesses repeated their statements from the inquest and then, Frances was duly cautioned and asked whether she wished to say anything in answer to the charge. She then made a long statement with the following effect :
''I have no thoughts of doing such a thing as you say I have. I went halfway down the seaside; turned and came back again across the tides. I got as far as Mr. Cobb's bridge and got halfway across it when two horses came up, running as fast as they could. The child ran along the bank and then fell in. I heard her go in, and I then jumped in to try and save her, but she was further along than where I went in. I screamed for help but no one came. It was some time before I got out, and when I did get out I ran home as fast could and told my mother what had happened. While I was going home I did not see anyone. I had no thoughts of doing such a thing: I had been laid up, and I brought the child down for a change along with myself. We walked down from Hythe, and it was dark. It was nearly eleven o'clock before we got here''
(Note: The prisoner's object here maybe was to show that she had the opportunity to destroy the child when coming from Hythe if she had been inclined to do so)
''I should not have stayed so long at Romney but I expected my husband down. He knew where I was gone but never liked to come down here at all. I took the child thinking it would be a change for her as well as me. I have always done my best for them all. William always said if he got half a chance he would serve me out, and tell any lie against me. He once ill-used me very much and locked out of doors. I had him up for it, and he has been against me ever since. His child has been with us for two years. I did my best for her by getting her clothes, keeping her clean, and sending her to school. I could not do as I wanted because I had not the means; he would not let me have a farthing. The clothes I have, I had before I wed him''
''Gentlemen, I call it heart-breaking to anyone, to come up and tell the same that girl (Jane Smith) did; for I never knew her. Also that soldier (Corporal Sage) said he came to my house to tea, when I never saw him before. I have always kept myself respectable before I was married, and I have more so since, for my living.
I never did anyone any harm, nor yet wished them any. I have endeavoured to do my best for everyone, and if I could help any friends I have always done so. I have only been out two nights since I have been here, and then I was out with my father and mother. I have not been out since Sunday night last when I went out to meet them. I never cared to go out here, I
wanted to get home again, and I was expecting my husband down; that is why I stayed so long before I went out that evening. I have nothing more to say''
(Note: Clearly lies as she had an illegitimate child with William and the numerous times she was up in court for harm towards others)
The prisoner was then committed to take her for trial for wilful murder at the next assizes. She was brought to Ashford the next morning on route to Maidstone, and at the Ashford police station, she was seized with strong fits which lasted several hours and delayed her journey.
It was finally committed to Crown Court on 12th March 1868 before Justice J B Byles
Mr. Byrone and Mr. Dering were for the prosecution. Mr. Channell (at the request of the learned Judge) assisted by the Hon. E Stanhope stood for the defence.
Frances appeared quiet, though she eagerly watched every witness. From the commencement of the judge’s summing up, she seemed very nervous and excited.
After 6 hours of hearing all the witnesses and evidence again, the jury retired and returned after 12 minutes with a verdict of guilty.
Frances was then asked the usual question if she had any reason to show why the sentence of death should not be passed, She replied in a low voice, “No.”.
The learned Judge then assumed the black cap, and addressing the prisoner said:
''Frances Kidder, you have been convicted upon the most conclusive evidence of the murder of this poor child, Louisa Kidder Staples. The sentence I am about to pass is not mine, but the sentence of the law of the land, that you be taken to the place from whence you came, and from thence to the place of execution, and there you be hanged by the neck until you are dead, and may the Lord have mercy upon your soul''
When the sentence was pronounced she resumed her former cool behaviour, and she walked firmly from the dock.
The Mayor of Hythe and other gentlemen have shown an interest and have petitioned the Home Office for a commutation of the sentence but it was declined.
The Home Office fixed the date for her execution to be on 2nd April 1868
When the character of the man to whom it was the lot of the unfortunate woman to allied became known, some little commiseration would be extended towards him.
Shortly after her condemnation, William took up with her sister and cohabited with her.
She was visited by William and some friends but there was some ill feeling between her and William, with Frances criticizing her husband, for not providing her with counsel and taunting him for cohabitating with her sister.
After he left she broke down in tears and her shrieks were fearful to hear. William couldn't bear to hear it and tried to hurry out but Rev Fraser compelled him to remain and said he hoped this situation would make him change his ways. William promised the Rev Fraser he would break communication and begged him to let him leave.
She had asked him to visit her again several times after but he had ignored all communication.
She was visited by her parents, 2 of her youngest sisters, and her young brother Charley
On Wednesday night, the day before her execution, the chaplain left and she settled around 11 pm.
She was said to have slept soundly till the morning, and at seven o'clock was again visited by the chaplain, and after engaging in prayer, partook of breakfast, and was then escorted to the chapel. Her demeanour during service was reported as perfectly composed but on leaving chapel to be led to the pinioning rooms, she burst out into agonising screams, which she subdued directly as Rev. Fraser entered the room.
During the morning she had written two letters one to her husband and another to her parents, and received one from her husband subsequently.
After listening to the exhortations of her spiritual adviser The executioner William Chalcraft entered for pinioning,
By the advice of Rev Fraser she closed her eyes, holding the chaplain's hands within her own, and submitting without murmur, repeating as the operation proceeded, the prayers that were read to her.
Leaning on the arm of the chaplain she walked slowly and falteringly to the scaffold, in company with Mr. Hurley, the undersheriff. When on the scaffold, two of the warders stood close to her in case their aid might have been required but happily it was not. Then after ensuring the process of the executioner, and adjusting the rope was done, they entered earnestly into prayer with the Chaplain, and when the fatal bolt was drawn the last word she was heard to utter was "Jesus." Her struggles though great and long, were more apparent than real, in as much the oscillation of her fragile body was mistaken for pangs.
The assembly was large but not so numerous on some other occasions, but to their disgrace, there was a greater number of females than had been present or several years past but it was a child murdered by a so-called mother figure.
After the body had been suspended for an hour it was cut down and buried in the cemetery of the prison.
A contemporary having commented on the case, excusing Kidder's conduct to his wife, Mr. B. Furley, the undersheriff writes as follows:—
"The public is not prepared to endorse your remarks of Saturday last, on this melancholy case, and they will not agree with you and believe that the husband was "more sinned against than sinning," because he is convicted on his confession of guilt and infamy. I will not dwell on his conduct; while there is life there is hope, and pray he may be brought to a sense of his guilt, and amend his ways before it is too late, and while the door of repentance is open to him. Object in writing is to direct the public attention to the fate of the wife. The laws of God and man have been vindicated, but is there no lesson to be learned? We have in an important county of this Christian country, a young woman, aged 25, committed for wilful murder, who, when she entered into prison (which now contains her mortal remains) could neither read nor write, was ignorant of her bible and a crucified Saviour, and who ridiculed a future state of reward and punishment. She was born in New Romney, possessing one of the best national schools in the county, and to which the corporations are liberal contributors. The vicar of the parish is an energetic man, who pays great attention to the education of the children of the poor. Where then does the blame rest? First, of course, with the parents. The father could, at last, take a book into the condemned cell and open it, and expressed to the chaplain a wish that a prayer should be offered up, and could kneel with his wife and join in it. But oh how different might have been the fate of his child, if that book had been opened in his cottage by himself and his wife when reason first began to dawn on that child. I fear in this case the father had no regular employer; but, as a rule, do the masters sufficiently cooperate with the clergy in endeavoring to educate and cultivate gospel truths among the children of their laborers? so, would such fearful ignorance exist? Does not a case like this strengthen the hands of those who to make education compulsory, and levy a rate for that purpose? Frances Kidder (with a violent temper which had never been controlled) was committed on the of August last, and fortunate for her there were no Winter Assizes. By the persevering efforts of the chaplain (the Rev W. F. C. S. Frazer), she was taught to read a little and had committed a prayer or two to memory. The governor (Major Bannister) the matron, and all the attendants were most kind to her and ever ready to assist in instructing her, but until the last two or three days there was no material change in her conduct. She was most anxious about the future welfare of her child, and it is to be hoped that some steps will be taken (if the husband will consent to it), to place her where she may be better taken care of than her mother was. I, of course, make these remarks as one of the public, and not in my official capacity."
As told in a previous Blog of Ann Lawrence, the first woman to be hung in Public at Maidstone, just a year before, in 1866. Just over a year later, Frances became the last woman to be publicly hanged in Britain.
On the Tuesday before her execution, William was observed carousing in company with a married sister of the deceased known as Ruth Cuddy, with the little daughter of Frances, in a public house near the prison. On Wednesday he again visited the same house, but this time in company with the sister he is cohabiting with.
During the day of execution, he was said to have watched the erection of the gallows in the most callous demeanour and that evening had paid a visit to a musical entertainment.
These facts could prove that he is a most abandoned and hardened character but he is also a man who has had his daughter murdered by his wife.
At about ten o'clock on the evening of her execution between 200 and 300, classed in the papers as 'rough' people congregated in front of Kidder's house in Hythe, hooting, yelling, and hissing. His effigy was burnt in the middle of the street. Kidder decided it best to beat his retreat from his residence, by the back way. Stones were thrown, they hooted, hissed, and shouted to their heart's content for some time, but they gradually dispersed.
Life after
The letters Francis and William wrote to each other is unknown but William seemed to have changed his ways
William took care of their daughter Emma, living alone with her in their home on Theatre Street Hythe. He never lived with any other woman and he died in 1908 at age 81 and is buried in St Leonard's Churchyard Hythe on 4th July
Emma lived with her father until at age 26, she married Benjamin Thomas Jones a house decorator in 1891 they moved to East Ham in London and moved back to Hythe after her father's death, and died in November 1949 at St Helens Hospital, Hastings, Sussex age 84 and was buried 8 Nov 1949 at Spring Lane Horn Street Cemetery Hythe.
His other Daughter Ellen Kidder Staples removed her middle name, Kidder, and became a general servant. She married in 1908 age 49 in Elham to Walter Lindsey age 42 a Gamekeeper from Great Tew, Oxfordshire and they had 5 children. She died in 1942 age 91 in Ashford Kent
Frances's stepfather John James Turner died age 52 on June 1871 and was buried in the Local cemetery in New Romney on 21st June.
Shortly before his death daughters Rhoda age 16 and Harriett age 13 were sent to the workhouse, as found in the April 1871 census.
Her mother Francis had moved to the Maidstone area and died in 1878 at age 52. it is currently unclear whether she is buried with John or somewhere in Maidstone.
Her sister Ruth the married sister who had been seen out with William on the evening of her sister's death, had married a military man named William Cuddy in 1865 in Dover. She collapsed and died at her house in Dover on 26th Jan 1869, age 23 years. She had suffered from lung disease and is buried at St. Mary Parish, Dover.
The other sister that he was co-habituating with, I have concluded was Mary Jane who was 20 at the time of her sister's death and living in lodgings. The others were either married or too young. She eventually moved to London, spending time between Lodgings and the workhouses, then in 1901 age 57 she was found working as a Housekeeper for George Lawrence a rag and bone man in Udimore Sussex, using the surname Beer and starting married, but unable to find any marriage for her using that name, so possibly an alias. In the 1911 census, she is down as his wife, using his surname Lawrence, claiming a marriage of 3 years but again no marriage record was found, so possibly cohabitating. She lived with him in Udimore Sussex until she died in 1926 at age 79 and she was buried on 7th Jun in the local cemetery.
Her sister Rhoda, who took the children out the day of the murder, I could write a whole blog on her, She must have suffered with guilt, due on her part of putting her sister to the gallows and being put into the workhouse and her parents' deaths couldn't have helped with her mental health.
She had several alias names. At age 18, She married William Hopkins Hogben in 1873, using the name Rose Turner but he separated from her due to her debts and gave this notice:
''I William H Hogben of Risborough Lane, Cheriton, hereby give notice that I will not be responsible for any Debts contracted by my wife, ROSE HOGBEN, on and after this date. (Signed) WILLIAM HOGBEN..July 2nd, 1889. He died the following year in 1890.
Their children went into service or to the workhouse and she became a homeless drunk. over the years before her death.
She had gained over 80 convictions against her from all around Kent, mainly being drunk and disorderly and foul language but also theft and prostitution are on the list. She tried to commit suicide several times and spent time in Maidstone and Lewes Prison, along with various workhouses around the County.
She used names of ''Rose Hogben'' ''Annie Hogben'' ''Rose Hollands'' ''Annie Hollands'' she felt the police were out to get her and even told one judge that her husband would come back to her one day...I believe this to be a man called Richard Hollands, a man who came from an honest background, a carter with a wife and children, until his wife died and the children went into service or the workhouse and he became another habitual convict, who she met some point.
They were both in court together for the crime of stealing a a basket of goods from James Parratt in Cranbrook 1906. Richard was given 6 months and after leaving prison,went back to Battle. Ronda pleaded guilty and was given 3 months hard labour, so he no doubt disappeared from her life at that time. There is no evidence they ever married but she used his surname She eventually died in Cranbrook Kent on 16th Sept 1915 at age 60 and was buried in Cranbrook Cemetery in Kent
Sources
South London Chronicle - Saturday 28 March 1868 ''The Convict Killer'' pg 6-6
Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 16 March 1868 pg 2 ''The jury then retired, and after An absence of twelve minutes they returned into court with a verdict of guilty''.
Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 03 September 1867 pg 6-6 SHOCKING MURDER OF A CHILD AND BARBARITY OF A STEP MOTHER.
Maidstone Journal and Kentish Advertiser - Monday 02 September 1867 pg 7-7 SHOCKING MURDER OF A CHILD BY HER STEP MOTHER
Folkestone Express, Sandgate, Shorncliffe & Hythe Advertiser - Saturday 14 March 1868 - New Romney Murder pg 4-4
Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers' Gazette - Saturday 09 September 1865 BOROUGH PETTY SESSlONS
Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 14 November 1865 pp 8-8 HYTHE
Kentish Express - Saturday 09 December 1865 8-8 NEIGHBOUR QUARRELS
Kentish Gazette - Tuesday 03 September 1867 SHOCKING MURDER OF A CHILD AND BARBARITY OF A STEP MOTHER. pg 6-6
Maidstone Telegraph - Saturday 11 April 1868 THE EXECUTION OF FRANCES KIDDER AT MAIDSTONE. pg 2 -2
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).
Pictures and historical info from Wikipedia https://www.wikipedia.org/
댓글