Ellen Medhurst kills her Daughter Olive
Ellen Medhurst was the 5th of 8 children born to William Medhurst, an engineer Blacksmith from Chalvington in the Wealden District of East Sussex, and Lydia Ellis from Ringmer in the Lewes District of East Sussex
In April 1891 age 11, she was living in Vicarage Lane Hellingly with elementary Schoolmaster Mr. Samuel Hocking and his family, along with her older sister Elizabeth Annie age 15 who was their general servant. Ellen was going to school. Her parents and siblings lived in Lower Dicker Hellingly, an hour's walk away.
By March 1901, both girls had moved out of Hellingly and were living in Eastbourne, Sussex. Elizabeth Ann was working as a live-in parlor-maid for Kenneth Frazer, a Doctor of Medicine from Ireland in Upton Lodge, Devonshire Park, while Emily was at the 60 Seaside, working as a live-in domestic servant for Henry Frampton, a Butcher and his family
She was living at 48 Sidley Rd Eastbourne when she married 27-year-old Thomas Henry Moore at Eastbourne Christ Church, Sussex on 8 Jun 1907 . Thomas was born in Grimsby Lincolnshire but sometime after his father's death, in 1886, when he was 11, his mother moved down to Middlesex. He eventually became a plasterer and lived in Walthamstow,
After they married, Ellen moved to Walthamstow to enjoy married life and in Nov 1908, she gave birth to their first child a son they named Stanley Thomas
In April 1911, they were living at 11 Elmfield Rd, Walthamstow, and in Sept, she gave birth to their daughter Olive Lydia Ellen, Lydia in memory of her beloved mother who passed away in 1909.
Their life carried on, with Thomas and his plastering, while she raised their children, until tragedy struck in 1914. Her husband Thomas became ill and died of Consumption in Nov, leaving her a widow with 2 young children.
He was buried at Queens Road cemetery in Waltham Forest London on 20th Nov.
In December, She went to Eastbourne with her children and stayed for a few days with her sister Alice, who had married James Winborne in 1897 but remained in Eastbourne and had 2 young boys. She then left her son Stanley, with her brother Thomas Medhurst in Latimer Road Eastbourne. He had married Mary Arnold in 1905 but they didn't have children.
Ellen then took Olive and went to Wadhurst, to stay with her sister Elizabeth, who had married Harry Puttick a dairy farmer in 1905 and was living on a Walland farm, Shovers Green Wadhurst. Sussex
In December, Wadhurst was startled by a tragedy.
The news got around the village on Friday that Mrs. Ellen Moore, of Walthamstow, and her little girl, Olive Lydia Moore, aged three years, were missing from the farm.
On December 19th, 1914 a woman was charged with being a person apparently of unsound mind, found wandering at large in the High Street of Tunbridge Wells.
That same day, the woman was assisted into Court by the Police Matron and two constables and was allowed to be seated.
P.C. Tucker was the first witness. He stated that he saw the woman at 4 a.m. in Tunbridge Wells High Street, and she told him her name was Emily Smith. She said: " I murdered my child two days ago at Wadhurst." She added that the child's name was Olive and that she was three years of age.
Dr. Linton, the Police Surgeon, stated that he saw the woman in custody earlier in the morning, but she was not then, so violent as she had been since. She was suffering from acute depression and kept talking about her little girl, whom she said she had murdered. He was then able to certify the woman as being insane.
The Bench made an order for women to be handed over to the proper authorities.
Chief Constable Prior then asked that the order be not carried out, as he had communicated with Major Laing, Chief Constable for East Sussex, who was going to have the woman arrested on another charge.
The Mayor replied, ''So far as this Bench is concerned the order stands''.
That woman's name was Ellen, but her surname was Moore and on Saturday 19th Dec, at 4 am, Ellen was found in High Street, Tunbridge Wells, by the police constable, and later that day she was charged by the police court with being a person apparently of unsound mind, found wandering the streets and she kept in the cells.
On Sunday 20th, the body of little Olive was found in a pond, close to Brinkers Lane, behind Walland Farm at Wadhust.
On Tuesday 22nd December the inquest into the circumstances of the death, of the child, Olive Lydia Moore, was held at the Greyhound Hotel, Wadhurst, by Mr. Herbert Sprott, Deputy Coroner for the district.
Before any evidence was taken the Coroner and jury visited the scene of the tragedy. This proceeding occupied over half an hour. Superintendent Criddle was present representing the East Sussex Police.
Mr. Charles Luck was chosen as foreman of the jury.
Mrs. Moore, was unable to attend the inquest.
The Deputy Coroner said he did not propose to open the inquiry at any length. Because most of them had probably heard of the circumstances under which they had met to enquire into the death of the little child. If the evidence substantiated the reports, that had been heard. There could be no doubt that they could come to only one verdict. One thing he would like to explain to them—they had to enquire only as to how, when, and by what means the child came by her death.
The state of mind of the person to whom the death might be attributed did not concern them.
Harry Stephen Puttick was the first witness. He stated that he was a dairyman, and lived at Upper Walland Farm, The dead child was his niece, the mother, Mrs. Ellen Moore, being her sister in Law, and Elizabeth Ann was his wife.
He did not know when the child was born, as he was away at the time in Canada. Mrs. Moore had been staying at his house for the past fortnight. She was the widow of Mr. Thomas Moose, who died a little more than a month ago. Mr. Moore was a plasterer, and his wife and child had lived with him at Walthamstow.
They lived very happily together and immediately after her husband's death, Mrs. Moore went to live with her other sister Alice at Eastbourne, and then came to Wadhurst. He stated she was not well off financially after her husband's death.
The Coroner then questioned him ''On December 17th she was in your house?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes.''
The Coroner: ''Did you have lunch together?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes, I saw her at dinnertime. I saw her come downstairs with the little girl, both dressed and ready for a walk''.
The Coroner: ''Did you give her a lift?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes. She started from the house before I did and I gave her a lift after I had passed the first meadow, as far as the road''.
The Coroner: ''She had left the house while you went to fetch your milk cart?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes, and I overtook her.''
The Coroner ''What time was this?''
Harry Replied: ''About 1 o'clock.''
The Coroner: ''Did you have any conversation?''
Harry Replied: ''She said Olive was afraid of the mud in the meadow, and I gave them a lift to the main road between Wadhurst and Ticehurst. She said it would do the child good to have a little exercise, she got out of the cart with the child and walked towards Wadhurst''.
The Coroner: ''Did you notice anything unusual about her?''
Harry Replied: ''No.'
The Coroner: ''Did you see her again?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes. I was returning from my milk round. I saw her in Wadhurst High Street near the hospital for wounded Belgian soldiers''
The Coroner: ''What time was this?''
Harry Replied: ''A little after 4 o'clock''.
The Coroner: ''In which direction was She going?''
Harry Replied: ''Towards the railway station.''
The Coroner: ''So you never saw her again that day or that night?''
Harry Replied: ''No''.
The Coroner: ''You never saw the child again?''
Harry Replied: ''No''.
The Coroner: ''The mother did not return''.
Harry Replied: ''No''
The Coroner: ''You got anxious?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes. Soon after seven o'clock in the evening, as she had not returned. I took a lantern and went in search as far as the main road. I called on my brother-in-law. I thought it was better, for him to come and help. I thought my sister-in-law might have missed her step and walked into the pond''
The Coroner: ''Did you make inquiries?''
Harry Replied: ''Yes, I made inquiries to Durgates. but could learn nothing. I thought she might have gone to Tunbridge Wells, as she had a relative living there, I reported the matter to the police on that afternoon''.
Elizabeth Ann, the wife of the previous witness and sister of Mrs Moore, said Olive was born on September 3rd three years ago.
The Deputy Coroner: ''Was the mother fond of the child?''
Elizabeth ''Yes, she was passionately fond of her''
The Coroner: ''Was this her only child?''
Elizabeth: ''She has another child, a 7-year-old boy. This was the second child''.
The Coroner: ''Since she came to you has mother shown any signs of weakness?''
Elizabeth: ''Yes, but only when we were alone''.
The Coroner: ''Has she ever threatened to take the child's life?''
Elizabeth: ''Never the child's life; only her own. She has threatened that many times''
The Coroner: ''Was she depressed after her husband's death?''
Elizabeth: ''Yes. and during the time he was sick. He had started work again after the six-month strike, and then he took tuberculosis in the throat. She would not believe he was sick. She nursed him herself, and his death came as great. shock to her'' _
The Coroner: ''Has she threatened to take her life?''
Elizabeth: ''Yes, many times, but I did not take much notice, as I was convinced that she was mad at the time. I asked the doctor if my sister's brain was affected, but he replied it was her heart''.
''When her husband's coffin was screwed down she insisted upon It being opened again so that she might take a last look. She seemed to go into a dream and has never been herself again. The doctor gave her some drugs, but she had run out of them. While at my house she kept running with the child to the fire, saying she was sure Olive was sick. She was very much devoted to this little girl.''
The Coroner: ''Was she epileptic?''
Elizabeth: ''No, but she suffered with her heart''
Thomas Frederick Powell said he was an assistant at Mr. O. T. Corke and Son, grocers, of Wadhurst. He stated that a woman dressed in black, accompanied by a little girl, entered the shop. As far as he could remember, she asked for a bottle of whisky for 2/8 and a pennyworth of bananas. She was only in the shop for a few minutes, he didn't recognize her and she seemed just like an ordinary customer
The Coroner: ''Is there any other grocer that sells the same brand of whisky Wadhurst?''
An empty brandy bottle was produced
Mr. Powell replied ''l don't think so'', and the witness stated that he was not clear as to whether it was the whisky he sold to the lady.
Edward James Thomas, a Greengrocer and general dealer, of Wadhurst, stated that on Thursday, December 17th, at about 6 p.m., he gave a lift in his cart to a lady and a little girl. The lady was carrying a bottle, which she said was brandy. The witness was not certain whether the bottle produced was the same one. It seemed to him that the bottle of brandy was full when the lady got into his cart. He drove the pair as far as Black Farm corner, Brinkers' Lane, on their way to Walland Farm. She did not mention the names of the people she was going to. The witness saw her go down the lane.
Arthur John Lockyer, a painter, of Wadhurst. said he knew the little girl and her mother, he had worked at the farm. On Thursday evening, at about 8.50 pm, he was in Wadhurst High Street, when he saw Mrs. Moore walking towards the village. She appeared to be very excited. She was walking from one side of the path to the other and was throwing herself about in an extraordinary way, which attracted his attention.
The Deputy Coroner: ''Would you say she was the worst for a drink?''
He replied ''No, it did not strike me that that was the case, but she was very excited''.
The Deputy Coroner: ''Was she by herself?''
He replied ''Yes''
Police Officer Knight, of Wadhurat, stated that on Friday. December 18th. he was informed by Mr. Puttick of the disappearance of Mrs. Moore and her child. He at once made inquiries and instituted a search, which was continued on Saturday.
On Sunday he went to the pond at the corner of Brinkers' Lane, and there he saw the body of a child partly in the water, about three feet from the bank. At this part of the water was about 2ft. deep. The body was fully dressed, with the exception that the right-hand glove was removed. The body was that of the child Olive. She was wearing a coat, the top button of which was done up, but the other two buttons were missing. Witness produced two buttons, to each of which a small piece of cloth was attached.
The Deputy Coroner: ''You found these buttons? ''
P.C Knight replied ''Yes. on the bank. also, I found an empty bottle (the brandy bottle produced} floating near the edge of the pond. The bottle smelt strongly of spirits and the top was broken off''.
The witness Powell, was recalled and said the bottle produced was similar to the one he sold to the lady in black who went to Mr. Corke's shop. The bottle he sold had a cork stopper and not a glass stopper.
Her sister Elizabeth was recalled:
The Deputy Coroner (to Mrs. Puttick): ''You recognize the coat as that worn by the little girl?''
Mrs,. Puttick replied ''Yes''. She added that she could not understand her sister drinking spirits, as it was a thing she never did.
The foreman: ''Has this woman, been addicted to drink at any time?
Mrs. Puttick: ''Never. She had only one drink of brandy, which the doctor ordered her when her husband died''. she added, neither Mrs. Moore nor her husband was accustomed to drinking.
P.C. Tucker, of the Tunbridge Wells Borough Police, stated that at about 4 a.m. on December 19th, he saw a lady, who was afterward identified as Mrs. Moore, wandering in High Street, Tunbridge Wells.
He said to her "What are you doing here?" and she replied "You had better take me to the police station. I murdered my child two days ago. and threw her in a pond at Wadhurst''. She then continued ''I lost my husband about a month ago at Walthamstow. He died of consumption. After his death, I went to stay with a sister in Eastbourne, and from there I went to another sister at Wadhurst. On Thursday afternoon I left my sister's house with the intention of murdering my child and then committing suicide. I had already bought two pennyworth oxalic acid from a chemist at Wadhurst. I took hold of the child intending to strangle her but my nerves failed me''. She went on to say ''I had a bottle of brandy with me, and I had a drink. That seemed to buck me up a bit. I then took hold of the child strangled her with my hands, and then threw her into the pond''.
PC Tucker said he took the woman to the police station. On the way to the police station, she asked him if she could take his arm, as she was wet. and had had no food since Thursday. The woman was drenched to the skin.
The Deputy Coroner: ''Did she say where she had been?''
PC Tucker replied: ''She said she had been walking about since Thursday'', and added that she had had nothing to eat or drink since she had left her sister's house
The foreman: ''Did she volunteer this statement to you as you have given it?''
PC Tucker replied ''Yes, and she repeated it at the police station''
A juror: ''She was wet through owing to the rain—not through being in the pond?''
PC Tucker replied: ''Oh. no. It was only the rain''.
Dr. Charles Herbert Fazan said he was called to the pond at Brinker' Lane on Sunday, and there saw the body of the child. He noticed that the second and third buttons on the child's coat had torn off. and the material with them. The child was wearing a necklace of artificial pearls. The necklace was not torn, nor were any of the beads crushed. A scarf round the throat was not tied but was merely folded. The body was quite stiff when taken from the pond, and the legs and arms were bent. The thumbs were turned into the palms of the hands. There was no trace of any marks of injury on the body, except a very light wound over the right eyelid. This mark was probably caused after death. There were no signs of any pressure on the neck. Both eye! and mouth were firmly closed, and the face had a perfectly tranquil expression. He made a post-mortem examination on Monday and proceeded to give details of the state of the organs. He mentioned that there were signs of the child having experienced difficulty in breathing. He could find no trace of any violence having been used. He concluded that the cause of death was suffocation by drowning and shock.
The Deputy Coroner: ''You have heard what Mrs. Moore said to the police constable at Tunbridge Wells. Your examination is not quite consistent with her statement. Would possible that the child was thrown into the pond in a fainting condition, but still alive?''
Dr Fazan replied ''Yes. It was impossible to say if an attempt at strangulation was made from the back of the neck, but I am clear that death was not due to strangulation, but drowning. There were no traces of any poison, such as oxalic acid, or alcohol''.
The Deputy Coroner said that it was a sad inquiry because he thought they could come to only one conclusion if they used, as they were entitled to, not only the evidence they had heard but also their skill and ability. He thought there could not be very much doubt in their minds that, if they believed the evidence, the woman had killed her child.
The only way, it seemed, that they could connect the lady seen by the various witnesses, with Mrs. Moore, was that she had a bottle.
The state of her mind would be dealt with by another jury.
He mentioned that because he was sure they would not be led away by sympathy, but would their duty. They must all feel very great sympathy with the relatives, particularly the sister and brother-in-law.
Mrs. Moore had been brought up before the Bench at Tunbridge Wells and found to be insane, but that must not affect their verdict in any way.
The foreman announced the jury's verdict in the following terms: "Olive Lydia Moore met her death on the night of December 17th by suffocation from drowning, believed to caused her mother throwing her into the pond."
The Deputy Coroner: That is a verdict of "Wilful Murder" in law—but in law only.
The jury asked that their fees be devoted toward the funeral expenses of the child.
The Deputy Coroner responded ''I think that was a very nice expression of feeling on your part, gentlemen'.
Mrs. Moore was then arrested for her murder and conveyed to Mark Cross police court, where she made a formal appearance before the magistrates on Tuesday 22 December at the Mark Cross Petty Sessions before Mr. H. O. Dixon (in the chair). Sir Horace Walpole, Mr. J. B. Powell, Mr. D. Watson-Smyth. Mr. G. Watson, Mr. J. Waddington, Mr. T. Parsons, and Mr. O. T. Corke.
Ellen Moore was charged with the wilful murder of her child. Olive Lydia. aged three years, at Wadhurst, on December 17th.
Police Sergeant for Wadhurst stated that at 5 p.m. the previous day 21st December, he found the prisoner detained at Tunbridge Wells police station. He said to her "I am going to take you to Mark Cross on a charge of murder."
Ellen commenced to make an incoherent statement in Court but was quietened.
The Police Sergeant then continued with his evidence, He said the woman said nothing at the time, but when he took her Mark Cross and charged her with the wilful murder of her child Olive, she said "I have swallowed a ring, so that I may die."
On this evidence, Superintendent Criddle asked for a remand until the following Tuesday, which was granted.
On 24 December little Olive's body was laid to rest by her family at St Peter and St Paul Parish Church Wadhurst Sussex
On 29th December, at a special sitting with Mr H G Dixon, the presiding Magistrate.
Ellen was said to be looking very pale and was accompanied by a Police Matron, who assisted her into court. No further evidence was produced and she was remanded until the following Tuesday.
On Tuesday 5th January 1915 just after noon with Mr H G Dixon in the chair Admiral Finnis and Mr J Hallett assisting, Ellen was again brought out with the assistance of a Matron. The delay was due to waiting for a solicitor working on behalf of the Treasury but after about an hour, an announcement was received to the effect that another remand was desired. Supt Criddle then formally applied to the court for another remand, til the following Tuesday, which was accepted by the court. This was followed by more delays and postponements, which must have been hard and frustrating for the witnesses and her family, as they had to attend each time.
Finally at the beginning of March Ellen was due to appear in court before Justice Thomas Horridge, at the Sussex Assizes
Mr. Miles Hansell, who had been instructed to appear for the prosecution, stated that the prisoner had been certified as insane under the criminal lunatic act. The case therefore would not come to trial.
He requested that the witnesses be discharged and the trial postponed indefinitely.
The warrant produced stated that Ellen had been removed from prison to Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum in Crowthorne Berkshire on 12th February, so the Judge accepted and did his duty to release the witnesses and end the proceedings of the trial.
Ellen remained at Broadmoor until her death, on 28 Nov 1918 from Pulmonary Tuberculosis. I assume she is buried at Broadmoor Cemetery.
Life after of her son
Her son Stanley Thomas age 6 at the time, remained with his Uncle Thomas. Sadly he suffered the same fate as his mother and he died on 6th Aug 1924, age 15, at Gildredge Hospital Eastbourne, which was solely for those suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis, which he had suffered from for 8 months.
Sources
1. West Sussex Gazette (1914) ‘ WADHURST ’, 24 December, pp. 12-12
2. Kent & Sussex Courier (1914) ‘ WADHURST CHILD TRAGEDY’, 25 December, 6-6
3. Kent & Sussex Courier (1914) ‘ TUNBRIDGE WELLS BOROUGH BENCH’, 25 December, pp. 6-6
4. Kent & Sussex Courier (1915) ‘THE WADHURST MURDER CASE’, 01 January , pp. 3-3
5. Kent & Sussex Courier (1915) ‘ ANOTHER REMAND ’, 08 January, pp. 6-6
6. Kent & Sussex Courier (1915) ‘ DISTRICT NEWS ’, 05 March 1915 , pp. 7-7
7. 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).
8. Archive, T.B.N. (no date) History’s colorful stories in black and white, Home | Search the archive | British Newspaper Archive. Available at: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ (Accessed: 11 February 2024).
9. Pictures and historical info from Wikipedia https://www.wikipedia.org/
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