Surrey – Death On My Doorstep

1/ Farnham Murder, July 1878

2/ Albury Heath Child Murder, near Guildford, February 1852

The body of a three-year male old child was discovered in a well near Albury Heath, about 150 feet down. It was examined due to information that had been given to police. It appears that the child had gone missing about a year ago when the mother of the child said it was in London with relatives and later on told neighbours that he had died there. Tongues were chattering and suspicion always hung above them when police followed up a lead that suggested they killed the boy and his body was down the well. The kindly member of the public who grassed on the husband was the wife herself! The clothes were still intact and identifiable but the little body was not. (Was he found guilty?/Who was he?).

3/ Addlestone, August 1910 (Strange Suicide Note)

Edward Guy Maunder’s body was found in the village by the road-side and in his pocket was this weirdly worded offering :

“I hope no worthy person will trouble me to wake up. I have selected this spot to take a good sleep out of doors, and see passing motors and bikes on awakening. A small dose of Chlorodyne will have the desired effect, about thirty drops more or less. When I get back I must remember to remind dear B—-. She is certain to recover. I must tell her this often, it encourages her, and it is also quite true.” -In another pocket was another bottle of chlorodyne and near the body was a pen-knife which he’d stabbed himself in the chest with. Verdict- “Suicide whilst temporarily insane”.

4/ Englefield Green Suicide, March 1898

5/ Woking Cemetery Murder, January 1884

An unknown female’s body was found at Woking Necropolis, with a bullet wound to the head. At first glance, it was thought to be a case of suicide, but the coroner now believes that because of the way the body was carefully laid out and the gun placed in her lap, is now being treated as a murder. She could not have shot herself then fallen in that exact position that she was found. The woman was well-dressed and in her mid-forties, and was found in a secluded, little -used part of the cemetery. (Does anyone know who she was or where it was in the cemetery?)

6/ Staines Parish Church April 1901 (Corpse in Church)

A discovery was made at Staines Parish Church that literally shook the town to its core. William Kent, a jeweller, had been missing for a week or so. That little mystery of his whereabouts has now been cleared up when they discovered his dead corpse in the clock tower of the church. He had gone to wind the clock (it was his weekly job to do so) and then committed suicide. Another person who worked for Kent went to wind the clock due to his absence and they found him there.

7/ Banstead Fatal Fire, November 1885

8/ Redhill, September 1859

A terrible accident took place at Redhill in Surrey, at the country seat of Mr J.Thornton of Westbourne Grove, Paddington. His seven-year-old son was playing on a swing in the garden and somehow got the rope tangled around his neck and strangled himself. There was no-one around and his feet didn’t touch the floor, so it was a case of him slowly choking till he passed out and he finally died.

9/ Normandy Infanticide, January 1906

The village of Normandy in Surrey saw an awful act of infanticide committed by a mother on her tiny child. The woman cut the head off her little girl, after going for a drive with her husband and the nurse. She was alone for a minute with the child in the dining-room when she picked up a knife and slit its throat. The woman then told the nurse of her actions, and she was taken to Farnham and remanded. (Names?)

10/ Chertsey (Accidental Drowning) October 1908

An accident that ended up with a fatality occurred at Shepperton Weir near Chertsey. George Smith, who worked for the Thames Conservancy, was standing on a barge near the weir when he was knocked by the steering handle and fell into the water. A search revealed nothing for over two hours, but finally, his body was found.

11/ Godalming Suicide, July 1895

12/ Three Pigeons Hotel Suicide, Guildford, April 1898

A gentleman who was described as “foreign-looking”, had stayed at the Three Pigeons Hotel in Guildford for a night. When staff went to his room in the morning they found his naked body with a stab wound to the heart. He never gave a name the previous night, and he is currently a John Doe. It is thought to be a suicide, as he had a substantial amount of cash on his person and none was missing. (Who was he?)

13/ Sodenhalt (Child Remains) December 1889

A gardener was going about his work at a large house in Sodenhalt, Surrey, when he came across a parcel in the bushes, and when it was opened it contained the mutilated corpse of an infant girl. Police surgeons found that the head, legs and its arms, had all been cut off, the arms at the elbow. The missing limbs were not found or indeed part of the package. (What large house?)

14/ Reigate Park Suicide, December 1899

Reigate Park is a lovely valley near to Reigate town and it was here that the decomposed body of an old man was discovered by a shooting party. The body was well-dressed and had £1 in his pocket. The suicide weapon, a revolver, lay near the body with a couple of chambers having been discharged. The gunshot wound to the head was a fatal one. A paper was found on the body and was an issue from June, and also a card with “Charles K.Heather, Great Titchfield Street”.

15/ Ashford/Shepperton, June 1885 (Fratricide)

16/ Guildford, (Human Remains) February 1863

The road from Guildford to Merrow, now part of Guildford, threw up a surprise, while some men were digging for flint. About three feet from the surface were the skeleton’s, mainly of males but one female was in there. They are believed to be the skeleton’s of Anglo-Saxon soldier’s or Royalists and Parliamentarian’s from the 17th Century. Another theory which would explain the woman being there is that they could be plague victim’s from the Elizabethan era. The place was also renowned for being the execution spot for criminals and these could be the remains. (Where were they buried?)

17/ Woking Suicide, June 1890

Edwin Hellier aged forty-six was a caretaker of a house and let’s just say, he liked a tipple. He told a next-door neighbour that he was tired of life and then asked her to look after the house and that he’d leave the key for her. She was obviously worried by his comments but Hellier was later found suffering from the effects of the poison. He told someone that this was his third effort at suicide that day. Firstly he tried to hang himself and the rope snapped, then he drank some paraffin and that failed, but this time he drank some phosphorous paste and this proved to be the one that worked.

18/ Ashford Manslaughter, June 1885

19/ Warwick Tavern Suicide Pact, Redhill, November 1870 (See No 32 also)

The dead bodies of a young couple were found in their room at the Warwick Tavern in Redhill (Reigate), in what seems to be a suicide pact. The man had a thick beard and moustache, brown hair, about 5 feet 7 inches, and part of his clothing had “E.(or P) Recover, Reading” marked on the inside. The lady was approximately twenty-two years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall, brown hair and well-dressed. The chap came about a week ago and paid for a week’s accommodation in advance and told the owner that he had some luggage on its way, but that never arrived. The young lass turned up the same day and they went to bed at a reasonable hour and lived well. One morning, Mr Easton the owner, couldn’t get a reply from their room, so went to get the police. On police entering the room, they were found side by side on the floor in the night-clothes. A note on the table explained that neither killed each other and that they had both agreed to poison themselves. A church service book was found with “Maria Mason-the gift of her cousin”, along with the two empty phials of potassium cyanide as well. (Ever find the identity?)

20/ Protsham Grange near Dorking, April 1892 (Holmbury St Mary)

21/ Esher and Claremont Station Suicide, June 1864

This is about the suicide of Miss Greenhow aged thirty, who dived in front of a train at Esher. Her sister, Miss Harriet Martineau, described at the inquest, of how she had been really ill recently. On the Derby day, she went with her five-year-old child and a female servant to Esher Station to catch a train to Weybridge. She seemed very nervy and twitchy at the Station and every time a train was passing she had to be tugged back by the servant as she seemed keen to get on the tracks. A train came through and she jumped off and fell across the rails. The wheels churned her frail body and all that was left was a “misshapen mass”, and it was fortunate that the servant managed to wrangle her away from her child, as she had a hold of the child when she went to jump and would definitely have taken the child with her. There were portions of her body spread about the station, which were collected and put in a room at the station.

22/ Godalming, October 1896 (Missing Bridegroom)

23/ Guildford Human Remains, August 1888

An employee was sweeping Guildford Railway station when he came across a package, which when opened and was found to contain a human foot and leg. Police think that it was thrown out of a train or off the bridge and landed near to where it was discovered. The police surgeon has examined it and states that it is a human right foot and part of the leg. The flesh has been boiled and some of the toenails were absent due to the boiling. Police are currently mystified as to why someone has done this grisly deed.

24/ Godalming, September 1885 (Lady’s Suicide)

25/ Chertsey, October 1859 (Romantic Suicide?)

An inquest was held on the body of 19-year-old, Miss Angelina Caroline Bosanquet, the daughter of the late Admiral Bosanquet. Her cousin, Miss Amelia Jane Harrington, said that they had just got back from Geneva and since her return, she had been in a despondent mood. Amelia mentioned this to her aunt, Mrs Fortescue, and she took her to see a doctor. She got better for a while so the medical assistance was withdrawn. Shortly after this she got a letter in the post but didn’t share the contents of it with anyone. The day after getting the letter she got “cold chills” and became seriously ill, so the doctor was called again but she died a few minutes after his arrival. Angelina had become depressed about not hearing from her boyfriend, Captain Beaufoy, and the letter was written by him explaining that he was in Florence, Italy, and suggesting that he would not return to Blighty. This caused her to take some laudanum and end her life prematurely.

26/ Thames Ditton Murder, July 1903

William Joseph Tuffin aged 23 and Mary Stone, a 22-year-old housemaid, were indicted for the wilful murder of his wife, Caroline, at Thames Ditton in April. Stone went to live with the Tuffin’s at their home in Alexandra Road in Thames Ditton, and she knew William before he wed Caroline. Mrs Tuffin was last seen on April the 23rd and William told her brother, a couple of weeks later that she had died and been buried. When police broke down the door they discovered the body of Caroline in bed, with her head smashed to atoms. An axe and a hammer were left in the room covered in blood stains, and Stone and William had carried on living there, even with a two-week-old corpse upstairs. When questioned Stone said she knew nothing of the corpse upstairs and thought that Caroline had gone away. The smell of the body would have set alarm bells ringing and they were both found guilty and sentenced to death.

27/ Ash near Guildford, January 1885

28/ Shalford Station Suicide, January 1870

Edward Ellsley’s decapitated body was found on the train tracks near Shalford Station. The lad was the porter at Shalford Station and it is being treated as a premeditated suicide. The body, apart from head missing, was also limbless. This all stems from a young lady who broke his heart. He started seeing a lovely young girl who was a domestic servant at Shalford Rectory and everything was going well when she decided to move to Basingstoke. He became love-sick and thought that she was seeing another man in Basingstoke, so he took a trip down there. He saw her and then he returned to Shalford and someone heard him utter the words “I wish a train would run over me”. That same night his mutilated remains were found on the line near to the station.

29/ Virginia Water Suicide, January 1852

James Nash’s body was discovered floating in a stream near Virginia Water in Surrey, and the circumstances leave no doubt that this was suicide. The 28-year-old left home in the morning to go to work and went off in the direction of Virginia Water. Around midday one of the park-keepers saw him throw himself off the High Bridge near the Black Nest entrance to the Royal property. A search was instigated, and an hour and a half later he was fished out. He had written on the wall “Goodbye all-J.N.”. No reason can be assigned for the self-destruction but his family has a history of suicides in it. About twelve years ago, a brother jumped off the same bridge he did and drowned, then a year ago a cousin drowned in the same water. Several years ago an uncle hung himself in some nearby woods and seven years ago a cousin hung himself on a plantation on the Silwood Estate.

30/ Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water, June 16th, 1885

31/ Timberham Lunatic Asylum Fire, December 1861

A lunatic asylum, six miles outside of Reigate has burned to the ground, and there has been some loss of life. The asylum at Timberham on the London and Brighton turnpike road was ablaze early one morning and was a private establishment in the care of Mr Cole, his wife, and two sons. It was formerly a coaching inn and had four more staff and seven patients. An attendant named Harris discovered the fire and a message was sent to Reigate for the fire-engine to attend. The patients were woken, but one James Burrie Dixon aged thirty-two, failed to get out in time and another, Robert Anstruther, is missing. It is thought that Anstruther actually escaped the fire then climbed over the railings and ran away.

32/ Double Suicide at Redhill, November 14th 1870 (See also No.19)

Double Suicide at Redhill (The Inquest) November 17th, 1870

33/ Volunteer Fatality at Farnham, October 1870

At nine o’clock one morning the 18th Surrey Rifle Corps assembled at the Town Hall in Farnham, for the purpose of proceeding to the annual inspection of the battalion at Betchworth Park near Reigate. While marching to the railway station, Volunteer Walter Box was observed to drop his rifle and fall suddenly on his face. Medical assistance was promptly rendered by the surgeon of the corps, but life ceased almost immediately and the body of the deceased was placed on a truck and conveyed home to await a coroner’s inquest. The remainder of the corps, preceded by the band, continued their march to the station.

34/ Ewell Powder Mill Explosion (Two killed) November 1870

35/ Cheam Railway Suicide, March 1866 (Could that be the Harrow Inn, where the inquiry took place?)

36/ Guildford Suicide, Tunsgate. June 1866 (Tunsgate is next to the Castle)

37/ Child Murder near Guildford, June 1866.

Late July 1866.

The little girl, Jane Sax, whose throat was cut by a young man named Longhurst, in a lane between Gomshall and Shere, after laying in a precarious condition since the attack on June 28th, died on Wednesday of this week. Longhurst has now been charged with wilful murder.

March 27th, 1867 (The Guildford Child Murder Court Case)

38/ Gored by a Bull, near Guildford. June 1866 (Chapel Farm House is behind the church & the Anchor pub)

39/ Virginia Water Station-Master Suicide, October 1866.

The inquest was at Virginia Water Station on the South Western Railway, respecting the death of Joseph Stokes. He was sixty-five and had been in the railway’s service for twenty years. He had been station-master at Virginia Water for around ten years. A short while ago he received a letter from Mr Scott, the traffic manager, saying that he was to be removed from Virginia Water, and to be placed at Fulwell, on the Thames Valley line. Deceased wrote back, stating his eyes were bad, and asking that he might have a boy to assist him at Fulwell. Scott replied that the deceased was unfit for duty at Virginia Water and that if he thought he was unfit for that at Fulwell, he must report that to the directors. This so affected the deceased, that he had a nap at night, woke the next morning, picked up his razor, and slit his throat. The jury found the deceased had committed suicide whilst of unsound mind.

40/ Fatal Gun Accident, Bletchingley. October 1866

A most distressing accident occurred about 1 p.m. yesterday to Mr William Henry Sagant, of Redhill, (surgeon to the Reigate Union and also to the 19th Surrey Rifles), which resulted in the death of the unfortunate gentleman, who was well-known and much respected. Deceased and a party of friends were changing their shooting ground near Bletchingley, and Mr Sargant, who was in a trap, was in the act of taking his gun from an attendant when it is supposed that the cock of the gun caught in his gaiter, and, the gun exploding, the contents entered his right side and passed out his left shoulder. Death ensued in about two hours. Deceased’s age was about thirty-seven years.

41/ Warlingham Wife Murder, November 1866 (Warlingham is near Croydon)

42/ Body Found in the Snow, Guildford. March 1867 (Railway Arms- Parks Street, demolished in 1961)

43/ Fatal Accident at Caterham Junction, May 2nd,1866.

Caterham Junction Inquest, May 26th, 1866

44/ Murder/Suicide on Woking Train? January 1902

45/ Fatal Accident to a Jockey at Epsom, June 10th, 1905. (Happened on Derby Day at Epsom Races)

46/ Horton Asylum Murder, Epsom. May 20th, 1905

Saturday, May 27th, 1905 (The Asylum Murder- Husband in the Dock)

47/ Body Found in Merstham Tunnel, near Reigate (Mary Sophia Money) September 1905

48/ Fatal Motor Accident at Windlesham. December 1906 (Sunningdale and Wentworth golf clubs are down the road)

49/ General Killed in Car Crash, Frimley. November 1907 (Frimley is on the border with Hampshire)

50/ Death on the Brooklands Racetrack. September 1907 (Brooklands was opened on 17th June 1907 and closed in 1939. There were seventeen fatalities, three spectators, two motor crew, twelve were drivers. Apparently, ghostly sightings have occurred at Brooklands for over a hundred years)