1/ Aldbury Double Murder, December 1891
William Puddephatt aged thirty-eight, a gamekeeper and Joseph Crawley aged thirty-eight, a night watchman were brutally beaten to death by unknown assailants one night. They had gone out to patrol the area and woods looking for poachers when they must have come across somebody poaching, then been beaten with butts of rifles etc. This all occurred on the land of Mr.J.Williamson of Pendley Tring near Stock’s Wood. Their heads were smashed in and Puddephatt had a broken arm and it is clear that a gang of poachers overpowered the two.
2/ Brandfordbury, (Carrying Dead Infant) November 1880
Not strictly in Hertfordshire but the victim came from here. Eliza Brewer, only fifteen years old was found wandering the streets of London whilst carrying a tiny bundle in her arms. When stopped by a policeman, it was realized that the bundle was a dead infant. She was the daughter of a Brandfordbury gamekeeper and gave birth a week ago in the streets. A kind woman offered to take her in but when she saw the dead child she turfed her out.
3/ Leavesden Poisoning, April 7th, 1899
4/ Leavesden Poisoning, April 11th, 1899
5/ Leavesden Poisoning, April 14th, 1899
to phosphorus poisoning. Chief Constable Wood stated that when arrested the accused said:”I know nothing whatever about it; I am as innocent a girl as ever was born”. The prisoner was remanded.
6/ St Albans (Traction Engine Fatality) December 1898
A traction engine towing several trucks was going through St Albans one night, when George Summerling, the attendant, lost his balance and fell under the wheels of the engine. He was rushed to St Albans Hospital with terrible injuries but he died the next morning.
7/ River Lee near Rye House, May 1888 (Lovers Suicide)
The drowned corpses of two lovers were found in the River Lee near to Rye House in Hertfordshire. They were interlocked in each other’s arms and tied together with a handkerchief. They were identified later as Edwin Whitehouse, an ostler, twenty-eight years of age and Lizzie Webb, his nineteen-year-old girlfriend. A letter in Lizzie’s pocket told her Mum not to fret and begging that the two of them be buried in the same plot. They both seemed in cheerful spirits on Sunday and went to the pubs and had a few drinks, then were observed on the tow-path between Rye and Stanstead. A boatman found their hats on the bank the next morning and raised the alarm. The pair were found bound together. (See also number 11)
8/ Aldbury, February 1899
A police constable named Gordon, stationed at Aldbury, was found drowned in the canal there. He fell in the water whilst endeavouring to rescue his dog from drowning.
9/ Potter’s Bar Station (Earl Killed) May 1899
10/ St Albans Murder, June 1910
A murder was committed on St Albans Road, between Barnet and St Albans, known as London Colney Farm. A lodger entered the bedroom of the daughter of the landlord and cut her throat with a butchers knife. The murderer calmly washed his hands of the blood and walked to the nearest police station and handed himself over. The victim was Gertrude Allen, 24, and he is named Arthur Trussell, and they had been seeing each other for some time, but again jealousy reared its ugly head. Trussell said the officer, “I wish you to come across.I have killed her”, and when he went he found her laid on a bed with her head nearly severed off.
11/ River Lee near Rye House? 1883 (see number 7)
12/ Hertford, May 1897 (Boy Decapitated)
A 16-year-old boy dressed in Haileybury College uniform was found dead on the Great Eastern Railway line about 2 miles from his school. He was decapitated, with the wheels of the train having gone over his neck. (Name?)
13/ Hoddesdon (Scythe Suicide) January 1851
An agricultural worker called Henry Selby killed himself at Hoddesdon by cutting his throat with a scythe. 10 out of 10 for originality, but the jury gave the verdict that he was insane. You don’ t say!
14/ Watford, (Corpse in Woods) May 1863
A gamekeeper who worked for Lord Ebury found the dead body of a man hanging from a tree in a wood. Rigor Mortis had set in and the medical examiner said he’d been dead a day or so. His clothing was of a foreign make and is thought to be of German origin. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall, thinnish build and short brown moustache and a short goatee. He had a dark complexion, high cheekbones and a bruise on his forehead. He was well dressed but by no means immaculate in appearance and he had two half-crowns and two halfpence and other change. A man of similar description was seen on Watford Road and the locals have heard a rumour that he was the murderer of the woman in St Giles, but this is not the case. The verdict, “Felo de Se”.
15/ Ware Suicide, March 1892
16/ Hertford, February 1900 (Mother and Child Dead)
A 35-year-old mother and widow, named Such, was found dead with her child in a bedroom at her house, with both their throats cut from ear to ear. It is supposed that she killed the child first then committed suicide. Her husband died a week and a half ago, and she had been drinking heavily ever since his burial.
17/ Peahen Inn Suicide, St Albans, January 1853
This pub is still there in St Albans! A man arrived at the Peahen and booked in. He had just come from the Watford Station on the London and North Western Railway, saying that he had a lot of writing to do. He had something to eat, got a stamp, and went to post a letter, then retired to bed at 10 o’clock. Next morning a chambermaid went into his room with a letter addressed to “Mr Bowden, Peahen Inn, to be delivered immediately”, and when asked he replied “oh, no, no, no,” then told the girl he would like a lie in. The chambermaid went back at midday but it was locked. Staff forced their way in and found him lying on the bed with his throat cut. The inquest found out he was unknown in St Albans but was well-dressed, a good-looking strapping six-footer, with a hat that had “Bailey August 12,52” with the letters “H.W.D.” written above. (What room?)
18/ Bishops Stortford, (Fatal Landslide) August 1892
19/ Watford, July 1835 (Twelve Lives Lost)
Twelve men were killed in an accident which took place in a tunnel near Watford, being built for the Birmingham Railway. Eleven excavators and their inspector were in there tunnelling when a large mass of earth fell upon them burying them all under tons of soil. (Which tunnel?)
20/ Rickmansworth Child Murder, June 1840
Eliza Pope, a 17-year-old, in the employ of Johnson and Sons, linen drapers, had gone to bed one night with a fellow servant. The other servant heard cries of a baby and went to see where the child was. On entering Pope’s room she saw that she was in great pain, and then accused her of giving birth, which she denied. The servant told the family and they searched her room, and found a new-born baby under the bed, in a bad state. The neck had been pinched, probably to quieten and kill the infant at the same time. Its little jaw-bone was also broken, but nobody noticed that Pope was pregnant. Wilful murder against Eliza Pope.
21/ Hemel Hempstead Filicide, May 1905
Thomas Downing, aged thirty, a labourer, was reading an article about the Markyate motor case and the drowning of two kids at Boxmoor when he suddenly lost it. He went for his three kids with a coal hammer and started hitting each of them. He then went for his mother and his wife. When help arrived, they were all in a dangerous condition and taken to West Herts Infirmary. Downing meanwhile threw the weapon in the garden and handed himself into police. Downing stated that: “I have done it. I done it, because I wished to see them safe in Heaven. I done it with a coal hammer and hit them all on the head”. Two of the children are in a critical condition.
22/ Half Moon Inn Murder, Bishop Stortford, April 1892
23/ South Mimms, March 1861 (Human Remains)
Now more famous for the M25 services, but in the 1860’s it was just a little village and when the body of an adult female was found in a ditch, there was an investigation. The body had been there for several months and because of the terrible decomposition, there was no way of identification or how she died. The jury’s verdict was “That deceased was found dead in a certain ditch containing water, without detection of marks of violence in or upon her body, and that by what means the said woman came into the water, or by what means the death was caused, there was not sufficient evidence to show” (Who was she?)
24/ Cheshunt, March 1830 (Matricide/Suicide)
The body of an elderly woman was discovered in the river at Cheshunt. She was identified as Mrs M.Worril, a 72-year-old widow, living at Hoddesdon. Her servant said that she went out with her daughter, Mrs Kimpton. As time ticked on it was realised that Mrs Kimpton was also missing, and the river was dragged again, and she was found. It was concluded that they arranged a suicide pact, and evidence gathered later it seems that the daughter pushed her mother in then drowned herself.
25/ St Albans, (Burned to Death) February 1898.
26/ Hertford Murder, March 10th 1899
A shocking murder has taken place at Hertford. About 5 o’clock yesterday morning a married woman named Mercy Nicholls, of Ware, was found in a dying condition in a passage off Railway Street. Her clothes which had apparently been torn off her were discovered close by. She died in hospital a few hours afterwards. A labourer is stated to have voluntarily confessed to the crime and is in custody.
Hertford Murder, March 11th, 1899
Hertford Murder, March 17th, 1899
Hertford Murder, March 24th, 1899
John Smith was charged with the murder of a woman named Mercy Nicholls at Hertford, on the morning of the 9th inst. The prisoner, who is an undersized boy and apparently of weak intellect, was most unconcerned. When spoken to he muttered unintelligible and senseless replies. He was committed for trial on the capital charge.
27/ Bushey Station near Watford, October 1884
A suspected murder that was committed in London, and is believed that the remains of the body were thrown out of a train at Bushey Station near Watford. At half past eight on Monday morning, a workman, Jesse Parson, was near an embankment close to Bushey Station, when he found a coffin lid and then further up the line he found the coffin itself. Inside was a collection of bones, with others strewn around and also were traces of quicklime. Medical examiners found that the feet, shins and the skull were missing and a search has turned up no further parts. The coffin itself was four feet long and the body was of a full-grown person, hence the bottom of the legs hacked off, for it to fit in, maybe! (Ever identified?)
28/ Vicarage Road, Watford, April 1889 (Child Murder)
Joseph Taynton, aged fifteen and his sister, ten-year-old Jessie Maria Taynton, were left alone in the house at South Terrace, Vicarage Road in Watford, the parents having gone to town. The mother came back at 10-30 and found the door locked, so she got her neighbour, Mr Williams, to help her get in. When they got in they found Jessie on the ground with her head smashed in and blood and brain matter all over the place. She died shortly after being found. The murder weapon, a hammer, was found next to the body and then discovered that the brother had legged it. A search for him, found him walking back home covered in blood spatters. He was arrested for the murder of his sister.
29/ Hatfield (Body Found) October 1915
A man’s body was discovered in a field at Hatfield in Hertfordshire, by a policeman. Next to him were some bottles and a note, saying:- ” I have no friends or relatives. Get rid of me. Signed- Jim Flatters, Nottingham”.
30/ Leavesden Asylum Ceremony, September 1870
31/ Hatfield Train Crash, December 1870.
32/ Welwyn Railway Accident. June 12th,1866
33/ Attempted Murder near Hertford, May 3rd, 1866 (See No34, below, for the Passingham case)
34/ Attempted Murder at the Three Harts, Hertford. May 14th, 1866 (See No 33 for the Passingham case, halfway down)
35/ Manslaughter of Wife, Watford. November 1903
36/ Hemel Hempstead Wife Murder, May 1905.
37/ Father Tries to Kill His Children, Hemel Hempstead, May 1905.
38/ Markyate Motor Fatality (Chauffeur Convicted of Manslaughter) July 1905.
39/ Chorleywood Murder, near Watford. November 22nd, 1906
Friday, 23rd November 1906.
The execution of Chorleywood murderer, David Hooker, a farm labourer, who was found guilty at Hertford Assizes on Monday for the murder of his wife, by shooting her at Chorleywood, has been fixed for the 11th December.
5th December 1906.
The death sentence was commuted to penal servitude for life.
40/ Murder of Mt Anstie, Marshall’s Wick, near St Albans. 9th November 1880
Wednesday 30th November 1880 (Execution)
At St Alban’s yesterday morning, Thomas Wheeler, the murderer of Mr Anstie, was executed within the precincts of the county gaol. He made a full confession of his guilt before his execution.