UNIDENTIFIED: September 10, 1948

On September 10, 1948, two skeletons were discovered while trying to make a foundation for a tennis court in Abergavenny, Wales. One of the skulls was first discovered, and the rest of the remains were found 2 feet below the surface. There was no evidence of this being a designated place for burial. The way the bones were found made it obvious that the two were buried as bodies and not as bones buried at a later time. The two were believed to have died no less than 10 to 15 years before, but it's also possible that they had been dead for hundreds of years.

The adult skeleton was believed to be a man between 40 to 70 years old.

The child was around 7 years old.

SOURCES:
Find a Grave (man)
Find a Grave (child)

Infanticide: Elinor Hadley (Williams) Murders her newborn

On March 2, 1739, Elinor Hadley was a single woman who gave birth to a boy in the Parish of St. Peter in Carmarthen, Wales. She would assault the child violently on the right side of his head killing him instantly. 

She would go to trial and found guilty of murder. On May 26th she would be executed at a spot near the town railway station in Carmarthenshire.

Elinor's last name may have been Williams and Hadley was an alias.

SOURCES:

British Executions

Capitol Punishment UK

Suspicious Death of Elsie Payne

  On December 7, 1923, 12-year-old Elsie Payne was out on an errand in Cardiff, Wales by one of her neighbors. Elsie was walking with a friend, 14-year-old Susie Phillips, but the two separated and Elsie proceeded down Iron St. Soon after at 8:40 pm Elsie would enter her aunt and uncle's shop on Clifton St. 

She was bleeding from the throat and said "A man asked me where Clifton Street was" before collapsing. By the time she was at the hospital she had lost too much blood and even though family members wanted to donate it was too late and she died before they could. 

There was a blood trail that led 103 years down the street across from some railings on the other side of the road in Iron St. off Clifton. Susie stated that she did not see anyone following them, and didn't notice anything when she left Elsie. 

It was stated that her injury likely was caused by a knife or piece of glass, but it was also possible that it was caused by falling on the railings or onto broken glass. The wound was up and forward. Another girl was injured similarly by slipping and landing on the railings on her chest. In several articles, it states there was no evidence of what had happened to her. 

It was believed however that she had been murdered as her last words mentioned of a man looking for directions. There seemed to be no evidence at the scene of the accident. 

One article claims that there were two witnesses of Elsie on Iron Street. One man, a painter, saw a man with his hand on a girl and ran away. This made the painter think the man had stolen something and chased after him, but lost him. The second witness stated that they saw a man and a girl and heard the girl screaming and running across the street thinking the man had hit her.

The family would receive a 3-page letter from a man claiming to kill the girl. He claimed he used a corkscrew, but evidence showed that she was not killed with one.

SOURCES:

Daily Mirror December 10, 1923

The Gloucestershire Echo December 11, 1923

The North Star December 21, 1923

Daily Mirror December 21, 1923

Evening Express December 31, 1923 

UNIDENTIFIED: November 8, 1577 London, England Poor Unknown Woman

 On November 8, 1577, a poor woman died in the streets of London, England. Her name and where she was from was unknown, but some believed she may have been Welsh. She was buried in the Bedlam Burial Ground.

SOURCES:

Find A Grave

Murder of Hannah Davis

 In 1829 21-year-old David Evans and Hannah Davis were loved each other in Wales. They were not wed yet,but in April Hannah would become pregnant. David was a Husbandry Laborer and Hannah worked as a servant for a farmer.  David claimed he loved her and was very attatched. 

On June 11th Hannah would visit David and ask him if he would go with her to see her family on Saturday the 13th. He was agree to go with her and they spent the next two hours together. He would promise that would,meet her on the road near Esgar Fynwent.

When the day came David would leave home between 9 to 10 and took a bill hook (a tool similar to an axe and a knife) with him. He would tell his sister that he was going to mend some gaps in the hedges. He began working and before closing one gap Hannah came to him. She would ask him if he was coming and he did not want to. He gave the excuse that his sister was washing his stockings. This did not work with Hannah and she told hime "Come this night, or I will never forgive you". 

David would hide the bill hook underneath his jacket and walked with her. They proceeded to walk along the road to Cwm-sifigw, in the parish of Llanybyther. When the two would get to Pencader mountain David would use the bill hook on her. He would slash her throat which did not make her fall, but then he would stab at her causing her to fall. He would use it no less than 14 times. She would fall into the ravine.

He would claim to automatically feel regret as he murdered her and their unborn child. he would then run homeward and on the way dipped the bill hook in a pool of water to clean off the blood. There was no blood on his clothes.He would sneak into the home about 1 to 2 a.m. when he'd lay in bed for an hour. He would then clean his shoes and grease them. In order to trick his sister who he told the day before that he wasn't going with Hannah he finished the hedges. 

Hannah's body would soon be found. It was said that her blood caused the water to be red for two miles. 

When police arrested David he had claimed innocence. He would go to trial and would be found guilty of the murder. He would be set to hang on September 21, 1829. David confessed to the murder just before he was to be hanged. He stated that just before the murder that the two were getting along and that he had done it out of jealousy. Jealousy of what was not stated or if he had planned to murder her all along that day. 

On September 21 David would be hanged in Camarthen. with perperations done David gave the signal he was ready by dropping a handkerchief. The bolt would draw but the hook gave way and  instead of hanging he landed on his feet. He expected to be reprieved, telling the officials that “He had been hanged once and they had no more to do with him”. This was not the case though as it was to be hanged till dead. He would be hanged a few minutes later and would hang for an hour. His body would be sent for disection.

SOURCES:
Executed Today
The Bristol Mercury and Daily Post, Western Countries and South Wales Advertiser June 30, 1829

The Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser, for Somerset, Wilts, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall July 8, 1829

The Western Flying Post or Sherborne and Yeovil Mercury July 13, 1829

Chester Chronicle, and Cheshire and North Wales General Advertiser September 25, 1829

Sheffield and Rotherham Independent October 3, 1829

Charlie of Aberystwyth Castle

  

Mosaic at the Castle about the discovery of the skeleton

Aberystwyth Castle was built between 1277 to 1289 in Aberystwyth, Wales. The castle that is now in ruins is the third built of it before it was destroyed in 1649 during the English Civil Wars. It was slighted by Oliver Cromwell making it into ruins. This was to prevent it from being a fortress again. The locals likely took advantage and pilfered the castle walls. 

Over 200 years later in 1988, an excavation was done at the castle. Surprisingly enough the body of a man. The soil in the area was acidic enough that typically destructive to organic matter. Because the castle was destroyed though it added lime to the soil helping keep the skeleton from being destroyed. It was hard to place when the man had died, but it was believed that he died during the Parliamentarian siege of Aberystwyth Castle. 

The skeleton was given the name Charlie and he can be found at the Ceredigion Museum

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Geni
Crazy About Castles
Way Marking

INFANTICIDE: Mary Morgan Killed Her Newborn Daughter

 In 1804  16/17-year-old Mary Morgan was working as an undercook at Maesllwch Castle in Glasbury, Wales. On the 23rd of September, Mary would feel ill and go to her room in the servant's quarters. A cook would go to Mary's room accusing her of giving birth and asking her where the newborn was. 

Mary would first deny that she gave birth, but admit that she did and killed the baby. The baby girl would be in the underbed deeply sunk in the feathers. She had cut open the baby and she was nearly decapitated with a penknife that she used on chickens. Mary was in a tough situation at the time. She was unwed and when she asked her unnamed lover for help he refused. She was sure she could not take care of the child on her own. 

Mary would be taken to trial in April of 1805. She would be found guilty and 17-year-old Mary would be set to hang that month. On April 13th large crowds of people watched as she was taken from the goal by cart to where she was to be executed at Gallows Lane. 

At the time it was a surprise that Mary had been set to hang. Hardly any women at the time got convicted let alone hanged. It's suspected that Mary's case was used as an example for other unwed mothers. To help prevent any more newborn deaths. 

Wikipedia

Executed Today

DBpedia

Powys Digital History Project

Murders of Freda Burnell and Florence Little

Freda Burnell                         Florence Little

On the morning of  5 Feb. 1921 around 9 a.m. 8-year-old Freda Burnell went to buy poultry grit and spice at Mortimer's Corn Store on Somerset Street in Abertillery, Wales. She would arrive at the store where 15-year-old Harold Jones was working. He would be the last person to see Freda alive.

He would somehow get the girl to the chicken run shed belonging to Harold's employer. This was where he would attack and kill the girl. He would tie up her elbows behind her back, and ankles together. She would have been gagged, and he would attempt to sexually assault her. He would hit her in the head with an ax handle and strangled her with a cord.

Later Freda's father would go and search for the girl, but she could not be found. He would go to the shop and ask if she had been there. Harold would tell him that she had been there, but was only there for 10 minutes and said that she was going to ask her father if loose poultry grit was okay. By 3 p.m. police were informed of the girl's disappearance. For 6 hours they searched for her, but could not find her. At 10:20 to 10:30 Harold kept others from the shed and went to it on his own.

Freda's body would be found at 7:30 the next morning. She was concealed in a bag still bound with the cord still wrapped around her neck. It was noted that traces of corn Chaff was found on her body. The police would look at the shed that Jones and his employers only had access to. Inside the shed, the ax handle used to beat her and her handkerchief was found hidden among sacking.

Harold would soon be arrested and tried for Freda's murder on 21 June. He would remain calm at trial even during his testimony for his own defense withstanding rigorous cross-examination. His employer Hebert Mortrimer would provide an alibi insisting that his son and Harold were working in the store before they were sent to deliver a sack of potatoes to a customer around 10 a.m. His father would also testify that Harold did not leave the home that night and leave Freda's body where it was found. His testimony was corroborated by his wife's and it was noted that he exhibited good behavior with young girls.

Evidence showing that Freda was likely killed by Harold. He had contradicted himself on several occasions in the initial inquest. Despite this after the jury deliberated for 5 hours and he would be acquitted for Freda's murder.

There were numerous supporters for Harold at the time. Many believed that a 15-year-old could not kill and sexually assault a young child. After a private reunion with his parents, they would be escorted to a local restaurant to eat. At the service, Harold would state "I thank you all. I do not hold a grudge against the people of Abertillery for the horrendous ordeal I have been put through." One of those who would greet him would be George Little a neighbor who would say "Well done, lad. We knew you didn't do it."

This would be a statement he would soon regret.

On8 July and 17 days after Harold was acquitted he noticed 11-year-old Florence Little and her sister Flossie outside his home on 10 Darran Rd. Harold would ask the young girl into his home to help him run an errand. She would go inside the home and be attacked. He would instantly partially strangle the girl and dragged her to the kitchen. He would beat her in the head and temple with a plank of wooded before suspending her head and neck over the sick where he grabbed her by the hair and slit her throat with his father's pocket knife.

He would wrap Florence's head with a grey army shirt and concealed her partially dressed body in the attic. He washed all the blood he could find and then proceed to take a bath. Florence's mother would come to the Jones home in search of her. Harold would tell her that she was there at his front door, but had run off. 

At 11:15 p.m. police were notified of Florence's disappearance which led to the house to house searches, and woodland and mountains were searched. There were hundreds of volunteers including Harold Jones. 

Police would still suspect the boy of this killing. When asked he repeated the lies he told Mrs. Little. With his father's consent, the police searched the home at 8:30 a.m. and Harold would sneak out of the home knowing she would be found. 

Police found that the trapdoor for the attic and a table nearby was blood-stained and had evidence of an attempt of being cleaned. They searched the attic and found the little girl's body outstretched on the rafters. An extended search of the home led to the blood-stained knife, a small egg-saucepan filled with blood and water, a blood-stained plank 19 inches long beneath the boiler.

When Phillip Jones was informed of the girl's murder he left the home to perform a citizen's arrest on his son. The two would then go back to Darran rd where Harold was placed under arrest.When the public heard of Harold's arrest for a second murdered girl around 500 people case to the local police station requesting that he be let free.

This was when Superintendent Lewis would address the crowd. "I have found the body of a child in the attic of Harold Jones, foully murdered, and I have arrested Harold Jones. I think this is all I can tell you and it would help us if you disperse and go to your homes." 

On 11 Julyinquest into Florence Little's murder began. On 23 July the jury took 30 minutes to find Harold guilty of murder. During this inquest, Harold was adamant about being innocent. While waiting for his trial in November though on 17 September he made a statement about the motive for the crimes. He said it was " a desire to kill" that led to the deaths. 

On 1 November 1921, he was tried in front of  Mr. Justice  Bray. The trial only last one hour and was ordered to be detained at His Majestys Pleasure. Harold was under 16 at the time and couldn't be subjected to any capital punishment. He would state that he also killed Freda because of his "desire to kill".

The grocery store was relocated and the Mortimer's moved. He felt guilt and may people were blaming him for giving a false alibi and it helped allow Harold to be able to kill  Florence. 

Harold would get out of prison on 6 December 1941. He would go and join the Merchant Navy. By 1948 he would then reside in Fulham, London, England under the name Harry Stevens.  He would then go on and have a family and go by Harry. He would get bone cancer and die on 2 Jan. 1971 in London, England. At the time he was going by Harry Jones and before he died he would tell his wife to put Harold Jones on his death certificate. 

Both Freda and Florence were buried in Brynithel Cemetary. Over the decades their graves would fall into disrepair. In 2017 a local author Neil Milkins helped raise £4,000 to help restore the graves and in 2018 they were able to do that. Family members of the girls appreciated that the graves were restored.

Mugshot of Harold Jones on 14 November 1921

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Murderpedia

South Wales Argus 4 August 2018

Find a Grave (Florence)