Alleged Infant Murder at Woodlands – 1876

‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Shocking Discovery

Ashow Church (c1900) where Rev. Twistleton was Rector for more than three decades
Photo courtesy of Warwickshire County Records Office
ref. 352/10/6/ img 7272

Inquest – 10th June

Evidence – Stephen Hewens

Evidence – John Allen

Police Evidence

Adjourned Inquest – Tuesday 13th June

Post-Mortem Results

Witness – Mary Heden

The Hon. and Rev. Charles Samuel Twistleton (1806-1890)

Busby Sent to the Assizes

Witness – Dr. Bourne

Witness – Dr. Wynter

Disagreement of Experts

The Sentence

Twistleton’s Second Marriage

Photo courtesy of the Warwickshire County Records Office Ref. PH 652/1/111 Img 7091

The Woodlands and The Will

Grave of Charles and Caroline Twistleton at Ashow

Busby Moves On

  1. Recorded on various census records ↩︎
  2. UK, Calender of Prisioners, 1868-1929. ↩︎
  3. Church of England, Marriages and Banns 1754-1900. ↩︎
  4. Warwickshire, England, Church of England Burial Records, 1813-1910 ↩︎
  5. Currency Converter – National Archives ↩︎
  6. England and Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007. ↩︎

A Midsummer Murder – Caleb Carter – 1903

Body In The Brook

On Monday the 29th June 1903, the gamekeeper of Chase Woods and Boer war veteran, Caleb Carter, had disappeared, and hadn’t been seen for two days. Concerns were growing for his wellbeing but what un-folded over the next few days and weeks, sent shockwaves throughout town, and one of the longest Kenilworth murder mysteries had only just begun.

Caleb Carter lived in a cottage along Chase Lane, and was last seen alive on the evening of Saturday the 27th by his younger brother Alfred, who had come over from Birmingham to spend the afternoon with him. They eventually parted company at just before 8.30, as it would be getting dark soon and Alfred needed to be on his way home.

At about the same time, Caleb’s 17-year-old fiancé Mabel Hancox and her mother Ellen, had called in at his cottage to drop off some caps and socks which they had bought for him at Kenilworth. With Caleb not being there, they thought nothing strange about that, expecting him to be out on the land somewhere with his brother or even waiting for them at their home, Warriors Lodge Farm, which was only about a quarter-of-a-mile from the cottage.

But as the evening wore-on, the Hancox family, and especially Mabel, had become increasing worried by his absence. They stayed-up late into the evening in the hope that he would eventually turn-up, but he never did.

Caleb’s Early Life

Caleb was born into the farming community of Gospel Oak, Snitterfield, on the outskirts of Stratford-Upon-Avon in 1875, to parents Alfred and Eliza. But when he was around four years-old, tragedy struck the family when his mother sadly passed away. But his father soon re-married and so for most of his young life Caleb was brought up by his step-mother, Ellen. He had three other siblings, two sisters, Lily and Agnes and brother, Alfred. By his mid-teens, just like his father, he was working on the land. In the 1891 census, he was recorded as a ploughboy.

Caleb’s Arrival in Kenilworth

Rowington Hall, the residence of James Booth, Caleb Carter’s employer

Where is Caleb?

Caleb Carter was murdered within quarter-of-a-mile of Honiley Church

Search Begins

Caleb’s Death Goes ‘Viral’

Inquest, Warriors Lodge Farm, Chase Lane, 30th June

Possible area where Caleb was last seen alive (1903 OS map)
‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

The Coroner

Evidence of Brother

Evidence of Ellen Hancox

Sovereigns and Gold Watch Found on Body

The shallow brook where Caleb Carter was found dead

Medical Evidence

Reward Offered by Police

Adjourned Inquest,Council House,Upper Rosemary Hill,10th July

The Former Council House, Upper Rosemary Hill. (Now apartments)

Brother Cross-Examined

Ellen Hancock Recalled

Miss Hancox’s Evidence

Police Inquires

Edge of the former Featherstons Grove Wood, looking across Long Meadow (2022)
Warwick Division helped with the Investigation. Inspector Parkinson and Superintendent Ravenhall are seated next to each other in the centre of the front row.
Courtesy of the Warwickshire County Records Office Ref. 165/5 Img 10298

Medical Evidence

New Witness Testimony

Possible dry pit on the edge of Chase woods referred to at the Inquest (1903 map)
‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
The field adjacent to Chase Woods, once known as Long Meadow (spring 2022)

Pearson’s Testimony

(1903 OS map)
‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Unavailable Witness

The Verdict

Caleb’s Final Resting Place

Caleb Carter’s final resting place. St. Michael’s Church, Wilmcote near Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Hancox Family Move On – But More Tragedy

  1. According to the 1875 England & Wales Birth Index, Caleb was born in the 3rdQ (Jul-Aug-Sept). So he may have been 27 years-old at the time of his death. However, his death certificate records his age as 28, and his brother also gave his age as 28 at the inquest. ↩︎
  2. Birmingham Daily Gazette July 2nd 1903. ↩︎
  3. Marjorie Morby death certificate ↩︎
  4. Mabel Morby death certificate ↩︎

‘Found Drowned’ – Knowle Hill Farm – 1909

Mother and Baby Tragedy

‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ (1903) Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
Crackley Cottages – present day

The Inquest

Former Council House in Upper Rosemary Hill (now apartments)

Witness Charles Hobbins

Witness Mrs Neale

Witness Arthur Hunt

Probable site of drownings. (Now houses) ‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ (1903) Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Police Evidence

Medical Evidence

The Verdict

Grave of Charles Hobbins and second wife Annie, in Kenilworth Cemetery

Shooting in Leyes Lane – George Brewer – 1891

Double Tragedy of Kenilworth Men

‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ (1886) Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html
Site of shooting – present day

Inquest of John Reuben Rainbow

The Bull Inn (now a private resistence)

Evidence of Joseph Rainbow

Evidence of William Rainbow

‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ (1886) Licence CC-NY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Evidence of Police

The Verdict

With the overwelming evidence of the case, the jury could only come to one conclusion. They returned a verdict that Rainbow committed suicide while ‘temporarily insane’.

Inquest of George Alfred Brewer

Abbey Hotel (photo courtesy of Graham Gould, Kenilworth In Camera)

Evidence of John Brewer

Evidence of Sophia Walker

Medical Evidence of Dr Clarke

Evidence of Police

Depositions of George Brewer

The Verdict

From The Pulpit

Funeral Of George Brewer

John Rainbow

Tragedy at Rouncil Towers – Annie Maria Stanyer – 1914

Rouncil Towers c1945 Courtesy of the Warwickshire County Records Office CR 1709/578 img 9276
‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Thrown from Cart

The Inquest

Former Council House in Upper Rosemary Hill (now apartments)

The Coroner

Brother Fred Stanyer

Fernhill Farm – Early 1900s (courtesy of Graham Gould, Kenilworth In Camera)

Evidence of Miss Hawkins

Junction of Warwick Road and Rouncil Lane ‘Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland’ Licence CC-BY (NLS) https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

Witness James Prestidge

Rouncil Towers Lodge (Warwickshire County Records Office CR 1709/578 image 9277)

Medical Evidence

Mortuary Needed in Kenilworth

The Verdict

Mortuary Matters & Kenilworth Urban District Council

What Happened to Rouncil Towers?

Former site of Rouncil Towers and the Lodge

Lost At Sea – Ernest Thomas Isaac Ashmore – 1918

COVER-UP IN CAERNARFON BAY

Ernest and ‘Operation GF’

HM Vulcan H5
Notification of Ernest’s death

Wreck-Site On Protection List

Memorials

Kenilworth War Memorial

.

Tragedy In the Channel Islands – John Bursell – 1859

John Bursell’s final resting place.

The Bursell Family

The overgrown grave of John’s parents – Henry & Mary

The Marriage

Bickmarsh Hall (photo courtesy of Warwickshire County Records Office ref EAC 402 Image 483)

The South-Western Company

Low tide at Corbiere Lighthouse

150 Saved – But One Other Lost

Body Returned To Kenilworth

St Nicholas Church – John’s grave is on the bottom left

Coroner’s Inquest

Bad Time For Sea Travel

The Will

Widow For More Than 50 Years

Chapel at Shipston-on-Stour cemetery

References

  1. Currency Converter – National Archives ↩︎
  2. England & Wales, National Probate and Calender. Index of Wills and Administrations 1858-1995 ↩︎
  3. Shipston-Upon-Stour Town Council ↩︎

The Vanished Barman – Brian Painter – 1962

The Bear & Ragged Staff Hotel in c1963 (Photo courtesy of Graham Gould, Kenilworth In Camera)

Body Found In Troyes

Body Taken To Paris – Conflicting Evidence

The Death Certificate