Murder of a Much Loved Shop Manageress

In 1966, a much-loved Dingle shop manageress died after she was stabbed in the back after spending an evening with friends. A 24-year-old was detained in a secure unit after being found guilty of manslaughter with diminished responsibility. 

Shortly before midnight on Friday 17th June, 47 year old Gladys Galloway, was found lying unconscious at the corner of Park Hill Road and Beloe Street. Initially, it was thought she was the victim of a traffic accident, and she was rushed to the Royal Southern Hospital. She was dead on arrival, and when stab wounds were discovered in her back, a murder investigation was launched.

Gladys, who was unmarried, lived at 61 Loxdale Street, which had been her now-deceased parents' home. She had spent the evening with her friends, Mr and Mrs Ford, in Morton Street and had been walking the half mile route home. One of her staff at the Scott's store in Mill Street described her as a wonderful boss who didn't have an enemy in the world. With there being no apparent motive, police warned that the killer may strike again as drains and grids were searched to see if the murder weapon had been discarded there. 

Over the weekend, senior detectives visited pubs in the area, appealing for public cooperation in finding the culprit. More information was also revealed about the murder weapon, which was a knife seven and a half inches long, 3/4 inch wide blade and one cutting edge. It had penetrated the heart, and Detective Superintendent Ernest Richardson said that the killer had made a single death thrust with an upward lunge, which commandos were taught to use. 

Exactly one week to the minute after the murder, a reconstruction took place in which a female detective walked from Morton Street to Beloe Street, retracing the route taken by Gladys. Two days later, on Sunday 26th June, police swooped at 10 Beloe Street to arrest 24-year-old labourer John Henry Smith, who had already been interviewed twice during house-to-house enquiries. He was charged with the murder and said nothing as he appeared in court the following morning, where he was remanded in custody for eight days. Gladys was laid to rest in Allerton Cemetery on 30th June.

Committal proceedings were opened on 27th July at the police court. Witnesses described how a man fitting Smith's description had been seen shaking a grill in Park Hill Road shortly before Gladys had walked down there. A friend of his also confirmed that he had drunk two beers with him in the nearby Prince of Wales pub in Wellington Road. Detectives who searched his home had found fragments of a knife which had been broken up, in a refuse bin and behind a fire grate. A forensic scientist said that he had pieced this knife together and believed it matched the murder weapon, but it had been cleaned up. 

Prosecutors acknowledged that nobody had seen Smith and Gladys together, but referred to the statement Smith had made at Essex Street police station. This said that he had been out drinking and gone home with some chips, then back out again with the knife, when he was admonished by Gladys for shaking the grill and stuck the knife in her back, not intending to kill. An objection was raised by his solicitor, who said that the statement had been made under the inducement of being able to see his mother, but this was denied by detectives. This was overruled by the presiding magistrate and Smith was committed for trial at the Crown Court. 

On 24th October, Smith pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Justice Fenton Atkinson. For the prosecution, Mr Bingham acknowledged there was no apparent motive. Detectives acknowledged that Smith had was below average intelligence and had a mental age of only eight or nine. They denied that he had only made a confession after he was told about being seen shaking the grill. His mother, however, testified that he had come home at 11pm and fallen asleep on the couch almost immediately, without eating the chips he had brought in. On the fourth day of the trial, the jury retired and, after deliberating for an hour, found Smith not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.  The judge then ordered him to be detained at Moss Side Hospital. 

The Unsolved Dingle Hill Murder

In 1870 a Dingle school headmaster was beaten to death. Nobody was ever convicted of the killing  after the police's only suspect was acquitted at his trial. 

Christian Fluek, a qualified surgeon and professor of languages and originally from Switzerland, ran a private boarding school at his villa in Dingle Hill, off the southern end of Park Road. At 5.30pm on Friday 25th November that year he went to his sitting room as he usually did at that time. Shortly afterwards servants in the kitchen below heard a thud but thought nothing of it, assuming it to be children fooling around. 

At around 6.30pm Mrs Fluek returned from an errand and found her husband insensible on the floor, with blood gushing from his head. She assumed he had had a fall and asked for help from the usher Richard Howchin then sent for Dr Barrett, who lived nearby. On cleaning the blood, it was soon apparent that there were four wounds with brain protruding from one of them. It was obvious that something far more sinister had happened and 41 year old Christian was lifted onto the bed, recovery seen as impossible.  

Police were called an a bloodstained iron bar was found in the room. Christian had been struck from behind in a coolly planned assassination by somebody who did not seem concerned that their presence would be noticed by the school's usher, five pupils, three servants and a lodger. There was no sign that anything had been stolen so robbery was ruled out as a motive. Suspicion soon fell on the attacker being a member of the household and the usher Richard Howchin was arrested when it was established that he had been given notice that his services would no longer be required after Christmas.

Christian succumbed to his injuries 48 hours later, having never regained consciousness. He was buried at in the graveyard of the Ancient Chapel of Toxteth and Howchin appeared before the Stipendiary Magistrate and was remanded in custody. Howchin was 21 years old and from Norfolk and also taught classics and maths at the school. During the inquest correspondence was read out indicating that he had applied for another teaching position but was not given a favourable reference, mainly in respect of his character rather than teaching ability. A verdict of wilful murder was returned and Howchin was committed for trial at the next Assizes.

Exactly three weeks after the murder was committed, Howchin's trial began on Friday 16th December. There was huge interest generated and the corridors of St George's Hall were besieged with people trying to enter the courtroom. Shortly after the trial began the judge had to order the area outside to be cleared due to the noise the crowds of people were making. 

Howchin confidently said 'Not Guilty' when the charge was put to him. Evidence was heard that there was so much movement around the house near the entrance that nobody could have come in unnoticed. Howchin was said to have been away from the schoolroom for about fifteen minutes, during which time the attack was believed to have occurred. Under cross examination, the boys accepted that he had been spinning pennies with them on his return and his manner was normal. 

On the second day of the trial, a park keeper from Sefton Park, which was being developed, said that the iron bar that was used to carry out the killing matched exactly ones which were being used as stanchions there, and that some had been found to be missing from wagons. He also said he recognised Howchin as having visited the park. 

Howchin's defence counsel Mr Torr was able to explain that blood found on his clothing could easily have been as a result of him assisting Mrs Fluek when she found her husband has been attacked. Torr described the prosecution of having made a chain out of weak links, and it was dangerous to condemn a young man to death solely on circumstantial evidence. He added that both two lodgers had the opportunity to carry out the killing and asked if Howchin could really have carried out such a diabolical crime then be laughing with boys just fifteen minutes later. 

In summing up the judge told the jury that they had to be careful with circumstantial evidence, but also ask themselves if the prosecution had been able to show that nobody else could possibly have committed the murder. After retiring for an hour an a quarter, they returned a verdict of not guilty and there as spontaneous cheering in the court room, which soon stopped when the judge said anybody continuing it would be taken into custody. On being discharged, Howchin had a gleaming smile on his pale face and he ran down the stairs to freedom. 

 

Booted to Death

Three gang members from Dingle were given stiff sentences after an attack on a trio of naval seamen that led to one being kicked to death.

At around 11.30pm on 13th July 1945, little more than two months after war in Europe had ended, a group of males were sat on top of an air raid shelter in Hill Street when three naval comrades walked past. Some words were exchanged leading to 21 year old Leonard Dixon jumping down and punching one of them, after which a brief fight broke out.

When one of the naval men saw his cap being picked up he said 'You've had your fight now give me back my cap' but his request was ignored. They continued their way towards the depot but the gang members then followed, a fight breaking out again. Two of the naval men got away but 29 year old signaller James March, who hailed from Essex, was repeatedly kicked and left in the gutter. A resident of Hill Street who heard the commotion went out to help but he was already dead. He told the police that as many as five males had been involved in the kicking.

Police soon established that members of the Park Lane Gang were responsible and quickly made three arrests; 19 year old Moses Birch from Caryl Street, 21 year old Henry Johnson of Tillotson Street and main aggressor Dixon, who was from Stanhope Street. All three admitted being in a fight and were committed for trial at the Liverpool assizes.

On 5th November the males pleaded guilty to manslaughter and the prosecution did not proceed with the murder charge. Police told the court that Birch and Dixon were part of the eleven strong Park Lane Gang, who terrorised shops in the south of the city and would not hesitate to use violence. It was acknowledged however that Johnson had a good sea going record and never been convicted of violence. 

The judge, Mr Justice Croom-Johnson, had little room for leniency when it came to Johnson. Despite the pleas of his counsel Rose Heilbron, he said that Johnson had known that the other two were members of the gang and made no attempt to walk away that night. He then imposed a sentence of four years penal servitude on Johnson, and six years each for Dixon and Birch, commenting that 'it was high time terrorist gangs in Liverpool were made to understand that the law was strong enough to stretch out and reach them and punish them severely.'

Killing of a Timekeeper

A man who was refused permission to take up his duties after returning to work drunk pushed his timekeeper into the River Mersey. He was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death but later reprieved.

At 6pm on Monday 9th October 1905 William Hitchen, began a nightshift at Toxteth Dock, where the 28 year old worked as a stoker on an engine. At 10pm he was given half an hours break and went with engine driver Thomas Moore to a nearby pub where they both drank one and a half pints of beer. 

Moore returned to his duties but Hitchen stayed away for another forty minutes. When he returned and the timekeeper Thomas Williams refused to book him back on. Williams then left the engine house and walked towards the river, followed by Hitchen. Some words were exchanged and Hitchen pushed Williams over the wall into the Mersey. 

Hitchen then went to rejoin Moore at the engine and casually told him that he had pushed Williams into the Mersey. The driver didnt believe this but a few moments later a labourer went up to him and said that the incident had really happened. Moore ran to the river wall and threw a rope down to Williams who was struggling, but before he could reach it he sank below the water. 

A boat was lowered but the body was not recovered until 2am, by which time Hitchen had fled across the Mersey to his Tranmere home. He was arrested an hour later saying to police 'I am very sorry' when being told that Williams was dead.

An inquest heard that Hitchen's actions had also been witnessed by a labourer named James Murray, who had been told by him 'I will do for that fellow tonight.' Another worker had seen Hitchen in the engine house was was told 'The timekeeper wouldn't book me on but he's alright now, where he ought to be in the river.'

Williams was a 24 year old widower whose wife had died thirteen months earlier. He lodged at 351 Park Road and his funeral was held at St Gabriel's Church followed by an internment at Toxteth Park Cemetery. 

At the Liverpool Assizes on 1st December Hitchen pleaded that he had been drunk at the time, but in summing up Mr Justice Ridley said that this could only be a factor if there had been provocation, which in this case there wasn't. 

The jury took 45 minutes to find Hitchen guilty of murder but with a recommendation for mercy on the grounds of the premeditation period being very short. He had held his head in his hands for much of the trial and fainted on hearing the sentence of death, leading to him being carried from the dock. 

More than 25,000 people signed a petition calling for a reprieve. This was then presented to the Home Secretary by his solicitor John Bateman of 115a Dale Street. Two weeks after the trial, it was confirmed that the sentence would be commuted to penal servitude for life.

Dead On Children's School Steps

A woman who said goodbye to her emigrating children was later found dead on the school steps. Her older son was charged with manslaughter but acquitted when the court heard she was so diseased that her death could have occurred at any time.

54 year old widow Ann Foster was a woman described by the Liverpool Mercury as someone who was 'of intemperate habits who got drunk daily.' She lived in Upper Mann Street and on 30th December 1895 she went to the nearby industrial school in Grafton Street to say goodbye to two of her children who were being emigrated to Canada.  

After spending 45 minutes with her children and the headmistress Ann returned to Mann Street, first visiting her neighbour Mrs Ramsey where she had some drink.  After Ann had returned to her own home, Mrs Ramsey heard some screams from there and the words 'go out' being shouted. Ann then returned to Mrs Ramsey's with a bloodied nose, closely followed by her 23 year old son Robert, who grabbed her by the hair, threw her down and kicked her in the body.

Robert left making further threats to kick her entrails out if he saw her again. A few minutes later Ann went outside into the court and danced along to some tunes that were being played on a mouth organ. At around 9pm she was found leaning on a door of the Grafton Street school. When Mrs Brent, wife of the keeper tried to help Ann fell into her arms, gasped twice and died.  An inquest returned a verdict of manslaughter against Robert who was then committed for trial.

On 16th March 1896 Robert appeared before Mr Justice Kennedy at the Liverpool assizes in St George's Hall. The circumstances of him assaulting his mother were read out to the court but the doctor who had attended and conducted a postmortem said the injuries had only 'probably' accelerated her death, which was down to fatty degeneration of the heart. As a result of this evidence the prosecution accepted they could not proceed. Justice Kennedy then consulted with a more senior judge and ordered that Robert be discharged as had not been charged with any lesser offences such as assault.

Death by Poker

An argument over money led to two sisters assaulting another woman with a poker and being convicted of manslaughter after the victim died of her injuries.

On the night of 23rd June 1885 31 year old Elizabeth Miden, who lived in a court off Gore Street in Dingle, got into an argument with two sisters. They were 34 year old Mary Proffit and 21 year old Rose Meadows, who both lived in the same court. The sisters dragged Miden off her doorstep and as Meadows held her down, Profit struck her with a poker.

Miden took herself to the Southern Dispensary and had wounds above her eye and to the back of the head bandaged up, then was discharged. On her way home she was again assaulted by the sisters, with Meadows ripping her bandages off. Miden was then taken to the Southern Hospital, where she contracted erysipelas due to the cut above her eye getting infected. She died on 6th July.

At the Coroner's Inquest, Meadows and Profit claimed that they were arguing over money and Miden had gone to get a poker, which is why they used one as well in retaliation. With respect to pulling the bandages off Miden's head, Meadows said that first she had had hair her pulled by Miden. The jury returned a verdict of manslaughter and both sisters were committed for trial at the Assizes.

On 31st July the jury heard how the condition that led to Miden's death was caused in part by the wound, but was also due to her drinking habits. Both sisters were found guilty and Mr Justice Manisty said that the wounds were not serious and it was Miden's drinking habits that had hastened her death. He sentenced them to six months imprisonment with hard labour, saying the disgraceful scenes of of getting drunk and acting like brutes must be stopped.

Tenant Kills Landlord

An attempt by a couple who tried to evict their lodgers in 1891 ended in tragedy when the husband was killed during a fight with the main tenant.

Robert Hinchcliffe, a labourer at Coburg Dock, lived with his wife Alice in a court in Upper Mann Street in Dingle. They were in their twenties and rented the top room of their house to 21 year old labourer William Griffin, who lived there with his 12 year old sister Mary.

For reasons that were never made clear, Mr & Mrs Hinchcliffe wanted William and his sister out of their house but despite serving notice to quit  they still didn't leave.  On Friday 11th September 1891 the Hinchcliffes went to a funeral then drank with other mourners, before returning home around midnight.

Alice went to the top floor and asked Griffin when he would be leaving, leading to a scuffle taking place in which a lamp was knocked out of Alice's hand. Robert then challenged Griffin to a fight and both men went into the courtyard and began swapping punches, with Joseph falling to the ground at one point. Seeing her brother in trouble, Mary got a kitchen knife and gave it to Griffin.

Within seconds of Griffin being given the knife Robert cried out 'Oh Alice I am stabbed' and fell to the ground. He was dead by the time police arrived and officers then found Griffin and his sister in the cellar. Griffin made no attempt to escape and told them that he was wholly responsible and they would find the knife in the top floor room. After questioning Mary, she was taken to the workhouse and Griffin to the Main Bridewell in Cheapside.

Griffin was charged with manslaughter and at his trial Mary had to give evidence confirming she had passed him the knife. However another witness, Catherine Jones, who lived in the court alone, said that she saw both men fighting and that Griffin had been in trouble. He admitted having the knife in his hand, but didn't deliberately use it and maintained that Robert had rushed at him, leading to the knife piercing the heart.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty but with a strong recommendation for mercy. In light of this and Griffin's previous good character, Mr Justice Lawrence sentenced him to twelve months imprisonment with hard labour. Two months later there was further tragedy for the Hinchcliffe family when Robert's sister Mary was battered to death by her husband, who was convicted of manslaughter at the same Assizes.

Liverpool's Last Duel

The last duel in Liverpool was fought in 1805 between Colonel John Bolton and Major Brooks, with Bolton emerging the winner.

John Bolton was born in Ulverston, Cumbria  in 1756 and traded in the West Indies before settling in Liverpool around 1790, living at 116 Duke Street (pictured below left).  A staunch patriot, in 1797 he contributed £500 to a committee set up to defend Liverpool after French troops had landed at Fishguard. He then set up his own Liverpool Volunteers in 1803 at his own expense. Becoming known as the Bolton Invincibles, they trained at Mosslake Fields on the edge of the town.

In 1804 Customs Jerker Major Edward Brooks asked for an increase in his salary. Bolton, President of the West India Association refused, allegedly saying that £700 per year was more than enough for a single man to live on. Brooks challenged Bolton to a duel on 20th December at Millers Dam on Aigburth Road. Quite why he issued such a serious challenge on this a matter is not known, but coincidentally Brooks was also from Ulverston and their feud may have been long running. After a tip off, both were arrested on their way and bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.

Exactly one year later Brooks insulted Bolton at Castle Street and a challenge was arranged that afternoon at a field off Low Hill. Darkness was falling by the time both men arrived. Both fired at the same time, Brooks missing but Bolton's shot piercing Brooks' eye, causing instant death. 


Bolton went into hiding for a short while and the inquest found him guilty of murder. However, due to public opinion being behind him and the fact he had been challenged by Brooks, he was never charged. Bolton remained in Liverpool political life until his death in 1837 and is buried in the family vault in Bowness parish church.