Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in Blackburn & Hyndburn

By Stephen Greenhalgh

Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Blackburn and Hyndburn examines 10 detailed murder cases that encompass the late Victorian period up until 1927. They are equally as gruesome and instructive as the better known cases that inhabit the pages of any number of true crime anthologies. All these tales of murder, suspicious deaths and foul deeds form part of the local history. Some of the cases were recorded nationally, whilst others have remained uncovered until now. The appalling social conditions that prevailed during the period of these crimes inevitably coloured the stories of the men, women and children who played their part in them.Take a journey into the darker side of your area and let your spine tingle, as you read Foul Deeds and Suspicious Deaths in Blackburn and Hyndburn.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Nov 1, 2002
• ISBN: 9781783037896

Book preview

Chapter 1

The Victoria Street Horror 1923

What might be worse than murder? What foul and devilish deed could outrage the soul more than the taking of a life? How could anyone confound and repudiate their own humanity to such an extent? In the month of September 1923 the residents of Greater Accrington were left to contemplate the answers to those ominous questions as the Victoria Street horror unfolded in their midst.

John Whalley was thirty-two years old, well-built, sandy haired and good-looking. On the surface at least, a good ‘catch’ for any woman. But John Whalley had his drawbacks not the least of which were a violent temper and a worsening over-fondness for liquor. Still, initially at least, he must have seemed everything she had wanted to Maud Wildman, an attractive and pretty young woman of the town. Indeed the couple got married on Easter Saturday, 1921.

Maud was a widow when she got hitched to John Whalley. Her first husband, Joseph Wildman, had died in Scotland on munitions back in November 1918. Their daughter, Agnes Rhodes Wildman, was just a few months old at the time of her unfortunate father’s death – too young to miss or remember him. She was less than three years old when her mother tied the knot with her future stepfather, the couple having known each other since they were children, and the family moved in with Whalley’s parents at 15 Claret Street, Accrington.

John Whalley. Accrington Observer and Times

15 Claret Street, Accrington. John Whalley, Maud and Agnes lived there with Whalley’s parents before moving to Miss Horbury’s. The author

Most young couples starting out on married life in one of the parental households soon come to regret the arrangement. Awkward, disruptive and unsatisfactory in every respect, it was only tolerated out of necessity. Perhaps this state of affairs contributed to the problems experienced by John Whalley, his new wife and stepdaughter, for Maud soon discovered her husband was a bad tempered individual or, as he was described then, ‘a man of considerable passion at times!’ She also quickly became aware that he treated Agnes and herself badly which must have alarmed and disappointed her, destroying all her earlier hopes and expectations of a happy new life for her daughter and herself.

In September 1922, probably in a last attempt to mend matters between them, John Whalley, Maud and young Agnes moved to the house of Miss Sarah Ann Horbury at 12 Victoria Street, Accrington, as lodgers. Though their landlady said later that she had had no trouble with her tenants for the best part of a year, relations between Whalley and Maud had clearly been deteriorating during that time. Rows and arguments had become the norm and John Whalley’s belligerence and bad treatment of his family increased along with his consumption of best bitter.

He took to threatening his wife – even, on occasion, promising he would kill her. Unwisely, she retaliated by holding up her hands in front of her husband and telling him that he could never take her means of livelihood, of making her own living, away. This would lead to more abuse and sinister threats by Whalley to abduct young Agnes. At dinner-time on Monday, 17 September 1923, matters which had been festering for so long came to a head.

Maud, coming home from her work as a weaver at W F Chambers and Sons, Ellesmere Mill, Woodnook, found there was no food for dinner. John Whalley had eaten it the previous night for his supper. Though relatively insignificant in itself, for Maud it was the proverbial last straw. There and then she told Whalley she would have to leave him. His snarling reply was short if not sweet ‘Well, get out!’ Maud, afraid of staying in the same house with her husband any longer, left Miss Horbury’s premises and went to stay elsewhere. Later, she visited St Mary’s School, Woodnook, in the middle of the afternoon and took Agnes away. She explained that she was afraid John Whalley, who she described as a crafty man, would try to take her daughter.

Mrs Whalley and her daughter. Accrington Observer and Times

The school authorities were therefore well aware of the situation and circumstances.

Maud did not stay with her sister at 31 Clement Street, Accrington, as she anticipated Whalley might come looking for her there. She returned on a discreet flying visit to 12 Victoria Street, however, to remove her own and Agnes’s clothes – carefully avoiding Whalley who was out drinking somewhere. Maud then went to the police and caused a summons to be served on her husband that night. It required him to appear at Accrington Police Court on Wednesday of the following week to answer allegations of ‘Persistent Cruelty And Wilful Neglect’. Needless to say, Whalley was none too pleased to receive it. He commented ‘She has served me a nasty trick!’ That night the police watched the house where Maud and little Agnes were staying and also her sister’s home but nothing untoward occurred.

On Tuesday, 18 September, Miss Horbury at 12 Victoria Street, was up early as usual. Due to the events of the previous day she had told John Whalley he too would have to leave her house. He had agreed to hand back his door key that day after a man with a cart had called to collect his belongings which included a bed and a few boxes.

Miss Horbury called Whalley at 7am which was her custom. He shouted down that he wasn’t going into work. She again called him at 11 am whereupon he growled ‘Alright!’ Soon after, he got up and went in search of a ‘liquid breakfast’ down the road.

Walter Taylor of 40 Grange Street, a steward, saw John Whalley in the Poplar Club about 11 am. Whalley had a pint of beer and a game of billiards before leaving the club just after midday. Later, at around 2.30 pm that day, Whalley returned to the Poplar Club. He had another pint of best bitter and, significantly, left at 3.15 pm. Taylor insisted that Whalley was ‘quite alright and quite sober!’

John Whalley purposefully made his way from the Poplar Club to St Mary’s School, Woodnook, a distance of some 600 yards, arriving at approximately 3.20 pm. Maud Westwell of 81 Avenue Parade, Accrington, was headmistress of the Infants’ Department and on seeing Whalley asked him who he was? The assistant teacher had informed her of a parent’s presence and she had come to investigate.

Whalley, presumably keeping his distance lest the teacher smelt alcohol on his breath, began to tell the story he had concocted to secure the removal of his stepdaughter from the school. He maintained relations between his wife and himself were now restored and that the family had arranged to visit friends in Rishton. They were anxious to catch the 4 pm train to that township hence he had called early to collect Agnes.

Maud Westwell was all too well aware of her namesake’s visit to the school just the previous day and Agnes’s mother’s concern that her husband might try to abduct her daughter. She asked Whalley if the girl’s mother knew that he was collecting her. He claimed his wife had sent him and, for good measure, repeated the train story. She then inquired when they were coming back. She was told the family were just going for the night and that Agnes would be back at school in the morning. Whalley, as far as she could judge, seemed perfectly normal.

Despite some misgivings Maud Westwell let Whalley take the little child and they left together. Those all too understandable misgivings must have tormented her for the rest of her days. She later said ‘I tried to keep the girl in vain!’ Hindsight is a wonderful thing but surely, forewarned as the school was by Agnes’s mother, the headmistress should have refused Whalley’s request – however plausible. If he had then forcibly removed the child the police could have been called to attend and would have been on his trail post haste. Tragically, after Agnes had left with her stepfather, the headmistress sent a communication to her mother – a communication when received that must have sent a deep chill into Maud Whalley’s heart.

After leaving St Mary’s with Agnes the stepfather and the child were seen walking hand-in-hand in the direction of Victoria Street by winding master Charles Ricketts. According to Ricketts, Whalley seemed ‘like he had always been… quite normal!’

On reaching 12 Victoria Street, Whalley opened the door and Agnes rushed inside calling out for her mother. Seemingly, she’d been told Maud was there by her stepfather. Miss Horbury was upstairs at the time and hearing the calls of the child came back down again. Without warning or saying anything at all Whalley approached and hit her brutally between the eyes with his clenched fist, knocking her to the floor. Pulling her to her feet, he dragged the elderly landlady into the back kitchen and continued his assault – knocking her down again, hitting her with a shovel and kicking her repeatedly. When she saw all the blood resulting from her injuries Miss Horbury cried out ‘Now, see what you have done!’

Miss Horbury. Accrington Observer and Times

At about 4 pm on Tuesday, 18 September, the Withnell family at 18 Victoria Street, heard a faint knock at their back door. They thought they were imagining the noise and took no notice till, a few minutes later, it was repeated. The back door looked out upon a common yard from which access to the rear of other houses in the terraced row could be obtained. Mr Withnell’s daughter-in-law went to investigate.

Opening the door, she was horrified to discover her neighbour, Miss Horbury, in an almost unrecognisable state. Collapsed, her blood-soaked hair hanging disordered and matted around her shoulders and chest, she was bleeding badly from severe head and facial wounds. One of her eyes was completely closed and her face quite grotesquely swollen. Somehow, from number 12 to the Withnells’ house at 18, Miss Horbury had negotiated four flagged steps and walked the length of three houses – all in a state of shock with the most horrific injuries.

Raising the alarm and summoning help from the rest of her family the young woman assisted Miss Horbury into the house where attempts were made to staunch her wounds. The Withnells asked the old lady how she’d got into such a state but she was so traumatised by her experience that she couldn’t explain. All she could murmur under her breath was ‘I’ve lost my teeth!’ Doctor Brook was immediately sent for.

Walter Wilson, a delivery driver, was in Victoria Street at the time and briefly saw John Whalley at the front window of number twelve in a wild, dishevelled condition. Becoming aware of the situation he went back to Miss Horbury’s house and tried the front and back doors finding both of them fastened against him. The thick curtains prevented him seeing into the kitchen. Nevertheless, he quickly made his way to a nearby mill and telephoned the police. Tom Denbigh, a clothing club agent in the vicinity, had already done so.

Doctor Brook arrived and treated Miss Horbury’s injuries before ordering her removal to Accrington Victoria Hospital. Inspector Walling, in charge at the police station, despatched PCs Maudsley and Flegg to deal with the incident in Victoria Street. Presumably, two telephone calls equated to the attendance of two officers in those far-off days when there were enough spare constables available at any one time to quell a riot if necessary.

On arriving at the Withnells’ house and seeing the wretched state of Miss Horbury the two policemen rushed round to 12 Victoria Street. Surprisingly, they found the front door slightly open. Not knowing they were about to witness a sight that would stay with them for the rest of their days, on duty or off, they entered the front room of the property.

PC Maudsley, in evidence, described the scene as ‘an appalling spectacle!’ It was no exaggeration. There on the hearthrug, between the table and the fireplace, little Agnes Rhodes Wildman rested on her knees and elbows. There were two pools of blood in front of her. She was fully conscious and tried, unsuccessfully, to get to her feet. It was then that the two constables realised that both the child’s hands had been completely severed at the wrists. They were lying under the table less than a yard away.

At that moment the two policemen must have felt the presence of a pure and putrid evil in the room, something far removed from the usual bar brawls, common assaults and occasional murders that they had to deal with in the normal course of their duties. The horrible poignancy of that sight can only be imagined now. Still, they had to act, somehow deal with the situation. Inspector Walling back at the police station, on the paperwork frontline, was expecting to hear from them. There was no time to assimilate, reflect or consider. In any case Agnes spoke up and interrupted their thoughts… ‘I don’t live here; he brought me!’

It was at this point that the two policemen noticed a strong smell of gas in the house. They lifted the little girl on to the couch and she asked for a glass of water. PC Maudsley stayed with Agnes and