Sample Info

Many enquirers have heard a family rumour that a past relative had committed a murder or been a victim of murder. On contacting Murder Files with the information they have available, Murder Files was able to supply them with further information about the crime. These are just a few examples.

Miss F. of Middlesex wrote saying she had heard through her family that her great aunt, Maria Marten, had been murdered. She wished to know more.

Research discovered that a William Corder had been hanged for her murder on 11 August 1828 in front of the gaol of Bury St Edmunds. Maria was an attractive 25 year old who lived in the village of Polstead. She had met a rich 21 year old farmer, Corder, in 1826, and when Maria became pregnant he promised to marry her. Although the child died, Maria’s parents still urged Corder to marry.

William, Maria and Baby

On 19 May 1827 he stated he was taking her to Ipswich to marry her but said that the matter must be kept secret or she would, he told her, be arrested for having bastard children. He told her to go to her parents’ home and change into male clothing. In the meantime he took some of her clothing to the Red Barn, a red roofed building on his land. He later called for her and they both walked to his home where, he told her, was waiting a horse and carriage to take them both to Ipswich.

Two days later he returned, saying Maria was still in Ipswich as there were problems in getting a marriage licence. On 29th September Corder declared he was going to London to meet and marry Maria. Three weeks later he wrote saying they were now married and living on the Isle of Wight. Her mother, however, had a dream that night that Maria had been murdered and buried in the Red Barn. So adamant was she that on the 19 April 1828 the barn was searched and Maria’s body found.

Maria Marten’s ghost shows where she was buried

Corder had by now married a girl in London. He was arrested and charged with Maria’s murder. At his trial at Bury St Edmunds Assizes in August 1828 he pleaded Not Guilty and said that Maria had shot herself with one of his pistols that she had taken from his home. He did admit it was rather foolhardy in trying to conceal her body. The Jury were not convinced by this and listened to Maria’s brother who said he had seen Corder leaving the barn with a pickaxe the day Maria disappeared. The Jury accordingly found Corder guilty of murder.

Hanging of William Corder

Mr A. of Yately, Hampshire wrote asking for any information on a Kent Reeks who was murdered in 1914. Reeks was his mother’s cousin.

Reeks had indeed been murdered. His body was found near a disused pit shaft at Ettingshall on 20 January 1914. He had been shot three times in the head. Bullets had gone through his brain and left eye and another through the centre of his skull. Three live cartridges and four spent ones were found lying near the body. The body was covered over by a coat but there were no bullet holes in it.

Reeks had landed at Liverpool from Halifax, Nova Scotia, on 17 January and visited his uncle in Manchester the same day. That night the uncle had put him on a train to join another train at Liverpool. Prior to departure Reeks had shown him a wallet full of dollar bills. However, only coins, American and British, were found in Reeks’ pockets.

Police never discovered the murderer nor was any trace found of the murder weapon. Even more mystifying was why the body was not thrown down the 400 foot water-filled shaft just yards away from where the body was found.

Mrs S. from Natal, South Africa, wrote to enquire about a relative, Florence Nightingale Shore, who was murdered in 1920 on a train at or near Hastings Railway Station.

Murder Files uncovered that a woman travelling alone in a 3rd class compartment was found with unexplained injuries on arrival at Bexhill Station on Monday afternoon 12 January 1920. She had a severe wound to the head and was hardly able to give an account of what had happened to her. As a result she was taken to the East Sussex Hospital in Hastings where she told nurses her name was Florence Nightingale Shore. She said she was attacked by a man who had left the train before it reached Bexhill. She described him as being slight, clean shaven and about 28 years of age. He was wearing a light brown suit and looked like a clerk or shop assistant.

Extensive police enquiries were immediately made along the London to Hastings route, but despite Miss Shore’s description of her attacker, no one was ever arrested for her murder – she having died on 16 January.

The victim was Florence Nightingale’s goddaughter and followed her into nursing where she was decorated for her work during the second Boer War.