PG Wodehouse was born in Guilford, England, in 1881. He was educated at Dulwich College. From 1903 to 1909 he edited the humorous “By the Way” column for the London Globe. His reputation as a humorous novelist was established with Psmith in the City (1910). He maintained his enormous popularity with nearly 100 novels depicting… Continue reading P.G. Wodehouse
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Neville G. C. Heath
On 21 June 1946 the body of a film extra called Margery Aimeé Brownell Gardner was found in a Notting Hill Gate hotel room. MARGERY AIMEE BROWNELL GARDNER Margery Aimee Brownell Wheat was born on 21 May 1914, in Ecclesall, Yorskhire. In April 1939 she had married Peter A. Gardner. The 1939 England and Wales… Continue reading Neville G. C. Heath
Mariette Smart
Mariette Smart was born in 1900, the daughter of a German Mother. She lived in the Vichey administered section of southern France. Following the Allied invasion of North Africa, the Germans entered the Vichey section of France in 1942. THEODORE SCHURCH Smart seemed to take great delight in betraying her French neighbours, and anyone else… Continue reading Mariette Smart
The Last Executions
Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans were the last people executed in the UK. Both men were hanged at the same time on 13 August 1964 but at different prisons; Allen at Liverpool and Evans at Manchester. Subsequent people were sentenced to death, but they were all reprieved. A 53 year old laundry van… Continue reading The Last Executions
Klaus Fuchs
Klaus Fuchs gave atomic research information to the Soviet Union, and was tried under the U.K’s Official Secrets Act at his trial in February 1950. The maximum sentence under the Official Secrets Act is Life Imprisonment. In 1951, the husband and wife, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, were charged with conspiracy to commit espionage as covered… Continue reading Klaus Fuchs
Lwys Lipman
The occurrence of this type of case, in this instance that of Lwys (Lewis) Lipman, was more common than the modern image of the UK war years would perhaps suggest. A sizeable number of people were tried under various pieces of wartime legislation. LWYS (LEWIS) LIPMAN The Wales Census 1901 shows the Lipman family living… Continue reading Lwys Lipman
Styllou Christofi
Styllou Christofi’s case was hardly covered by the media, yet Ruth Ellis was portrayed by some papers as the dashing blonde dumped by her lover. Yet both ladies were executed at Holloway Prison within 7 months of each other. THE CASE OF SACH and WALTERS THE CASE OF EDITH THOMPSON THE CASE OF LOUISA MERRIFIELD… Continue reading Styllou Christofi
Ruth Ellis
Ruth Ellis was the last lady executed in the UK. Her trial at The Old Bailey and execution at London’s Holloway Prison aroused great public interest and coverage by the newspapers of the day. This contrasted with the lack of sensationalist media interest in the executions of the two ladies before Ruth Ellis: Louisa Merrifield… Continue reading Ruth Ellis
Louisa Merrifield
Louisa Merrifield, born 3 December 1916, became the third-to-last woman to be executed in the UK. The cases of Louisa Merrifield, Styllou Chrstofi and Ruth Ellis are noted for the differing styles of newspaper coverage. THE CASE OF STYLLOU CHRISTOFI THE CASE OF RUTH ELLIS Louisa Merrifield was born Louisa Highway on 3 December 1906… Continue reading Louisa Merrifield
Korea War 1950-54
At the end of the Second World War the peninsula of Korea was divided into two countries: North and South Korea. North Korea was ruled by a Soviet-controlled communist regime, while South Korea was under USA supervision. The supervisory powers were supposed to withdraw from their respective countries between 1948 and 1949. KOREAN WAR VICTORIA… Continue reading Korea War 1950-54