Diss Family History Group

A birthplace for William of Bulcamp in the 1871 and 1881 Censuses changed to Yoxford for 1891 onwards; was the change a denial of his and the family’s workhouse association?

Daily Mirror, 13th August 1904, page 4

Sometime after the trials a report (above) appeared stating that a soldier in the military prison in Dover confessed to Rose’s murder. The police denied all knowledge of this and nothing further was heard of it.

Defence counsel for Gardiner at both trials was Ernest Wild. It appears that these trials were of such high profile and importance that they were noted as one of his finest achievements and was referred to in an article following his death.

The case has had interest in legal circles for over 120 years and a few years ago it was subject to a BBC Documentary by Julian Fellows, a member of the House of Lords and the writer of Downton Abbey, called ‘A Most Mysterious Murder’ and it conclude that the murderer was Gardiner’s wife in a fit of jealousy. (There were claims she would have admitted to the murder to save him from being hanged if found guilty.)

There have also been many books written on the subject, including “The Peasenhall Murder - An Edwardian Mystery” (Paperback), by Neil R. Norman. ISBN: 9781399064378.

Many newspapers published articles relating to the murder. The Coventry Evening Telegraph, with excellent coverage, followed this case as it went on and all their articles found as well as some others are included below. Please note that some of the articles have grammar and spelling that we do not accept now as correct.