Rich Street, Limehouse

[Gary Barnett]

On August 6th, 1945, the body of 27-year-old Lilian Maud Hartney was found in a gateway in Rich Street, Limehouse. She had been strangled, and rope marks on her arms suggested she had been bound, although the rope was missing. It was thought she had been murdered elsewhere and dumped in the gateway.

The police at the time believed that her death had occurred at about 11 p.m. the previous night, Sunday 5th. A few hours before that she had left her flat in the East India Dock Road after apparently reading the novel 'The Lodger', about Jack the Ripper. Earlier the same evening she had mentioned to a neighbour that a mysterious stranger had been following her from district to district.

Her husband, Patrick Hartney, an invalid ex-RN stoker, was arrested and charged with her murder, but subsequently acquitted.

This an interesting unsolved case in its own right, but I'm just as intrigued by the location being Rich Street, where Stephen Maywood and the McCarthys moved after leaving Pennington Street.

This site contains some interesting images of the crime scene and (presumably) the surrounding area, but unfortunately they are not labelled.

http://www.unsolved-murders.co.uk/murder-content.php?key=2551&termRef=Lilian%20Maud%20Hartney#browse

And on post 54 here Rob Clack has added a couple of interesting shots of the murder scene, one from 2010, and one from 1945 with the victim's body in-situ.

http://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?p=129592

If anyone has any images of Rich Street as it might have looked in 1890, I'd love to see them.

[Gary Barnett]

I'm not sure exactly when Stephen Maywood moved into 1, Rich Street, but it seems it must have been 1890 or earlier.

There were two fires at the address in 1890, one in January and another in August.

Poor old Steve seems to have been dogged by fire. At least three farms he was connected to suffered serious conflagrations. I hope the poor lad was insured. ;-)

[Debra Arif]

I'm not sure exactly when Stephen Maywood moved into 1, Rich Street, but it seems it must have been 1890 or earlier.

There were two fires at the address in 1890, one in January and another in August.

Poor old Steve seems to have been dogged by fire. At least three farms he was connected to suffered serious conflagrations. I hope the poor lad was insured. ;-)

Neal Shelden says they left Breezers Hill by 1888 and school records show a couple of other address, Cornwall St then Priscilla St in 89. 1890 seems about right.
I haven't yet looked for when Mary Ann Woodhouse nee McCarthy and her husband left 79 Pennington St and ended up at Rich Street but it's on my list of to do's to follow up my research in to that family.

[Gary Barnett]

Neal Shelden says they left Breezers Hill by 1888 and school records show a couple of other address, Cornwall St then Priscilla St in 89. 1890 seems about right.
I haven't yet looked for when Mary Ann Woodhouse nee McCarthy and her husband left 79 Pennington St and ended up at Rich Street but it's on my list of to do's to follow up my research in to that family.

Yes, Debs, I knew about Cornwall St and Priscilla street.

What's a bit confusing is the 1-year-old child, William, on the 1891 census, apparently born in Limehouse. I can't seem to find his birth.

[Debra Arif]

Yes, Debs, I knew about Cornwall St and Priscilla street.

What's a bit confusing is the 1-year-old child, William, on the 1891 census, apparently born in Limehouse. I can't seem to find his birth.

This looks like it, Gary. Sarah's maiden name was apparently McMannara and not Mack.
MAYWOOD, WILLIAM MACMANNARA
GRO Reference: 1889 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 436

[Gary Barnett]

Maywood

In the absence of the Shelden material, here's a summary of Maywood's biography from the Ratcliffe Highway thread. Kicked off by Ed Stow and added to by me. There's quite a bit more that I've come across, he was a very interesting character.

Maywood
Quote:
Originally Posted by Edward Stow View Post
Gary
Do you have a link to that Horse Flesh dealer picture? You might note the size of some of those bits of horse flesh.
Judging by the fashions I would say i dates from around the time of the First World War - which would preclude it being old Ma Lechmere's establishment. But you never know.

I can't recall all the evidence put forward in the Sheldon's book - I remember a lot of speculation surrounded the Maywood character - who had connections to Romford. I think they said his kids went to Bets Street School but I haven't found conformation of that.
I believe he had a few convictions for horse thrashing or something like that.
This is what I have found out about him.

Stephen Maywood

Birth 1859

Jul—Sep 1877 Marriage Register Romford – Stephen Maywood to Sarah Mack

1881 Census – 159 Horns Road, Barkingside
Stephen Maywood – aged 22, an agricultural labourer, born Barkingside
Sarah Maywood – aged 21, wife, born Barkingside
Stephen Maywood – aged 2, born Barkingside
Henry Maywood – aged 8 months, born Barkingside

27th July 1883 Birth of William George Maywood
19th August 1883 Baptism of William George Maywood – parents Stephen and Sarah Maywood of 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s – a labourer

1884 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1885 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1887 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s
1888 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood – 1 Breezer’s Hill, St George’s

10th April 1888 – Lower Chapman School – father Stephen Maywood – Horsedealer – 94 Cornwall Street
Stephen Maywood – born 16/06/78 – previously at school in Ilford - left school 01/05/88 – left neighbourhood
Henry Maywood – born 27/07/80 - previously at school in Ilford - left school 16/05/88

4th February 1889 – Bow High Street School – father Stephen Maywood – 49 Priscilla Road
Stephen Maywood – previously at Barkingside Board
Henry Maywood – previously at Barkingside Board

1891 Census – 1 Rich Street Limehouse
Stephen Maywood - aged 31, a horse dealer, born Ilford, Essex
Sarah Maywood – aged 29, wife, born St Georges’
William Maywood – aged 8, born Limehouse

190 Horns Road, Ilford
William Box – aged 66, agricultural labourer
Lucy Box – aged 55
Henry Maywood – aged 11 grandson - scholar

1891 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood - 7 and 1 Rich Street, Limehouse
1892 Electoral Register – Stephen Maywood - 1 Rich Street, Limehouse

1901 Census – Little Newbury Farm, Ley Street, Ilford
More on Stephen Maywood




1861 - Stephen Maywood, aged 1, living in ??? Cottage, Barkingside, (step)son of head of household, William Box.

1871 - Stephen Maywood, aged 11, living at No. 8, Vicarage Cottages Ley Street/Horns Road, Ilford.

Oct., 1888 - Fined for mistreating a horse in Romford. Address: Breezers Hill.

July, 1897 - Fined for assaulting Alfred Strong in Romford Market. Address: Horns Road, Ilford.

Sept., 1900 - A Frederick Bush appears at Stratford Petty Sessions charged with stealing 2,500 bricks from Stephen Maywood. 'Bill is ignored.'

Dec., 1904 - Charged alongside William Box* and Ernest Boxall with attempting to defraud two Irish cattle dealers at Cambridge Market. Box was convicted, Maywood and Boxall were acquitted. Addresses given as:

Box - Ilford
Maywood - Ilford
Boxall - Lambourne End

Nov., 1909 - Stephen Maywood Jr, described as a farmer with 6 summary convictions for assault, drunkeness etc., appeared at Chelmsford Petty sessions charged with shooting at Stephen Wood and Robert Bright at Great Leighs. He was acquitted.

1911 Census - Stephen Maywood, aged 50. Occupation: Farmer. Address: The Lodge, Mendlesham, Stowmarket, Suffolk.

1911 Census - Stephen Maywood Jr., aged 32. Occupation: Farmer. Address: North White House, Great Leighs, Essex.

Death - Dec Q. 1935: Stephen Maywood, aged 77, Rochford, Essex.

Death - Dec Q. 1949: Sarah Maywood, aged 87, Rochford, Essex.

Death - June Q. 1955: Stephen Maywood Jnr, aged 76, Rochford, Essex.

*William Box was Maywood's half brother.

[Debra Arif]

I don't see this one in the list, maybe I missed it:

The same newspaper of 24th December 1897 reported that Stephen Maywood, alias Box, was up before the Ilford Sessions summoned for stealing a coat from a veterinary surgeon. The theft was unproven but he was found guilty of a separate assault charge against the vet and was fined 40s, and costs,

Shelden, Neal. Mary Jane Kelly and the Victims of Jack the Ripper: The 125th Anniversary (Kindle Locations 447-450). Unknown. Kindle Edition.

He was using his step-father's surname as an alias then eh?! A name he didn't normally use?

[Gary Barnett]

This looks like it, Gary. Sarah's maiden name was apparently McMannara and not Mack.
MAYWOOD, WILLIAM MACMANNARA
GRO Reference: 1889 D Quarter in STEPNEY Volume 01C Page 436

Hi Debs,

Thanks, Debs. I saw that one, but I was put off by the Mack/Macnamarra discrepancy. And there was a Romford WM birth in the same year.

Echoes here of my great aunt 'Lizzie Mac', so-called in the family because she married a man named Billy MacDermott.

I'll send for that cert. I'm keen to know whether Stevey boy was resident at 1, Rich Street when the two fires took place.

[Gary Barnett]

I don't see this one in the list, maybe I missed it:

The same newspaper of 24th December 1897 reported that Stephen Maywood, alias Box, was up before the Ilford Sessions summoned for stealing a coat from a veterinary surgeon. The theft was unproven but he was found guilty of a separate assault charge against the vet and was fined 40s, and costs,

Shelden, Neal. Mary Jane Kelly and the Victims of Jack the Ripper: The 125th Anniversary (Kindle Locations 447-450). Unknown. Kindle Edition.

He was using his step-father's surname as an alias then eh?! A name he didn't normally use?

Yeah, he got into quite a few scrapes, as did his son, also named Stephen.

The story I like best of all is of his claiming to have left 850 quid on his cart outside the Blind Beggar (the pub, not Foggy). It was stolen, so he claimed, so there wasn't much left to pay off his creditors. Such an unlucky guy!

[Debra Arif]

Yeah, he got into quite a few scrapes, as did his son, also named Stephen.

The story I like best of all is of his claiming to have left 850 quid on his cart outside the Blind Beggar (the pub, not Foggy). It was stolen, so he claimed, so there wasn't much left to pay off his creditors. Such an unlucky guy!

But did he use his step-father's surname regularly when he got in to those scrapes? Did he use it any other time?

[Gary Barnett]

But did he use his step-father's surname regularly when he got in to those scrapes? Did he use it any other time?

He wasn't that dodgy!

[Rob Clack]

I have identified these pictures the best I can.



The two I am not sure about. The one on the left may be another view of East India Dock Road.

Rob

[Howard Brown]

Thanks Rob !

[Gary Barnett]

I have identified these pictures the best I can.

[ATTACH]17439[/ATTACH]

The two I am not sure about. The one on the left may be another view of East India Dock Road.

Rob

Yes, thanks for the clarification, Rob.

Am I right in thinking that the last image looks towards the WIDR?

[Rob Clack]

Yes, thanks for the clarification, Rob.

Am I right in thinking that the last image looks towards the WIDR?

Yes, sort off. Its the junction of Commercial Road, East India Dock Road and West India Dock Road.

Regards

Rob