Lover (41 page)
Authors: Laura Wilson
On Saturday 19th October, I met the man I believed to be Tom Matheson at Piccadilly Circus. He had written to me in order to arrange this meeting. He was wearing an RAF uniform with a greatcoat and a respirator. I told him that I wanted to visit Miss Rene Tate of 14B Frith Street, WI, and he agreed that he would accompany me to this address. I believed that Miss Tate earned her living by soliciting and that is why I asked Mr Matheson to come with me. We arrived there at about 7.15 p.m. While Miss Tate prepared some tea, I noticed that Mr Matheson was behaving strangely. He asked Miss Tate for a glass of water and accompanied her to the kitchen to fetch it. I heard a glass breaking and went into the kitchen where Miss Tate had cut her hand. She told me not to worry, then we returned to the other room and talked until we heard the air-raid warning. During this time, Mr Matheson appeared very nervous and walked about the room. I believe the air-raid warning was at about 8 p.m. but I cannot be certain of this.
When I looked at the clock on Miss Tate's mantelpiece I saw in front of it a small felt envelope very similar in type to an envelope given to me previously by Mr Matheson. He had claimed it belonged to his deceased sister. At this point Mr Matheson left the room. I looked at the envelope and found it contained a cigarette card with the picture of the film actor Robert Taylor. I asked Miss Tate where she had obtained the envelope and she replied that it belonged to her friend Mrs Lillian Franks, who was a prostitute. I said, âI do not understand.' Miss Tate then asked me who had given me the envelope and I replied that Mr Matheson had given it to me. I explained that it had belonged to his sister. Miss Tate then repeated that the envelope was the property of Mrs Franks, and that she thought Mr Matheson was responsible for her murder and also for the murder of two other prostitutes. I took the envelope and left the room.
Mr Matheson was waiting on the stairs outside. I showed him the envelope. I was very confused at this point and cannot remember what happened exactly, but Mr Matheson hit me, and after that I ran out of the house and into Frith Street. I went to one of the turnings off Frith Street and then into an alleyway. I believe I dropped the envelope at the entrance to this alley. Mr Matheson followed me. He got hold of me by the throat. I remember a woman coming to my assistance. She had a torch at that time, but it went out quite quickly when she came to help me. I believe that this woman was Miss Tate, but I could not see what happened to her. Mr Matheson had previously had a torch, but it fell to the ground. I did not remove my torch from my handbag. I next remember running to Old Compton Street, where I requested the assistance of PC Skinner.
I have been told that Miss Tate picked up the envelope and was holding it in her hand at the time she was killed, and it is my belief that she was mistaken for me.
I have read the statement given above and everything that is in it is true.
Lucy Armitage
On Saturday 19th October, about 8.45 p.m. I was on duty at the top of Old Compton Street and was approached by a man I now know to be Harold Nolan, ARP warden, Post D. I accompanied him to Bateman's Buildings, where I found the body of a woman lying on the pavement. Mr G. Callaghan and Mr R. Gillespie were also present. Both denied any knowledge of the deceased previous to this time. Mr Nolan, who was in a distressed state, informed me that the woman was known to him and that her name was Miss Rene Tate, resident at 14B Frith Street, WI. I telephoned for assistance and waited the arrival of senior officers.
John Halpern, PC 113, âC' Division
(i) 21st October 1940
Flying Officer Thomas Matheson has been missing, presumed killed, since 26th September.
(ii) 23rd October 1940
The description which has been given to me by Detective Inspector Walsh, âC' Division, matches that of 78252 Flying Officer James Rushton. Flying Officer Rushton was recently found to be suffering from battle fatigue, and as a consequence was given a forty-eight-hour leave starting at 0700 hours on 19th October. I have been told that he intended spending this leave with his family in Coventry. He returned to RAF Hornchurch at 2000 hours on 20th October. I spoke to him at that time and would describe him as being in good spirits. He resumed operational flying duties on the morning of 21st October, having been passed fit to return to his duties by the Station Medical Officer, Sqn Ldr F.J. Gregson. His flight was scrambled at 1100 hours. He has not returned. His spitfire received a direct hit from an enemy aircraft while engaged in a dogfight over the Channel. This was witnessed by 72550 Flying Officer N. Balchin and 90294 Pilot Officer G. R. Sinclair. They reported that Flying Officer Rushton's aircraft was on fire. They did not see Flying Officer Rushton bale out and messages received by them over the R/T indicate that he was having difficulty in doing so. Both officers state that Rushton is unlikely to have survived, and he is currently listed as missing, presumed killed. His family have been informed.
T
he trial of Edward âTed' Gerrity began at the Old Bailey on 9th December 1940, before Mr Justice Milne. It ended on the following day, when the jury took just twenty-five minutes to find him guilty of the murder of Lillian Franks.
Gerrity was hanged in Wandsworth prison on 18th February 1941.
All the characters and events portrayed in this work are fictitious.
THE LOVER
A Felony & Mayhem “Historical” mystery
PUBLISHING HISTORY
First U.K. print edition (Orion): 2004
Felony & Mayhem print and electronic editions: 2011
Copyright © 2004 by Laura Wilson
All rights reserved
E-book ISBN: 978-1-934609-98-9
To those who lived through it,
and to the memory of those who died
I am very grateful to Roxy Beaujolais, Wing Commander Tommy Cody, Broo Doherty, Tim Donnelly, my dog Freeway, Major John Gilbert, Jane Gregory, Peter Guttridge, DCI Michael Hallowes, Dr Jeanette Josse, Anna McDowell of the Aircraft Restoration Company, Boo MacPherson, Conan Nicholas, Sara O'Keeffe, Hazel Pocock of the Public Record Office, Dave Ratcliffe, Laura Weston of the Old Flying Machine Company, Mark Parr of Historic Flying Ltd, June and William Wilson, Jane Wood, Christopher Wren of RAF Uxbridge, the staff of the Mass Observation Archive at the University of Sussex, and to my fellow Unusual Suspects, Natasha Cooper, Leslie Forbes, Manda Scott, Michelle Spring and Andrew Taylor, for their enthusiasm, advice and support.
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