I have been digging about in my old photos again and came across this one.

Murder
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/33828483@N08/3683523109/)

My late dad is one of the coppers on this photo taken just after a murder in St Marys church on St Marys road.

I was only in my teens at the time but what I can remember him telling me was that a Cleaning lady in the church was beaten to death in front of the alter by a naked man. I remember my dad telling me at the time that the murderer was shouting, screaming, quoting from the Bible and struggling so much the police had difficulty controling him, my dad was sent off to find some rope to tie him up with and went onto shoreham street to a newsagent and took the binding rope they used to wrap the "Stars" up in.

What year was this? I think around 1970. Does anyone else remember this murder?

yes, i remember the murder. apparantly he had taken LSD or something and thought he was an orange and the cleaning lady was going to squeeze the juice out of him. in later years i worked for a company called vestric which was diagonally opposite the church.

The lady who was murdered in the church was my nan her name was Lily Haythorne do you have any more information or photos

Was the man coloured ? Im sure I remember this but dont know what year.I think he is still in Rampton or somewhere.

yes i am sure he was a black man and i am sure he was released after serving only 7 years, i can remember calendar news coming round to tell my mum he had been released

The lady who was murdered in the church was my nan her name was Lily Haythorne do you have any more information or photos

Sorry I have no more infromation apart from the man was black.

I have been digging about in my old photos again and came across this one.

My late dad is one of the coppers on this photo taken just after a murder in St Marys church on St Marys road.

I was only in my teens at the time but what I can remember him telling me was that a Cleaning lady in the church was beaten to death in front of the alter by a naked man. I remember my dad telling me at the time that the murderer was shouting, screaming, quoting from the Bible and struggling so much the police had difficulty controling him, my dad was sent off to find some rope to tie him up with and went onto shoreham street to a newsagent and took the binding rope they used to wrap the "Stars" up in.

What year was this? I think around 1970. Does anyone else remember this murder?

Searching the Scene of the crime (http://www.aburke.freeuk.com/images/murder1.jpg)

I worked on Boston Street at the time and if I remember correctly it was 1966.

I remember it very well.I lived opposite Mrs Hawthorn on Franklin St when it happend.She was a nice lady and so was her family.

Ive since found out that it happened on either 7th / 8th December in 1968. Anyone know any more information about the guy who did it or anything else?

Ive since found out that it happened on either 7th / 8th December in 1968. Anyone know any more information about the guy who did it or anything else?


Yes, you are right he was released .Wonder if he still lives in Sheffield,and how old he is ? Must have been very upsetting for you.

i was only a baby when it happened so dont remember much?

my grandad told me about this - he said it was his relation - am sure he said it was his cousin

Yoawch I thought this was an urban myth! In 1977 I was working as an apprentice and went with my colleague to do some work there. We tipped up and the lady was securely locked in the office and wouldn't open the door until we'd shown her ID and paperwork for the job we'd come to do. As a callow lad, I suggested to my hoppo that she may have been a bit of a nutjob, but he told me (he lived on Cough Rd round the corner at the time) how her predecessor had been cleaning up when a b*&*&ck naked chap trotted up behind her with an axe. I've never heard much more than anecdotes about this

Yoawch I thought this was an urban myth! In 1977 I was working as an apprentice and went with my colleague to do some work there. We tipped up and the lady was securely locked in the office and wouldn't open the door until we'd shown her ID and paperwork for the job we'd come to do. As a callow lad, I suggested to my hoppo that she may have been a bit of a nutjob, but he told me (he lived on Cough Rd round the corner at the time) how her predecessor had been cleaning up when a b*&*&ck naked chap trotted up behind her with an axe. I've never heard much more than anecdotes about this

There was definatley no axe involved. I am sure my dad said she had been beaten with a Bible & or he had jumped up and down on her head.

Thanks Lostrider, not sure that makes it any better, as an atheist, I'd prefer the axe! Was he naked? If so I'd have taken my chance with the bare feet.

As I said, I was completely unaware at the time and it was 31 ish years ago, but I can still remember how nervous and tense she was. We both had to press ID to the glass and show her the works instruction before she would open the door (internal, half glazed with about 3mm glass - axe/bible/nutjob proof?)

p.s. It may have partly been due to my appearance (wild eyed hairy etc)

p.p.s.
Is that an F style mando I see?

Don't want to upset anyone, but accuracy is better than speculation (i.e. my memories) so I have written to St Mary's to see if they have any info.

Apologies to the victim's family members on this thread for my frivolity in what is a tragic event.

There is a death registration for this:
Lily HAYTHORNE age 59, Sheffield, Jan/Feb/March Qtr. 1969 so the date of December 1968 would suggest that this could be the lady in question.

Duffems

it is correct.she was my ex hubbies(DAZZLERdaz)nan and lostrider is right he jumped up and down on her.lily haythorne was her name.

p.p.s.
Is that an F style mando I see?

Yes it is, but I have an A style (must change the avatar).

Don't want to upset anyone, but accuracy is better than speculation (i.e. my memories) so I have written to St Mary's to see if they have any info.

Apologies to the victim's family members on this thread for my frivolity in what is a tragic event.

HI Eldonsmith
Did you get a reply to your letter?

No, the silence is deafening
I emailed admin@stmarys-church.co.uk and posed the question and a link to this discussion

hi,the lady was sum relation to my late grandma, and the blck man was trying to sacrafice a child, and the lady tried to stop him and thats when he killed her, so ive heard

hi,the lady was sum relation to my late grandma, and the blck man was trying to sacrafice a child, and the lady tried to stop him and thats when he killed her, so ive heard

I think this is a Myth. My Dad never mentioned anything about a child being involved.

NB
I have mended the broken link to the photo.

no its definatley not a myth, he was trying to sacrafice a young boy, he was wearing some kind of loin robe type of thing and he ran off with a bible in his hand up london road. i will find out and more and post it