MURDER IN HANHAM WOODS 1935

historybuff, on October 12, 2008, said:

Murder of Bessie Gladys Nott on a May Morning 1935

Later the primary witness reflected that it had been ' a perfect May morning. The early sun had filtered through the trees, spotlighting the dwellings that had been erected there on the slopes of Hencliffe Wood. The papers were to write about the place as if it were a shanty town. The Evening Post stated 'The scene of the drama is a curious backwoods collection of scattered cabins - they can hardly be called houses - in which live a numerous population, most of them eking out a hard existence on the land as smallholders and farm labourers'. The Notts' place was referred to as 'a tiny one-roomed cottage' and the Franklins' home as 'a similar cottage'. The truth was rather different.

The children who grew up there loved the woods and living arrangements were not as basic as the press would lead us to suppose. This was no squalid collection of primitive makeshift shacks but homes of which the residents were proud as witness the names they called these homes - The Nook, Woodbine Cottage, Rose Cottage. The children were clean and tidy and attended the local church school at Hanham. The residents were not 'eking out a living' but were pig farmers, kept large coops of fowls and, in the summer months, Mr and Mrs Dyer had a little shop by the river where they sold cigarettes, sweets, lemonade and cockles to passers-by either strolling along the river path or enjoying an afternoon boating.

Prior to the Enclosure Act of 1827 all of this was common land and many squatters lived here. This was before the Avon was made navigable upstream to Bath with the opening of Hanham Lock in 1727 at a time when Bickley Wood began to be quarried for stone. The Netham Dam was completed in 1805 and the Feeder Canal was opened which meant the river could be used for transportation both up and downstream and it was at this time that extensive quarrying began in both Hencliffe and Conham woods. After the Bitton Enclosure Act came into force the land was parcelled up into various portions and sold to anyone who could prove a right of use. Initially the main landowner was Samuel Whittuck of Hanham Hall although John Couch claimed some of the land.

After their death the bulk of Hencliffe Wood became the property of the wealthy Richard Haynes whose family seat was Wick Court. On his death in 1919 all his property, in Bristol and London, was placed in the hands of the Chancery Court and a Bristol firm of solicitors were given the task of disposing of the Bristol estates and Victor Osmond was appointed as the Vendor's Agent. It was then that Hencliffe Wood was sold off at a very low figure with deeds carelessly worded and boundaries indistinctly defined and, with the passing years many families did not bother to uphold their claims. In the 1970s Kingswood Council, as it was then known, acquired much of the land.

There were quite a few families living there by 1935. The Littles, the Salters, the Byes, the Robins and the Osmonds were all near neighbours of the Dyers. Mr Elmore had cultivated a piece of land down by the water's edge where he lived in solitud.e. The Francoms had begun by raising their family of twelve in a little cottage at the top by the Ploughing Field but moved to a larger place at the top of the wood and Harry Nott moved into the vacant property. When he had first married Gladys Slocombe they had lived up on the Batch but this place had better prospects.

Harry was a quiet man who took a pride in his home, fitting a boiler and oil lamps and building a neat little brick path to the front door. In the fullness of time he replaced the wooden gate with a smart metal one. The path and the gateposts still remain.

Gladys was an Easton girl, from Bean Street, rather pretty with dark hair. She married Harry in her teens and, when this story takes place, they had an 8-year-old son called Dennis.

On that perfect May morning in 1935 it was Mrs Robins who ran down the hillside to where Priscilla (also known as Dolly) Dyer lived. She seized upon Dolly urging her to go and see what was going on up at the Notts'. Dolly had heard shots ring out and raised voices moments before. She was reluctant to go for, as she explained, she had her young baby, Olive, to look after but was persuaded when Mrs Robins said she would stay with the little girl. Dolly's sister, who was staying with them at the time, reassured her and so, somewhat reluctantly, she walked up the path.

Mrs Robins found Arthur Franklin holding the gun. She spoke to him politely, wishing him a good morning, no doubt wondering how best to deal with the situation. 'I want to get that black beast,' he snarled. He was referring to Harry Nott. At that moment Mrs Dyer was unaware that the body of Gladys Nott was lying in some bushes nearby but in view of Franklin's state of mind she called out to a boy to fetch the police. More people were arriving on the scene by this time and Gladys's body was discovered. Meanwhile, Harry Nott was crawling across a neighbouring field to a small hut where a telephone had been installed. Ernest Gregory, from Forest Road, Kingswood, delivering coal to a nearby house, probably the Rawlings' place, saw him and went to his aid. Harry was bleeding profusely from his head and shoulder.

Franklin was sitting quietly in the clearing when Police Sergeant Auger from Hanham police station made the arrest. In the meantime the gun had disappeared. It was not found for 3 hours.

At the time the incident took place Dennis was at school. He attended Hanham Church of England School and that day all the pupils were very excited as they were celebrating the Silver Jubilee of King George VI and Queen Mary and they were all presented with a souvenir beaker. That was to be the only bright spot in the day for Dennis who was hurried round to the Robins' where he spent the night, unaware of the tragedy that had unfolded at his home after he left to walk to school.

The reporters were soon on the scene although the Evening World representative complained: 'The (Notts') bungalow is a considerable distance from the main road and is only discovered after some distance of walking along country lanes, clearing two stiles and then proceeding over a field.' Having located the elusive residence he noted that 'the small wooden structure commands a fine view across the woods and the river Avon'.

At 11.25 Inspector Symons arrived on the scene where, and he was later to say in court: 'I saw the body of a woman lying face downwards. I examined the body and found the head had been completely shattered. I formed the opinion that the wound had been received as a result of a gunshot fired at close range.' He then went to the hut where Police Sergeant Auger had Arthur Franklin under arrest. He said 'I have just seen the body of a woman and shall detain you with feloniously killing and slaying her by shooting her and there may be a further charge of killing a man but you will be informed of full particulars as early as possible'.

At this stage the inspector took Gladys to be Franklin's wife.

It was noted that a small wooden shed near the spot where Mrs Nott's body lay had holes in the door and it was ascertained that this was where Harry Nott received his wounds. Another loaded shotgun was found in this shed. Meanwhile the St John's Ambulance crew was summoned and the injured man was taken to Cossham hospital in a critical condition. A police constable remained by his bedside all night.

The whole sorry saga had begun some 18 months earlier when Bessie Gladys Nott had begun a relationship with 40-year-old Arthur Franklin who lived 100 yards away with his brother, Frank, in a two-roomed stone cottage. They were Irish and described as being Very respectable men'. Arthur was a short, fair, fresh complexioned man. Gladys moved in with the two brothers and her 8-year-old son, Dennis, used to come to the cottage at the weekends to have a bath and have his clothes washed. This arrangement continued until 7 May 1935 when 26-year-old Gladys returned to live with her husband. Two days later she was dead.

It is interesting to speculate on the character of Gladys Nott It is said she was a quiet woman and neighbours remembered the time before her defection when in the evenings Harry would read the newspaper to her. She must have been very young when she met Harry as she was only 26 when she met her death. Harry was 4 years older. And, indeed, where did they meet? It is known that her maiden name was Slocombe and her father was a dock labourer. At the inquest her mother admitted she had not been in touch with her daughter for 3 years.

Harry's family came from Brislington and he had one sister living at home. Regardless of subsequent events no-one seemed in any way judgemental but believed that her head had been turned by Arthur Franklin lavishing gifts upon her. He certainly paid for her to have her hair permed and possibly hennaed as well as the Evening World describes her as auburn-haired while neighbours recalled her as having dark hair.

It seems Harry always hoped she would return, possibly tor Dennis's sake for, as a Mrs Coles, who lived in Abbot's View, Common Road is quoted as saying, 'Dennis was very much attached to both his parents although they lived apart'. Mr and Mrs Robins took Dennis in. They were very fond of him as he was friendly with the younger children in the family. The Robins had five children ranging in age from 7 to 18. Mr Robins is quoted as saying 'As long as I have a crust of bread Dennis can have half of it'. He reported that 'Dennis had gone to school this morning. He knows now his mother is dead. Schoolchildren told him about it. I am going to the school today to ask the teachers to see the children do not twit Dennis about the tragedy'.

Meanwhile, Harry Nott lay in Cossham hospital. Surgeons battled to save his left eye but to no avail. However, he managed to rally sufficiently to reassure his son and say 'Hello, Dennis. I am coming home soon'.

Arthur Franklin's initial court appearance at Staple Hill was brief. It was noted that Mr Harris, the clerk of the court, intimated to Franklin that he was eligible for legal aid but the prisoner gave a refusal. He was told he would be given another opportunity later but Franklin said 'You need not go to any trouble. I do not want legal aid,' before being remanded in custody.

His trial itself took place at Gloucester Assizes a few weeks later and was described by the press as 'one of the shortest murder trials in the history of the English Criminal Courts'. The presiding judge was Mr Justice Macnoughton.

Arthur Henry Franklin, referred to as 'a smallholder of Hanham Wood' was addressed by the judge: 'Before you make your plea to the charge against you I have to tell you that you are entitled by law to legal aid. I understand that you have refused legal aid up to now, but I want to tell you before you plead that you can have such aid. Do you desire to have it?' Franklin replied 'I do not wish for legal aid, my lord'. The charge was then read to Franklin who replied in a firm voice 'Guilty, Guilty'.

The judge then placed the traditional black cap upon his head and pronounced: 'You have pleaded guilty to the charge of murder. For that crime there is only one sentence the court can pass upon you and that is death.'

Franklin had shown not the slightest trace of emotion throughout his arrest, initial court appearances and subsequent trial and even now, as the warders led him from the dock he was quite unmoved.

The circumstances leading up to the awful events of 8 May were disclosed to the court as was Franklin's statement regarding his attack on Harry Nott. He had said he intended playing with Mr Nott like a cat with a mouse but he had no more cartridges and was unable to fire the gun. Witnesses at the scene said Franklin had announced he had shot Mrs Nott because she returned to her husband.

In the Western Daily Press on 26 June 1935 the public were informed that, whilst in the condemned cell at Gloucester Prison, Franklin had maintained a 'stoical demeanor'. His sole visitor was his brother, Frank, who came to see him on 24 June. The brothers were Roman Catholics and Arthur Franklin received the administrations of the Church from Father Matthew Roche of St Peter's church, Gloucester.

On the 26th, the day of the execution, special precautions were taken by the police to prevent the crowd getting near the prison gates. The hanging was fixed for 8.00am and at 7.25 Father Roche was admitted to the prison. Just before 8.00 am Mr Sidney Allen, the County Sheriff and the Under-sheriff, Mr Herbert H Scott arrived together with Mr Edward Graham the prison doctor.

Shortly after 8 o'clock the formal notices of execution were posted outside the gaol by a warder and the crowd surged forward to read the words. The executioner was Thomas W Pierrepoint, assisted by Robert Wilson. The jurors were compelled to view the body and one, Mr Robert Williams of Quedgley, objected. The prison governor assured Mr Williams that there was nothing to upset him. The coroner insisted it was one of those things that had to be done in important cases as this one was and so Mr Williams had to go with the rest of the jury to do his civil duty. A verdict was recorded that Franklin died in the due execution of the law and his death was instantaneous. The jury donated their fees to the Discharged Prisoners' Aid Society.

So life in the little community began to settle back to some sort of normality. A few months after the events Frank Franklin went to the police and requested the return of his brother's shotgun. As he had in no way been involved in the incident and was of good character, it was judged, the police handed the weapon over. The part of the woods where the brothers had lived was in one of the long-abandoned stone quarries. Their small, dry-stone cottage stood near to the old working which, over the years, had filled with water to some considerable depth. About 3 feet out into the pool there is a large protruding rock which rises out of the water by a few feet. It was upon this rock that Frank Franklin shot himself using the same gun used in the earlier shootings.

And what of the other survivors, Harry and Dennis? Dennis grew up into a strong, handsome young man. He was called up for National Service in 1945 and served 3 years in the army. After being demobbed he started work with some agricultural contractors, Dennis and Philip Crew Bros, Hencliffe Wood, Hanham Abbots. They assisted with the work on local farms. He began courting a pretty local girl called Betty and they were busy making the final arrangements for their wedding in the late summer of 1948. He was working with the Crew brothers one day, haymaking at a farm, thought to be at the top end of Wick, near to Tog Hill. It was late in the day and work was almost done. Dennis volunteered to take the last bale of hay up the ladder. Whether or not his foot slipped or he simply overbalanced is not known but he fell from the top of the ladder and broke his neck. He was 21 years old.

Harry Nott continued to live in his shack in Hencliffe Wood until the late 1960s when Kingswood Council bought his land and rehoused him at Cadbuy Heath. He later remarried but outlived his second wife. He died at Cadbury Heath in November 1989, aged 84.

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Chris Jarrett, on May 26, 2009, said:

I am the grandson of Mrs Dyer and I knew much of this story.

Sorry to be pedant, but Mrs Dyer never had a sister, she had a brother William Taylor and it was probably her sister-in-law Kit/Catherine (not her sister) who looked after my mum, olive.

I can not fill you in on many more details, but Harry Knot stayed good friends with my mum until his death and my grandmother (who died in 1984) .

It was great to come across this article and I will pass it on to my mum.

Best wishes

Chris Jarrett