the man they could not hang
Certificates and Archive
Here are a few certificates and John Lee's prison release
paperwork. You are can see a larger image of the certificates by
clicking on the corresponding document.
The birth certificate of Elizabeth Hamlyn (Esterbrook) Harris. Born the 20th August 1855 at Torbrian, Devon. This was John Lee's step-sister (that lovely step-sister, who carries her character with her ... ") and cook for the victim Emma Keyse. Her role in the murder has been subject for debate over the years. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
Jessie Augusta Widger Bulled, born 9th June 1875 at the Coastguard Building at Harwich. Her father was John Bulled, a coastguard and her mother was Caroline Bulled (nee: Willcocks). Jessie married John Lee in 1909. She was left pregnant and abandoned by Lee two years later at Lambeth Workhouse while Lee fled Britain forever with another woman claiming to be Lee's real wife. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
The death certificate of Emma Ann Whitehead Keyse. She died on the 15th November 1885 at The Glen at Babbacombe. Cause of death: Wilful murder by John Lee. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
Beatrice Harris was the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth Harris, who was pregnant at the time of the murder. Beatrice was born on the 24th May 1885 at the workhouse at Newton Abbot. There has been speculation that the father was Reginald Gwynne Templer. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
Reginald Gwynne Templer was acquainted to the victim and the family of the killer. He died on the 18th December 1886 at Holloways Institution. He was 29 years old and had died of General Paralysis of the Insane (syphilis). Templer represent Lee in court but did nothing whatsoever for him. His role in the murder and his relationship with the pregnant Elizabeth Harris is an issue in this case. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
After the fire and carnage at The Glen, the loyal servants of Emma Keyse remained to live in what was left of the building. Just over two years after the murder, Eliza Neck died there on the 5th December 1885. Again an inquest was held (despite her advanced age) and again the the coroner was Sidney Hacker (inadvertently spelt 'Hacky' above). After her death, Eliza's sister moved out of The Glen to stay with the Stiggings family in nearby Princes Street, Babbacombe until her death in 1891. In many respects Eliza's death certificate really did mark the passing of an era which started with the construction of this beautiful house in 1812 by William Davey, the Babbacombe builder and which saw many happy times as well as the dreadful murder in 1884. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
Signed by the Home Secretary, Herbert Gladstone - 30th day of November 1907. "His majesty is graciously pleased to grant John Lee who was convicted of murder at the Assizes holden at Exeter in and for the County of Devon on the 29th of January 1885 and was then sentenced to death which sentence was afterwards commuted to Penal Servitude for Life and is now confined at Portland Prison".
On the 22nd January 1909 John Lee married Jessie Bulled, the Head Attendant in Female Mental Wards at Newton Abbot workhouse. This marriage gained a lot of publicity for the man they could not hang who deserted his bride two years later as she became destitute and an inmate of Lambeth workhouse. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
In 1911 John Lee slipped out of Britain, never to return. He took with him a woman called Adeline Gibbs who claimed, incorrectly, to be his wife. The pair went to America leaving Lee's real wife, Jessie, pregnant in Lambeth workhouse. John and Adeline pretended to be man and wife and stayed (illegally) in Milwaukee for the rest of their lives. As an added twist to this deception, it appears that Miss Gibbs was also married as this certificate demonstrates. On the 20th of November 1910 she married William Jones at Lichfield. Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For National Statistics.
I
was convinced that this was the death certification of John Lee
(aka George Walters). In fact there is some evidence that this
could have been the real John Lee, according to some at
Tavistock, Devon.
Crown Copyright data is used by permission of The Office For
National Statistics.