john knight
signman
It was Wheeleys Road .
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Crimes : Birmingham murders
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jamesg1977
master brummie
Did you know that according to the National Archives website you cant access the details to this till 2036!! the 75 secrecy rule has been applied to it!!??!!
Regards
James
Regards
James
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Found this article on the history of the YMCA hostel at 64 Wheeley's Road. I was home the evening the murder happened and was reported on TV and years later I met someone who was staying at the YWCA Hostel at Wheeley's Road when the murder took place. Here's a bit about the fate of the building.
Gruesome killing shocked city
'Edencroft', 64 Wheeley's Road, Edgbaston
DEMOLISHED... the hostel where Sydney Stephanie Baird was killed
MURDER SITE... the block of flats that replaced the hostel
LOW-RISE blocks of flats occupy the land where an imposing Victorian house once stood in leafy Wheeley's Road.
The small estate bears the name of Edencroft but the bricks and mortar of the original building have long since gone.
Signs of the old house, presented to the YWCA by the Barrow-Cadbury family in 1929, have disappeared - but the memory of what happened in the building will be as clear as ever to those who recall the Christmas of 1959.
It was 40 years ago on December 23 that room number four witnessed one of Birmingham's most gruesome murders.
Sydney Stephanie Baird, a 29-year-old clerk, was decapitated and mutilated by peeping tom Patrick Byrne.
He had watched the young woman undressing through a window and then launched his vicious attack with a knife.
He was eventually caught in Warrington where he confessed to his grisly crime and was jailed for life for murder.
His conviction was not upheld by the Court Of Appeal which replaced it with a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds that the judge misled the jury in summing up. His sentence remained the same.
The historic house, built by Joseph Sturge in 1850, was demolished in 1968 to make way for the flats which now stand there
Gruesome killing shocked city
'Edencroft', 64 Wheeley's Road, Edgbaston
DEMOLISHED... the hostel where Sydney Stephanie Baird was killed
MURDER SITE... the block of flats that replaced the hostel
LOW-RISE blocks of flats occupy the land where an imposing Victorian house once stood in leafy Wheeley's Road.
The small estate bears the name of Edencroft but the bricks and mortar of the original building have long since gone.
Signs of the old house, presented to the YWCA by the Barrow-Cadbury family in 1929, have disappeared - but the memory of what happened in the building will be as clear as ever to those who recall the Christmas of 1959.
It was 40 years ago on December 23 that room number four witnessed one of Birmingham's most gruesome murders.
Sydney Stephanie Baird, a 29-year-old clerk, was decapitated and mutilated by peeping tom Patrick Byrne.
He had watched the young woman undressing through a window and then launched his vicious attack with a knife.
He was eventually caught in Warrington where he confessed to his grisly crime and was jailed for life for murder.
His conviction was not upheld by the Court Of Appeal which replaced it with a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds that the judge misled the jury in summing up. His sentence remained the same.
The historic house, built by Joseph Sturge in 1850, was demolished in 1968 to make way for the flats which now stand there
E
Elizabeth Redmond
Guest
I remember this well, even though I was very young at the time, the YWCA was almost next door to the cinema on Bristol Rd, my elder sister had recently married, she lived in Irving St which was just a little way down the Bristol Rd, and I remember she was very nervous when her husband was at work and she was alone in the house, we lived not far from there 5 mins away,
Shortie
master brummie
I know where Wheeleys Road is, although it's not quite 'just around the corner', it's not very far. My daughter lives in Selly Oak and we travel there quite frequently, often using Five Ways, depending on where we are going after. I have also been doing some research on neighbours of Joseph Sturge, so that came up during the research.
Astonian - I do believe the house used as a hostel was demolished, I don't know when, but that is what I understood. It was the house Joseph Sturge lived in - it was someone from the Victorian Society who told me, but I can check with him later. I do know the area fairly well, due to where my daughter lives and also due to my research done.
Shortie
Shortie
Astonian - I do believe the house used as a hostel was demolished, I don't know when, but that is what I understood. It was the house Joseph Sturge lived in - it was someone from the Victorian Society who told me, but I can check with him later. I do know the area fairly well, due to where my daughter lives and also due to my research done.
Shortie
Shortie
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I lived at 95 Witton rd in the 60s the girl name not known was found dead in the infant toilets located at bottom of our garden separated by 1m pathway of entry about 20m from my bedroom it was on a Friday night because on the next day i had to attend confession on a Saturday morning church of same name next to the school my mum took me despite my protests but when we arrived all my mates were with mums thats when i saw the coffin of the girl being loaded on van there my memory ends. I was told by my Mother at later date that my Dad was quized by the police sadly my Mum has passed on.
hi dogboden
i can recall that incidence as well ;i recall it as mid 60.s and not long after that there was an old mr taylor whom ran a swwet shop on victoria rd
just up at six ways near to the island we lived at number 47 victoria rd and his shop was less than fifty yards ; he was a little old cribbled old fellow a very nice guy getting on in age ; whom lived on his own ; he took a lodger in whom worked for birds custod factory whom was responible for his murder
they apprended him a week or two after he scarped ; and before them it was diane tift and friend whom went missing and murdered
and at first people thought the school girl murder was by the same guy but it was not ;apparently ;
when the two girls was murdered we lived in upper thomas street just around the corner from her ; and for weeks and weeks seven days aweek our houses was searched top to bottom and in the garden and sheds every body in the area was searched and i mean seven days aweek over and over they would call
in two,s the coppers tea time and dinner times just as you was about to sit down and have a meal but we did not mind ; how could you ; under the given situtation ; i do indeed recall the police questioning a man for her at the school ;
it must have been very hard for your mother and your family to have to xperience that situtation ; of being prime suspect when in fact you are inocent
and especialy with the familys and neibours around the street ;people are to quick to point the finger ;and more often its not the case of the person being accused ; best wishes astonian;;
i can recall that incidence as well ;i recall it as mid 60.s and not long after that there was an old mr taylor whom ran a swwet shop on victoria rd
just up at six ways near to the island we lived at number 47 victoria rd and his shop was less than fifty yards ; he was a little old cribbled old fellow a very nice guy getting on in age ; whom lived on his own ; he took a lodger in whom worked for birds custod factory whom was responible for his murder
they apprended him a week or two after he scarped ; and before them it was diane tift and friend whom went missing and murdered
and at first people thought the school girl murder was by the same guy but it was not ;apparently ;
when the two girls was murdered we lived in upper thomas street just around the corner from her ; and for weeks and weeks seven days aweek our houses was searched top to bottom and in the garden and sheds every body in the area was searched and i mean seven days aweek over and over they would call
in two,s the coppers tea time and dinner times just as you was about to sit down and have a meal but we did not mind ; how could you ; under the given situtation ; i do indeed recall the police questioning a man for her at the school ;
it must have been very hard for your mother and your family to have to xperience that situtation ; of being prime suspect when in fact you are inocent
and especialy with the familys and neibours around the street ;people are to quick to point the finger ;and more often its not the case of the person being accused ; best wishes astonian;;
An old post I know but reminds me that recently I told my old school pals about this but they could not remember it.....It was 23 December 1959 and I was 10 yrs old.....we were going to a family party and decided I needed the loo......now our loo was up the yard and when I opened the door all I saw was a black shadowy figure.....I ran into the house screaming and scrambling under the table "Its the mad axeman"......
next thing was our neighbour, Mrs Cantor, who was looking over the fence to see what the commotion was only to find my father stood there in the yard with his trousers round his ankles wondering what was happening........it turned out he had a tilly lamp light and was behind him in the loo.......
Very frightening at the time but also very funny today.
next thing was our neighbour, Mrs Cantor, who was looking over the fence to see what the commotion was only to find my father stood there in the yard with his trousers round his ankles wondering what was happening........it turned out he had a tilly lamp light and was behind him in the loo.......
Very frightening at the time but also very funny today.
Hi Pom, do you know if that policeman is still alive, I have very fond memories of him from when he was on the beat where I lived in Skinner Lane. He always made sure I got home safe and sound whenever he saw me, no wonder after what he had witnessed. Such a lovely man
Bluenosebambi
New Member
I wish this conversation was continued! How interesting! The only murder I remember was Yvonne Colley in Warstock!
sultan4swing
New Member
I am now in my early 70's. I lived in Cheltenham until the mid 1990's when I moved out to The Forest of Dean and ultimately to where I am now - Norwich..... As you get older, memories of when you were young, inexplicably come back.... and not always pleasant.... My Mum, brother and myself in the mid 1950's, were living on a rough council estate in Cheltenham... I was 10 years old, when we used to get regular visits from the Salvation Army.... two ladies came every week to chat with my Mum, whose life had been very tough in the intervening 6 years when my Dad had died, been left bankrupt, we lost the family home and ended up where we were.... I vividly remember the Salvation Army visits of the two lovely ladies... one of whom was Stephanie Baird.... It is still now difficult to reconcile what happened to her, and its effect on us then. I have thought about her many times over the years... I hope that her family got the justice they deserved. I don't recollect hearing anything subsequently about the case and the perpetrator....... Edited to remove comments which some may find distressing. This thread is now locked as further commentary could be emotionally distressing to anyone involved with this case. Thank you all for your comments.
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Rachel Morgan
knowlegable brummie
Florence Clifford was my great grandfathers neice (1st cousin 3 times removed) truly shocked at finding this out today
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
I had not noticed this thread concerning Candice Williams, the poor young girl (RIP) who was murdered in 1978, until the recent posts. The link posted by Jennyann no longer works and so I have placed a more recent one from Birmingham Live in 2017.
DNA profiling led to conviction, on the 18th March 1992, of Patrick Hassett. Note the remarkable likeness of Patrick Hassett to Peter Sutcliffe the Yorkshire Ripper.
www.birminghammail.co.uk
DNA profiling led to conviction, on the 18th March 1992, of Patrick Hassett. Note the remarkable likeness of Patrick Hassett to Peter Sutcliffe the Yorkshire Ripper.
Sex killer STILL a danger to the public - 40 years after murder
Judges end his bid to move out of maximum security jail
www.birminghammail.co.uk
John_Gower_Street_pupil
master brummie
Margaret Reynolds was another victim. She lived in Clifton Road Aston and went to my school.
Prince Albert Primary School on Whitehead Road. I remember being interviewed by the police.
Can't remember the year though.
I lived on Tower Road parallel to Clifton Road.
Prince Albert Primary School on Whitehead Road. I remember being interviewed by the police.
Can't remember the year though.
I lived on Tower Road parallel to Clifton Road.
the year was 1966
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