Vera May Glasspool

Vera Glasspool was found dead in a copse in Longwood, Winchester with her throat cut.

She had been in the service of the Longwood House estate seven miles from Winchester and on the Tuesday 10 July 1917 it was her afternoon out and she had left to go to her home in Baybridge, a little distance away, but she never arrived. She had left between 3-4pm.

She was found on 11 July 1917 in the copse by her father with her throat cut and her mackintosh over her head although there was no indication of a struggle. However, she had had earth marks on her knees.

It was noted that a silver keyless wristlet watch, the face of which was ornamented with flowers and stars, which she was known to have been wearing at the time, was missing.

No sign of any knife or other instrument was found.

The copse would have been on her way from Longwood House to her father's house.

She was described as being good looking with fair hair and being tall for her age.

She had been the daughter of a farm labourer.

Another servant at Longwood House said that on the Sunday afternoon she and Vera Glasspool had met three couples of soldiers, one from the Royal Garrison Artillery and another from the Army Service Corps and they had promised to meet the men again on the Tuesday, however, she said that Vera Glasspool told her that she had made separate arrangements to meet two soldiers and had gone out on her own.

The wife of a gardener and a lodgekeeper said that she saw Vera Glasspool on the Tuesday but said that there was no one with her and no one else in sight as she passed her lodge and disappeared around the corner.

The doctor said that there were no marks of outrage and that death was partly due to strangulation by the right sleeve of her mackintosh tied tightly around her neck as well as a stab wound to the side of her neck which was probably inflicted whilst she was partly unconscious. The stab wound was just below the right angle of the lower jaw and had pierced one of the big veins of the neck and was characteristic of a wound inflicted during life or shortly after death. The doctor said that whilst the sleeve was only tied in a single knot the sleeve required considerable force to loosen, and when removed was found to have left a distinct impression on her flesh.

It was noted that her death had taken place about four hours after she had eaten a meal.

The police were without a clue and had offered £50 for information about her death.

Her inquest, which was held at Owlesbury, returned a verdict of murder by some person or persons unknown.