Thomas Weldon Anderson

Thomas Weldon Anderson was found dying outside the back door of an empty ground floor flat at 17 Clifton Gardens, Prince Of Wales Road, Battersea Park on 1 June 1910.

He had been shot in the back.

Thomas Anderson's son was having dinner at the flat at the time which was an appointment that his father new about. When they heard the two shots they rushed to the door and saw a man on the trellis work on the wall and then saw him jump over the wall.

When they first went outside they didn't see the body of Thomas Anderson and even thought that it might have been Thomas Anderson who had climbed over the wall. Thomas Anderson had stayed at the flat before whilst travelling to London but had not stayed during his last visit due to a difference with the woman although it was said to have been minor.

A chauffeur had been driving along Rosenau Road at about 8.30pm when he had heard the two gunshots and had seen the man scaling the wall and then flee towards the River Thames. He then drove to a police station and told them.

When the police arrived they spoke to the owner of the flat and the woman and as they were talking they heard heavy breathing and followed the sound to the foot of a staircase behind the home where they found Thomas Anderson wearing bedroom slippers and with a gunshot wound to his face.

They could not understand why there were boots in the empty flat or why Thomas Anderson had been wearing slippers.

Some emphasis was placed on the revolver that was used and which was thought to have belonged to Thomas Anderson.

Thomas Anderson had actually been keeping watch on the flat and had kept a diary. He had been hiding in the empty flat beneath the woman's and keeping watch on her. An entry for 14 July 1910, two days before his murder, read 'Watched the house until 11.30, when lights were turned out. Found bunch of flowers in the ash bin. If he had kept away from her, if he had broken from the spell of her fascination and remained out of reach, this would never have happened. He has no one to thank but himself. We all reap what we have sown'.

News papers speculated that the woman was an ex-mistress of Thomas Anderson's and suggested that there was a three way relationship. It was also thought that Thomas Anderson had suspected the woman of seeing someone else and had been hiding outside her house in the hope of catching them but that he had disturbed some burglars who had been active in the area.

People that saw the man running away said that he had jumped into Rosneau Road and was either clean shaven or had a moustache, and had a round white face, a dark coat that was covered in dust, a bowler hat and resembled a clerk more than a labourer.

Thomas Anderson had been an actor.

Prince Of Wales Road is now called Prince Of Wales Drive.