Annie Jennings

Annie Jennings was found dead in her room in her tenement with her throat cut.

She was thought to have been dead for about twelve hours when found.

A 23-year-old man was tried but acquitted. When formally charged and asked where he had been on the Tuesday he had said 'I was at that woman's that killed herself'. He later said 'I met the woman in in the Crown and Cushion at 11am. I then went back to my shop to get my money, and after that I went straight back to the Crown and Cushion and got there at 12.30pm. The woman Jennings asked me to go down to her house. I went with her. I paid for a drink when we got there, and after being there for an hour she told me to be off. I went straight out and straight home and arrived at 4.50pm'.

The inquest stated that Annie Jennings had a black eye, bruises on her chin, hip, thigh and collar bone and had died from her throat wound. The doctor said that the position of her body might indicate a crime of passion.

Teeth marks were found on her neck which were supposed to have been similar to the man's. The teeth marks on Annie Jennings body were preserved, and the piece of flesh from her neck where they were found removed and produced in court and compared to teeth marks of the man taken on blotting paper. A doctor said that the general curve of the marks on both corresponded and that the last tooth of the right upper jaw which had penetrated the skin matched a sharp point to the man's teeth which he said would probably penetrate skin.

They also found evidence of bloodstains on his clothing.

The man said he had seen Annie Jennings earlier in the day at 4pm after meeting her in a pub but that he had afterwards gone home and didn't go out again, which was supported by a witness.

A year later a 33-year-old fireman confessed to her murder but he was later certified as insane and the case against him withdrawn.

Annie Jennings was buried at Gilroes Cemetery in Leicester on 8 January 1912. Several thousand people were assembled in the vicinity of the mortuary in Bowling Green Street where the funeral procession started. Her remains were enclosed in a coffin of polished elm with brass fittings, the cost of which had been collected by her neighbours. There were eight wreaths sent and the service was carried out by the vicar of St. Stephen's.

Annie Jennings had at one time been a stage dancer and was believed to have belonged to the unfortunate class.