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Kathleen Mary Drury

Age: 15

Sex: female

Date: 1 Feb 1920

Place: Waterloo, Liverpool

Kathleen Drury was found dead on an allotment.

A suspect for her murder threw himself under an electric train.

Her head had been smashed in with a heavy weapon wielded with great force and her throat had been cut. She had not been violated.

Two significant clues were found, half a gentleman's handkerchief which was found in her mouth and a cigarette-holder. However, the handkerchief had nothing on it such as a name or laundry number to identify it. It was also noted that all possible footprints of the murderer must have been obliterated as many people had visited the spot where she was found before the police arrived at the scene. The cigarette holder was of plain bone.

Kathleen Drury had left her home on Gordon Avenue during the evening to call on a sick school friend and on her way had crossed the allotments. An all-night search was made for her but it wasn't until 8 o'clock the following morning that she was found dead by a man going to work.

The inquest heard that Kathleen Drury had lent the man that later killed himself 2 shillings at the allotment. The man was later found dead on the railway near Sandhills.

The police said that on 4 February 1920 they had questioned the man and said that he had admitted that he had known Kathleen Drury and she used to talk to him on the allotment. He had said that on the night of the murder he had gone out for a walk at 7pm and returned an hour later. When the police examined his clothes they found what they thought were bloodstains on a sleeve and the man said 'It will be rust off one of the levers in the signal cabin.'. When the police then found a clasp knife in his possession he said 'You don't suspect me?'.

The pathologist who examined his clothes said that he found blood stains on his overcoat and two long human hairs adhering to the lining of his coat similar to the dead girl's hair.

Kathleen Drury's school friend said that Kathleen Drury and the man had frequent meetings and said that Kathleen Drury had told her that the man had owed her 2 shillings.

The Coroner's jury at the inquest on Kathleen Drury returned a verdict of wilful murder against the man.

The Coroner's jury at the inquest of the man returned a verdict that he had committed suicide.


*map pointers are rough estimates based on known location details as per Place field above.

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Dundee Evening Telegraph - Wednesday 04 February 1920

see Dundee Evening Telegraph - Thursday 05 February 1920

see Sheffield Independent - Saturday 21 February 1920

see Leeds Mercury - Friday 06 February 1920 (includes pictures)

see Yorkshire Evening Post - Wednesday 25 February 1920

see Illustrated Police News - Thursday 12 February 1920