Age: 62
Sex: female
Date: 6 Apr 1904
Place: Wilson Road, Stamshaw, Portsmouth
Ellen Bowyer was found strangled near her home.
She was found strangled in a partially-completed house in Wilson Road, Stamshaw.
Earlier that morning her husband had drawn his pension.
She was seen earlier in the Mother Shipton Inn where she had gone for her supper-beer the previous evening. She had taken a jug with her for the beer and a bulging purse. She left the pub at 10.20pm leaving the jug behind saying that she would call for it a little later on.
A person said that they had had a dim recollection of seeing her talking to a man at the door to the pub but after that she was never seen alive again.
It was said that most of the people in the Mother Shipton Inn were locals and known to each other but that there had been one man that was a stranger and that he had been seen to leave the pub shortly after Ellen Bowyer had left.
The man was described as wearing corduroys and a cap but no one could remember his features.
At the place where Ellen Bowyer was found a large white button that was thought to have been torn from a heavy coat in a struggle and a dark cap were found half trodden into the soft earth.
Ellen Bowyer had been the wife of a pensioned warrant officer of the Royal Navy. They had lived in Strode Road, Stamshaw and had built two houses, one of which they lived in.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Shields Daily Gazette - Wednesday 04 May 1904
see Gloucester Citizen - Wednesday 04 May 1904
see Tamworth Herald - Saturday 16 April 1904
see The People - Sunday 10 April 1904