Age: unknown
Sex: female
Date: 9 Jul 1954
Place: Ilford, London
May Crookshanks was found dead in a stream that ran through a deep gully.
A verdict of suicide was returned on the grounds that she could have got out of the stream if she had wanted to.
A Home Office pathologist said that she died from asphyxia due to drowning.
She was described as a wealthy widow.
She had been missing for about three weeks by the time she was found in the gully which was two miles from her home. She was found lying face down in the gully.
It was noted that it was a mystery as to how she had got there as the gully was in waste ground and was very difficult to reach.
After her body was found a detective superintendent said, 'We cannot say yet how she died. There is nothing that points to foul play.
see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
see Daily Mirror - Friday 09 July 1954
see Daily Mirror - Saturday 10 July 1954
see Dundee Courier - Saturday 10 July 1954