unsolved-murders.co.uk
Unsolved Murders
Tags

Alice Jones

Age: 43

Sex: female

Date: 1 Sep 1960

Place: Norris Thorpe Lane, Norris Thorpe, Liversedge, Yorkshire

Alice Jones died from arsenic poisoning in September 1960.

The arsonic was later traced to some flour from which she and her daughter had made dumplings out of for a stew.

An open verdict was returned at the inquest held in Dewsbury on Tuesday 28 March 1961.

Her 14-year-old daughter had helped to make the dumplings and also became ill.

They had just moved into a new flat and had prepared a special Sunday dinner after which they both became ill.

Alice Jones's uncle said that he had helped Alice Jones move from Huddersfield to Norristhorpe near Dewsbury in September 1960. They were then to be living in the same street.

He said that the following day he called at the flat and said that Alice Jones remarked to him, 'Dinner is on' and said that he saw a pan containing stew on the gas ring.

He said that a little later that Alice Jones came over to his house and told him that she had pains in her stomach and wanted to make herself sick. He said that he went back with her and that she then fell down. He added that her daughter also told him that she felt ill.

Alice Jones died three days later.

An expert from the forensic science laboratory in Harrogate said that extensive enquiries had been made to trace the source of the arsenic and that samples from many countries had been obtained, but said that there was nothing to indicate the source.

He added, 'I searched the house for any possible source of poison and I investigated a suggestion that plaster containing arsenic had fallen from the walls into the food but I found nothing to support that theory'.

The arsenic was stated to have bene white arsenic. The expert from the forensic science laboratory said that the flour was heavily contaminated with arsenic.

The police said that they were satisfied that there had been no poison in the flour when it left the makers or the shop where it was sold.

The police additionally noted that they had also made extensive enquiries but without success.

The Coroner noted that nobody knew how the arsenic had got into the flower.

Alice Jones had been divorced. Her husband had kept a hotel in Peterborough.


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

see www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk

see Birmingham Daily Post - Wednesday 29 March 1961

see Daily Herald - Wednesday 29 March 1961

see Birmingham Daily Post - Wednesday 29 March 1961