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PART ONE
The Death of Sarah Jane Roberts on 7th January 1880 - The Harpurhey Murder.
Sarah Jane Roberts was born in Denbighshire in 1860, the daughter of Elizabeth (nee Sides) and Hugh Roberts.
1861
In the 1861 Census, Sarah Jane was at her Grandad’s (Thomas Sides) home along with her mother and 2 brothers, Hugh and William. Her father, Hugh, was from Chirk in Denbighshire but in 1961 it isn’t clear where dad Hugh, her brother Robert and her sister Elizabeth Ellen were.
1871
By the time of the 1971 Census the family were together at Crickhowell in Breconshire. Sarah was living with her mum, dad and, by now, 6 brothers. However, her sister Elizabeth Ellen was not with the family - by 1881 she was living in Yorkshire. The family, however, graduated to Pembrokeshire and it is said that Sarah Jane went from here to the Manchester area.
The Events of 7th January 1880
At this time Sarah Jane Roberts was in service at 115 Westbourne Grove, Harpurhey, Manchester and a brother and his wife lived close by. Her employers were an elderly couple, Richard and Mary Greenwood. Richard had made his money from property and lived off that income. Mary was very frail and spent most of her time upstairs in her room. Mr Greenwood had rarely been away from home after five or six o’clock in the evening but had received a mysterious letter regarding a plot of land off Queen’s Road and requesting a meeting at a pub called The Three Tuns on the evening of 7th January 1880. There was, in fact, no meeting but whilst he was away from home, the murderer struck. Clearly, the murderer knew not only that Mrs Greenwood was invalided upstairs, but that her husband was also in the habit of remaining at home and only by this method could an evening visit be made to his servant without his knowledge.
The visitor’s knock at the front door was not a loud one and as far as Mrs Greenwood could judge, by the closing of the door, immediate access appears to have been granted by Sarah Jane Roberts. There was no light in the lobby and the nearest street lamp was too far away to illuminate the scene. Therefore, Miss Roberts must have been familiar with the visitor’s features and recognised him. Mrs Greenwood said that the girl had naturally a rather heavy footstep, but on this occasion both she and the person admitted walked along the lobby into the kitchen with a light tread.
Mr Halling, the Officer of the Crumpsall School Board, lived just behind the Greenwood’s house and stated that at the time of the murder, he was sitting on a chair in his kitchen when he heard a piercing scream which was also heard by his wife and servant. All listened anxiously as the sound of heavy footsteps passed hurriedly along the street and a splash in the pond opposite caught their attention. Other screams immediately followed. A nearby servant of a Mrs Cadman knocked on their door and cried “For God’s sake, do come; someone’s got into Greenwood’s house and nearly murdered their servant”. When he entered the Greenwood’s kitchen, the girl was lying on the floor with blood oozing freely from the wounds in her head. Efforts were made to restore the girl to consciousness but without success. It was whilst Mr Halling was holding her head in his arms that Mr Greenwood returned home from his fruitless appointment at the Three Tuns.
Five wounds had been inflicted on the victim’s head and she had received three other less severe injuries, one on the chin and the cheek and a third on the right forearm. The assumption was that she had been first struck on the chin and cheek and next received a heavy blow above her right eye causing a 1.5 inch wound. In trying to protect herself from this she received the injury to her arm. The remaining wounds on her head were sustained after she had fallen. The battered appearance of the corpse indicated great power on the part of the assailant.
Sarah Jane Roberts was buried at Christ Church in Harpurhey on 10th January 1880. At the churchyard a large body of spectators had gathered and, as their numbers were swelled by those who had come from the house, the crowd assumed considerable proportions. Upon the coffin was the following inscription “Sarah Jane Roberts; died 7th January 1880; aged 18 years. In Adam all die; in Christ shall all be made alive”. The inquest returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown.
What Connection?
No obvious Ripper connection you would think – the victim could never be described as a loose woman and was very religious as well as being a good worker coming recommended by her previous employers. The case remained a mystery, though a number of men were questioned – at one time suspicion fell on a local milk man. As time ensued, the usual crop of letters and cranks raised their heads. One of these in particular grabbed my attention……
The Death of Sarah Jane Roberts on 7th January 1880 - The Harpurhey Murder.
Sarah Jane Roberts was born in Denbighshire in 1860, the daughter of Elizabeth (nee Sides) and Hugh Roberts.
1861
In the 1861 Census, Sarah Jane was at her Grandad’s (Thomas Sides) home along with her mother and 2 brothers, Hugh and William. Her father, Hugh, was from Chirk in Denbighshire but in 1961 it isn’t clear where dad Hugh, her brother Robert and her sister Elizabeth Ellen were.
1871
By the time of the 1971 Census the family were together at Crickhowell in Breconshire. Sarah was living with her mum, dad and, by now, 6 brothers. However, her sister Elizabeth Ellen was not with the family - by 1881 she was living in Yorkshire. The family, however, graduated to Pembrokeshire and it is said that Sarah Jane went from here to the Manchester area.
The Events of 7th January 1880
At this time Sarah Jane Roberts was in service at 115 Westbourne Grove, Harpurhey, Manchester and a brother and his wife lived close by. Her employers were an elderly couple, Richard and Mary Greenwood. Richard had made his money from property and lived off that income. Mary was very frail and spent most of her time upstairs in her room. Mr Greenwood had rarely been away from home after five or six o’clock in the evening but had received a mysterious letter regarding a plot of land off Queen’s Road and requesting a meeting at a pub called The Three Tuns on the evening of 7th January 1880. There was, in fact, no meeting but whilst he was away from home, the murderer struck. Clearly, the murderer knew not only that Mrs Greenwood was invalided upstairs, but that her husband was also in the habit of remaining at home and only by this method could an evening visit be made to his servant without his knowledge.
The visitor’s knock at the front door was not a loud one and as far as Mrs Greenwood could judge, by the closing of the door, immediate access appears to have been granted by Sarah Jane Roberts. There was no light in the lobby and the nearest street lamp was too far away to illuminate the scene. Therefore, Miss Roberts must have been familiar with the visitor’s features and recognised him. Mrs Greenwood said that the girl had naturally a rather heavy footstep, but on this occasion both she and the person admitted walked along the lobby into the kitchen with a light tread.
Mr Halling, the Officer of the Crumpsall School Board, lived just behind the Greenwood’s house and stated that at the time of the murder, he was sitting on a chair in his kitchen when he heard a piercing scream which was also heard by his wife and servant. All listened anxiously as the sound of heavy footsteps passed hurriedly along the street and a splash in the pond opposite caught their attention. Other screams immediately followed. A nearby servant of a Mrs Cadman knocked on their door and cried “For God’s sake, do come; someone’s got into Greenwood’s house and nearly murdered their servant”. When he entered the Greenwood’s kitchen, the girl was lying on the floor with blood oozing freely from the wounds in her head. Efforts were made to restore the girl to consciousness but without success. It was whilst Mr Halling was holding her head in his arms that Mr Greenwood returned home from his fruitless appointment at the Three Tuns.
Five wounds had been inflicted on the victim’s head and she had received three other less severe injuries, one on the chin and the cheek and a third on the right forearm. The assumption was that she had been first struck on the chin and cheek and next received a heavy blow above her right eye causing a 1.5 inch wound. In trying to protect herself from this she received the injury to her arm. The remaining wounds on her head were sustained after she had fallen. The battered appearance of the corpse indicated great power on the part of the assailant.
Sarah Jane Roberts was buried at Christ Church in Harpurhey on 10th January 1880. At the churchyard a large body of spectators had gathered and, as their numbers were swelled by those who had come from the house, the crowd assumed considerable proportions. Upon the coffin was the following inscription “Sarah Jane Roberts; died 7th January 1880; aged 18 years. In Adam all die; in Christ shall all be made alive”. The inquest returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown.
What Connection?
No obvious Ripper connection you would think – the victim could never be described as a loose woman and was very religious as well as being a good worker coming recommended by her previous employers. The case remained a mystery, though a number of men were questioned – at one time suspicion fell on a local milk man. As time ensued, the usual crop of letters and cranks raised their heads. One of these in particular grabbed my attention……
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