James Camb - "The Porthole Case"

[Joshua Rogan]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-43478495

"You can watch The Porthole Mystery on the BBC iPlayer once it has been broadcast on the News Channel at 9.30pm on Friday."

[louisa]

It's been years since I read about the Gay Gibson murder but am I correct in thinking that Camb admitted, at his trial, that he heaved Gay out of the porthole whilst she was still breathing - or could have still been breathing, he wasn't certain whether she was or wasn't, and this admission sealed his fate?

I will be buying this new book on the case off Amazon, if it is still available, as soon as I log off from this website.

[Mayerling]

Good summation of Gay's tragedy. And I liked the trope use of "washed away". If she had lived, there would have been no guarantee of stage or screen or television stardom, but there was always some possibility of a respectable career in acting.

[ColdCaseJury]

A very sad life there.

Jeff

Yes, a sad end to a young life. You might agree with the last paragraph in my book:

"Victims of notorious murders die twice: once at the hands of their assailants, and once in the eyes of history, their names forever wedded with those of their killers. Even if you believe Gay Gibson was not murdered, history sees her leading man as James Camb and her stage as the Durban Castle. This seems such a cruel way to remember the potential and expectations of a young life washed away by the indiscriminate tides of misfortune."

Antony

[ColdCaseJury]

What is the badge on her lapel, the outfit (including the badge) looks like a uniform.

Very good observation. I don't know for sure, but Gay was in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) from 1943 to 1946; it may be something to do with this.

Antony

[GUT]

Jeff, here you go. This is the front page of the Southern Daily Echo at the start of the James Camb trial. This picture of Gay I have never seen anywhere else. I know she was 5'4" tall. She appears petite in this image at least.

Images (C) Southern Daily Echo.

Antony Matthew Brown
Author of Death of an Actress.

What is the badge on her lapel, the outfit (including the badge) looks like a uniform.

[Mayerling]

Thanks for the posting. It's strikes me as odd as so few photos of Gay Gibson have turned up, given her choice of career, and that she had some family. But then notice how slow it has been for photos of Montague Druitt to pop up over the years.

Yeah she was petite. A very sad life there.

Jeff

[ColdCaseJury]

Anytime there are additional photos of a victim or suspect or witness in a case it is of interest.
Jeff

Jeff, here you go. This is the front page of the Southern Daily Echo at the start of the James Camb trial. This picture of Gay I have never seen anywhere else. I know she was 5'4" tall. She appears petite in this image at least.

Images (C) Southern Daily Echo.

Antony Matthew Brown
Author of Death of an Actress.

[Mayerling]

Not in the police file. The Daily Echo printed an exclusive picture at the time (Oct 1947) showing Gay standing in a smart suit. I might be able to post if you are interested, but it would "newspaper quality".

If you can you might as well try it. Anytime there are additional photos of a victim or suspect or witness in a case it is of interest.

Thank you if you do.

Jeff

[ColdCaseJury]

The photograph of Gay showing her full face is the best used whenever the case is discussed. There is also at least one of her (from an angle) at a rehersal or during a play. Have you found any others?

Not in the police file. The Daily Echo printed an exclusive picture at the time (Oct 1947) showing Gay standing in a smart suit. I might be able to post if you are interested, but it would "newspaper quality".

[Mayerling]

The photograph of Gay showing her full face is the best used whenever the case is discussed. There is also at least one of her (from an angle) at a rehersal or during a play. Have you found any others?

[ColdCaseJury]

Press Coverage of Death of an Actress

From the Daily Echo (19.3.2016):

[ColdCaseJury]

Possibly just as well he mentioned it. Had he lied, and said he never was in the cabin, but it was later shown he lied, the assumption would have been he had lied to hide what happened to Gay in the cabin. The same verdict might have resulted, but I wonder if the change of the sentence would not have occurred.

Jeff

The only evidence that he was in the cabin at the time of the disappearance was the eye-witness testimony from Frederick Steer. He was arguably the least impressive prosecution witness, changing his testimony from the committal and from what he had originally told the captain. Would a jury hang a man on that basis?

BTW, the change of sentence had nothing to do with the evidence or the trial, but the House of Commons had temporarily suspended the death sentence at the time.

[Mayerling]

Camb had little sleep in the previous 48 hours when this photo was taken, during which time he was interviewed by the police. This raises an interesting question: would Camb have admitted being in Gay's cabin had he had legal representation during the police interviews? He had none. After admitting to being in the cabin, he had to confess to dumping her body. A good move?

Possibly just as well he mentioned it. Had he lied, and said he never was in the cabin, but it was later shown he lied, the assumption would have been he had lied to hide what happened to Gay in the cabin. The same verdict might have resulted, but I wonder if the change of the sentence would not have occurred.

Jeff

[ColdCaseJury]

Last night I looked at the police mug shot. It certainly shows Camb looking more worn and wan than in the better known shot of him in his uniform and cap.

Jeff

Camb had little sleep in the previous 48 hours when this photo was taken, during which time he was interviewed by the police. This raises an interesting question: would Camb have admitted being in Gay's cabin had he had legal representation during the police interviews? He had none. After admitting to being in the cabin, he had to confess to dumping her body. A good move?