a6 murder

[jimarilyn]

Janet Gregsten photo

Here's a rare photo of Janet from Jean Justice's 1968 book "Le crime de la route A6". I wonder if the picture was taken before or after James Hanrattys execution ?

Also, I wonder if that could be William Ewer's shoed foot in the lower left corner of the picture ?

[Steve]

With regard to Hanratty, I would suspect that most of the debate by the jury was concerning Valerie Storie's identification, and her evidence. Also, one hopes, the various dubious actions of the police. I don't think it was a question of seeing through JH's lies, but changing his alibi without any doubt at all was a major mistake. The jury would have been very adversely impressed by that.

Graham

Hi Graham

Certainly Valerie's identification of Hanratty carried a lot of weight with the jury. Changing alibi mid-way through the trial would have looked very suspicious to the jury and demonstrated, quite correctly, that he was not telling the truth. If he was not telling the truth about the alibi, what else was he not being truthful about, they would have thought.

KR
Steve

[jimarilyn]

Rare pic of Valerie Storie

Those horn-rimmed glasses are a bit scary, don't you think ?Nice smile though.

[jimarilyn]

Just for good measure PLA (nned kidnapping ?)

He sure loved his brylcreem did good old Pete.

[jimarilyn]

Rare pic of Valerie Storie

A bit scary those horn-rimmed glasses don't you think ?

Nice smile though.

[jimarilyn]

Position of Morris Minor in cornfield

Here's a scanned image of a photo taken by Tony Mason, a freelance journalist who lived in Slough. Tony knew precisely where the Morris Minor was parked, one of the very few people who did.

[jimarilyn]

April 1962. Last visit to their son James

This scanned photo shows James Hanratty sr. and his wife Mary about to enter Bedford Prison to visit their son for the last time.


This batch of scanned photos were copied from Jean Justice's 1968 book "Le crime de la route A6". I hope they were of interest to anyone who's not seen them before (me included).

Excuse my hogging of the last few posts.

[larue]

Larue,

Re: the Stevonia, as I said in a previous post, JH's photo had been in the press and on TV by the time he was arrested. But there's no way that was just a coincidental identification and arrest. No chance.

Cheers,

Graham

hi Graham

i apologise if i seem to be labouring this point, but what photographs would have been published? something from the family album? as the police mugshots we are all so familiar with would not have existed at that time.

[larue]

Here's a rare photo of Janet from Jean Justice's 1968 book "Le crime de la route A6". I wonder if the picture was taken before or after James Hanrattys execution ?

Also, I wonder if that could be William Ewer's shoed foot in the lower left corner of the picture ?

according to the newspaper on the floor, i would say before the execution. on the other hand, it could have been an old paper...

[larue]

last word? on the photographs

after hanratty's photo had been plastered all over the media, why did the police bother to cover him with a blanket after they nicked him?

[Graham]

Photos of Hanratty

I think I had a senior moment with this one, guys. Being as old and warty as I am, I can actually remember the case quite well. Hanratty's photos were splashed all over the papers and on TV, but now I realise not until after he was nicked.

With bowed head,

Graham

[Graham]

Hi Graham,

Devon or Cornwall? You obviously came from a posh family. We had to put up with Rhyl and Blackpool. Bit like JH I suppose.

Tony

Yeah, but back in the dark ages when I was a sprog Devon and Cornwall had only just been discovered, and you could get a B&B for next to nothing. Nice scenery, but in those days not a lot to do...

Cheers,

Graham

[P.L.A]

Bits and ends

Hi Folks

- Steve – do the dwellings in posting 1071 more resemble the bungalows that are numbers 1 and 3 Marsh Lane, or the houses about 450 yards to the north?

The dwellings just to the north certainly rule out where Graham thought the spot was.


- Jury members are perfectly free to discuss any aspects of the trial or crime in public, with the exception of what went on in the jury room.

- The first pictures seen by the general public of Hanratty was on the Sunday after the Bedford verdict and sentence. As identification was such a major issue in the case, it wasn’t possible to do so before.

Peter

[Graham]

"Jury members are perfectly free to discuss any aspects of the trial or crime in public, with the exception of what went on in the jury room."

Which is basically what I said in Post 1060.


Re: Tony Mason's photo, without wishing to appear to split hairs, we only have his word for it that it's the correct spot, but no reason I suppose to assume he was just guessing. I'm pretty sure that the police deliberately kept the precise location a secret, for reasons of their own. Next time I'm dahn sarf I'll try to visit Dorney Reach again, if only to see how the place has changed since I was last there.

Cheers,

Graham

[Steve]

- Steve – do the dwellings in posting 1071 more resemble the bungalows that are numbers 1 and 3 Marsh Lane, or the houses about 450 yards to the north?

Peter

Hello Peter

These cottages are certainly the two at the very bottom of Marsh Lane. This is a recent photograph and it shows there has been some structural alterations made to the cottages.

Kind regards,
Steve