The Christie Case

[Flatfoot]

Thank you Sherlock. This is one intriguing case.

Like much else in this case, I guess we'll never know for sure why Christie killed Ethel. Was it some kind of psycho-sexual urge he couldn't control or was it for a more pragmatic reason, such as he believed she was going to talk to someone? The movie 10 Rillington Place seems to go with the latter theory, that she was going to visit relatives in Sheffield and might tell them and not come back. Christie was such a conniving person that I wouldn't put anything past him, and as you say, he seemed to plan things out as much as possible on most occasions.

I think we can see just how dangerous he was by the fact that after he disposed of Ethel and she was no longer around, he killed three women in as many months. Thank goodness that he was discovered when he was.

From the few excerpts I have read of Christie's conversations with the police, he seemed to blame the victims for their own deaths. She did something wrong or made a wrong movement or something and she practically forced Christie to kill her. He was always trying to place the responsibility for the murders anywhere but onto himself. That's one more reason that I don't feel much pity for him.

One of the speculations that I find hard to believe is that Beryl was having an affair with Christie with Tim Evan's permission. I believe that was the idea of the used furniture dealer. It certainly sounds very far-fetched. While it's more relevant to the main story, I also think that the idea that one person killed Beryl and a different one killed Geraldine also seems a bit bizarre. It's not impossible of course, but it's another thing that seems hard to believe, especially knowing what Christie was capable of.

[contrafib]

It might seem strange that Christie and Evans actually worked together on these crimes, but it's also unlikely that anyone could kill people and move bodies around a tiny house like 10 Rillington Place without anyone knowing. This is especially true if Evans was the killer because Christie is known to have been a 'control freak' in that house (he bored a spyhole so he could see who was at the front door when he didn't answer it), particularly since he had 2 bodies to conceal. John Newton Chance's book, although technically fictional, conveys this last point quite well. Christie must have been constantly on edge, with 2 bodies buried in shallow graves in that patch of wasteground known as the 'garden'.

[Cogidubnus]

Evans was childlike in his naivety...right to the end...a born victim...his story always saddened me.

RIP

Dave

[Honest John]

A few geenral observations on the above.

I don't think Christie was having an affair with Beryl; Ethel would certainly have known about this and its a telling point that when he did invite a young woman around, Ethel stayed in the room all the time (in about 1951 or 1952). I think its likely she knew that he had a wandering eye to say the least (though not his murderous career; remember one reason for their split after 1920 was probably his known thievery) and she almost certainly knew of the divorce case where Christie was co-respondent. And that is why, I believe, she had to die. Her last letter to her sister contains no hint about either visiting Sheffield or any criticism of Reg - she even praised his DIY work.

Evans' case is indeed tragic - but sympathy is best placed for Geraldine and Beryl.

I'm currently looking into the case of Haigh; which has parallels here, too. Serial killers seem never to have any sympathy for their victims and either tend to ignore them or belittle them or accuse them.

If anyone has ever seen the film Sweeney 2, the opening sequence is shot very near to where Christie was arrested.

[Sherlock]

I've just had a look at the opening sequence of Sweeney 2 on Youtube. I think this is the same location which was used for the final scene of Ten Rillington Place when Christie (played by Richard Attenborough) is arrested.

[Sherlock]

The website www.10-rillington-place.co.uk now has a useful section providing a critique of each of the main books which have been written about the case, including those by Ludovic Kennedy, John Eddowes etc.

[Honest John]

There are three talks in London about this topic in November - 1st November at 10.30 am at Ealing Town Hall, 6.30pm at Kensington Library on 8 November and at 12.30 at Shoe Library, on 21 November. The last one's free; the other two are by ticket.

[contrafib]

Damn, won't be in England then but will be back from next week until early Sep. Any events going on then? By the way, if anyone wants to have a meet-up, i would be interested to put faces to usernames.

[contrafib]

The website www.10-rillington-place.co.uk now has a useful section providing a critique of each of the main books which have been written about the case, including those by Ludovic Kennedy, John Eddowes etc.

Just read these useful summaries. The ones i haven't read and still want to are Maxwell, Jesse and Camps. He didn't mention John Newton Chance though understandable because it's largely a work of fiction.

[Honest John]

Yes, potentially. What about Monday 9 July? I'm in London then.

Other events. I thinks there's one about the sources for the history of all this at the National Archives at Kew early next year.

[contrafib]

Yes, potentially. What about Monday 9 July? I'm in London then.

Other events. I thinks there's one about the sources for the history of all this at the National Archives at Kew early next year.

Ok, that could work. Would love to hear more about the book and its creation.

[Honest John]

What about lunchtime at the British Library? I'm doing some research there on John George Haigh.

[contrafib]

Ok, we'll arrange the details nearer the time if others want to come along

[Honest John]

I suggest 1pm by the main door. I'll have an appropriate book held prominently.

[Cogidubnus]

Was there really an Observer Book of Serial Killers?

Dave