Stanley Hobday

Summary

Stanley Hobday was executed by hanging at Winsom Green prison in Birmingham on December 29, 1933.

Timeline

• 27 August 1933 — Mrs Gladys Fox awoke to the sound of breaking glass at 8 Moor Street, West Bromwich; she nudged her husband, 24-year-old Charles William, and whispered what she had heard. Charles William went downstairs to investigate and was stabbed; he died in his wife’s arms.
• Sunday night in August 1933 — Mrs Fox reported hearing sounds from downstairs and thought she heard the sound of breaking glass; her husband went downstairs to investigate and was stabbed in the sitting-room.
• 27 August 1933 — On the same Sunday night, a break-in occurred at a butcher’s shop in Bromford Lane owned by Robert Arthur Newton; a few pounds were stolen and other items were left behind.
• 27 August 1933 — Chief Inspector Fred Cherrill of Scotland Yard identified the culprit using fingerprints; the BBC broadcast a description of a man police wanted “to help them with their inquiries.”
• August 1933 — Hobday was on his way north from Birmingham in a stolen Jowett motorcar after stealing it from close to the scene of the Bromford Lane burglary.
• After the car incident near High Leigh, Cheshire (August 1933) — An Irish labourer saw a car come through the air, turn a full somersault, and land back on its wheels; the driver got out and walked away; the labourer found the driver was Hobday.
• August 1933 — A cowman moved a herd of cows for milking near High Leigh; he recognized Hobday from the BBC description; he called the police.
• A couple of hours later (August 1933) — PC Elder of the Cumberland Constabulary arrested Hobday; Hobday “went quietly.”
• November 1933 — Hobday’s trial took place at Stafford Assizes.
• December 29, 1933 — Hobday was hanged at Winsom Green prison in Birmingham at 8 am by Tom Pierrepoint (also referred to as Thomas Pierrepoint) assisted by his nephew, Albert.

The offence

One Sunday night in August 1933, Mrs Fox was woken by sounds from downstairs and thought she heard the sound of breaking glass. She nudged her husband and whispered to him what she had heard. Reluctantly, Charles William got up and went downstairs to investigate. He walked into the sitting-room and emerged moments later with a knife in his back. He died in his wife’s arms.

Charles William received seven stab wounds. The murderer stole fourteen shillings.

In the same period, police found there had been another break-in that night at a butcher’s shop in nearby Bromford Lane. The butcher’s shop was owned by Newton (also identified as Robert Arthur Newton). The burglar took a few pounds that had been in the till, but left behind several items.

The burglar left behind a bowl of soapy water and Newton’s razor; the burglar had shaved himself. The burglar left out a sewing basket where he had used a needle and thread, perhaps to replace a missing button. The burglar took a bottle of milk and left it covered in his fingerprints. The fingerprints were later identified on an empty bottle of milk that he had helped himself to.

Investigation

Chief Inspector Fred Cherrill of Scotland Yard was involved in the fingerprint identification of the culprit responsible for the break-in at the butcher’s and, probably, the murder.

It was the first time that the BBC used its network to broadcast the description of a man police wanted “to help them with their inquiries.”

Arrest

By that time, Hobday was on his way north from Birmingham in a stolen Jowett motorcar. An Irish labourer working in a field near High Leigh, Cheshire, was astonished to see a maroon car come hurtling through the air, turn a full somersault, and land back on its wheels. The driver got out and walked away. The driver was Hobday.

It was said that Hobday always seemed to leave something behind; this time it was his suitcase. He also had fingerprints on the starting handle.

Hobday walked, got almost as far as Carlisle on foot, and then got entangled with a herd of cows being taken along the road for milking. The cowman, “Watty” Bowman, was sure he recognized the man from the broadcast description. He owned a radio set. “Watty” called the police.

A couple of hours later, PC Elder of the Cumberland Constabulary arrested Hobday. Hobday did not cause a fuss and went quietly with the policeman; it was also recorded that he “went quietly.”

Trial

Hobday was charged, and his trial took place at Stafford Assizes in November 1933.

The evidence was described as overwealmingly conclusive, and the jury had no difficulty in finding him guilty. Another account recorded that the jury took only forty-five minutes to find him guilty.

Sentencing

Hobday was sentenced to death by hanging at Winsom Green prison in Birmingham.

Outcome

Hobday was executed by hanging at Winsom Green prison in Birmingham on December 29, 1933.

He was hanged on the 29 December 1933 at Winsom Green prison by Tom Pierrepoint at 8 am.

Another account stated that he was hanged by Thomas Pierrepoint, assisted by his nephew, Albert. Pierrepoint’s diary entry for 29th December 1933 read: “Hobday. 8am, Winson Green Prison, Birmingham.”