William Smedley

Case details

William Smedley was executed by hanging at Armley Gaol on August 14, 1947. Steve Wade and Harry Kirk executed 38-year-old miner William Smedley at Armley Gaol on 14th August 1947.

The offence

On 8th March, a strangled body of 27-year-old prostitute Edith Simmonite was found on a bomb-site in the Bridge Street area of Sheffield. The body had been found by eleven-year-old Peter Johnson on a bomb-site in the Bridge Street area of Sheffield. Edith Simmonite had lived in a women’s hostel on West Bar Green for the previous six or seven years and was well-known in the public houses in the area where she plied her trade. Landlord of the hostel Charles Fisher told police she had gone out Friday night and he had not seen her since.

Edith Simmonite was murdered. On 22nd July at Leeds Assizes, Smedley had been found guilty of the murder of Edith Simmonite.

Investigation

Six weeks after the murder, the police seemed no nearer catching the killer when Smedley walked into Doncaster police station claiming to know the identity of the killer. Smedley stated that the man was a former resident of the hostel in which Smedley lived. Smedley went on to tell detectives that the man had subsequently moved to Rhyl. Smedley and a detective went to Rhyl to try and trace the supposed murderer.

While in Rhyl, Smedley confessed that he had killed Edith. They had known each other for some months. On the night of the murder, they had been out drinking together. Edith had been taunting him that she had given him a venereal disease.

Arrest

Smedley walked into Doncaster police station claiming to know the identity of the killer.

Trial

At his trial, Smedley claimed that he no intention of hurting the girl and tried to get a verdict of manslaughter, but the jury found otherwise and returned a verdict of guilty.

Sentencing

Smedley was executed by hanging at Armley Gaol on August 14, 1947.

Outcome

Smedley was executed.

Other details

On 8th March, amongst bomb damaged buildings in a derelict out building in Spring Street, eleven-year-old Peter Johnson came across a woman’s body. The lad was the son of the licencee of the Stag Inn on Wilson Street.

One man who was seen in Edith’s company on the night was William Smedley. Later that evening, Smedley sent a telegram to his sister Doris Butler in Doncaster: "Come Saturday morning. Urgent. Brother in terrible trouble."