Margaret Allen

Case record: Margaret Allen

Background

Margaret Allen was a cross-dressing lesbian who preferred to be called "Bill" and considered herself to be a man. She worked as a local bus conductor.

Margaret Allen was born in 1906 and was described as the twentieth of 22 children. From an early age, she preferred activities and exploits stereotypically associated with men, and she dressed in men's clothes and took on jobs usually given to men. She loaded coal and repaired houses.

Her bus company fired her for abusing passengers. Customers who did not take their seats quickly enough were likely to be verbally assaulted, shoved and cuffed.

In 1935, Allen claimed that she had checked herself into hospital for a "delicate" procedure. Later, she suggested that the purpose had been to change her "from a woman to a man." The claim about the procedure was disputed.

In 1943, when her mother died, Allen was badly affected and became more withdrawn from social activities. She became unkempt, smoked excessively, did not eat properly, and went through bouts of bleak depression.

Allen invested her savings in the purchase of a dilapidated building that once served as Rawtenstall's Police Headquarters, situated on the town's main street, Bacup Road. She lived alone. Mrs. Cook said Allen tried to kill herself on at least one occasion with gas.

Allen had no female friends except for Mrs. Annie Cook. Allen saw Mrs. Cook as a potential "girlfriend." Their relationship stalled when Allen took Mrs. Cook on vacation and asked to have sex with her. Mrs. Cook refused and made it clear she had no interest in Allen as a lover.

The offence

On August 28, 1948, Nancy Ellen Chadwick, an elderly widow, knocked on Margaret Allen's door. Chadwick was described as a disagreeable local eccentric and as someone who was known to carry large sums of money around in a bag. She had come to borrow a cup of sugar.

On the next day, Chadwick's body was found on the road outside Allen's house. Chadwick had been battered with the pointed end of a coal hammer, and bloodstains were later traced back to Allen's house.

At first, it was suspected that Chadwick was a "hit and run" victim, but the police later determined that her wounds had been caused by the pointed end of a coal hammer. The implement had evidently been coated with ashes.

Allen's confession included that she killed Chadwick on the spur of the moment after looking around and seeing a hammer in the kitchen.

Investigation

Detectives from Scotland Yard were called in.

The police followed a trail of blood from where the corpse was found back to Allen's residence. Allen dogged the investigators' footsteps and stared at them for long periods as they inspected the area.

Allen rushed up to a detective, pulled at his sleeve and pointed to the nearby River Irwell, declaring: "Look, there's something there!". The object floating in the water was Chadwick's bag, minus the money it had contained.

When the police delved into the case, they noticed bloodstains on an inside wall close to the doorway when they called at Allen's home on September 1, 1948. A short search of the building yielded evidence that led to convicting Allen. More blood marks were in the cellar. The investigators matched hairs from the head of the victim to Allen's clothing and discovered several effects belonging to Chadwick.

Allen also pointed out details publicly. She let it be known that Chadwick had been wearing an underskirt with a hidden pocket. Chadwick's shopping bag later floated in the River Irwell behind Allen's house, and Allen was said to have been the first to point this out.

Arrest

Allen was visited by police on September 1, 1948.

Trial

Allen was convicted after a short trial held on December 8, 1948.

During the trial, Allen appeared dressed in men's clothing. The trial lasted five hours, and the jury took fifteen minutes to find her guilty.

Allen's counsel attempted to prove her insane, but she was found guilty. She was sentenced to death.

While in the condemned cell, Allen was described as belligerent and argumentative to the end. She complained about the lack of creature comforts afforded by the prison. When brought her last meal, which she had requested as a plate of scrambled eggs, she kicked the tray, scattering the food, and remarked: "At least no one else will enjoy that meal!".

Allen was formally charged with killing Nancy Ellen Chadwick and admitted to killing her.

In her confession, Allen said: "I was in a funny mood...she seemed to insist on coming in (to the house). I just happened to look around and saw a hammer in the kitchen...on the spur of the moment I hit her...she gave me a shout and that seemed to start me off more and I hit her a few times - I don't know how many..."

Earlier, Allen confessed to the police that she was "… in one of my funny moods."

During reporting and in a local pub, Allen was described as being very talkative whenever the murder was raised. She reportedly boasted after several pints that she was the last person to see the victim alive. She also declared: "I was the last person to see the old woman!".

A petition was raised to try to save Allen, but only 162 signatures were reported.

Sentencing

Allen was sentenced to death at trial.

Appeals

A petition was raised to try and save her but it contained 162 signatures.

Outcome

Margaret Allen was executed by hanging at Strangeways Prison on January 12, 1949. She was hanged by public executioner Albert Pierrepoint.

Aftermath

The execution was described as the first female execution in Britain for 12 years and as only the third at Strangeways Prison.

On the morning of January 12, 1949, Allen expressed no remorse and went to the scaffold in the execution chamber without making any final statement.

Allen was described as continuing to attract interest due to the psychology of Margaret Allen. The case was discussed in relation to unresolved questions about motive. No clear motive for the crime had been determined, and competing descriptions were given, including accounts that described the slaying as "mindless" and "motiveless" and other descriptions suggesting that Chadwick had been "killed on a whim."