Old Edmonds gone to rack

Gloucestershire Murders
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: The History Press Ltd (21 July 2005)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0750939508
ISBN-13: 978-0750939508

Edmund Edmonds must have been the most hated man in Newent. A solicitor who enjoyed the conflict of litigation he had made many enemies, so there was some delight when in 1872 his niece revealed that his wife’s apparently natural death in 1867 had been murder. Edmonds was denounced by the newspapers and from the pulpit, but the trial told a different tale.

The solicitor Edmund Edmonds gained a
prominent position in the town’s public life in the mid 19th century, with the result
that his trial (and acquittal) in 1872 for the manslaughter of his wife attracted
much sensational interest and revealed some of the jealousies and tensions of
life in the small town.

THE NEWENT CASE.

I [From the European Mail 1

Mr. Edmund Edmonds, a solicitor, of Newent, in Gloucestershire, on May 8th surrendered at the Central Criminal Court to take his trial for the manslaughter of his wife in February, 1867. This case was removed, under the provisions of Palmer's Act, from the local assizes, on account of the prejudice which was alleged to exist against the defendant in his native county. The witnesses were-Anne Bradd,who lived as a servant with Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds at the time of the occurrence ; Miss Jeannette Edmonds, niece of the defendant ; Dr. Bass Smith, who had attended the deceased, and whose intimate relations with the previous witness were the subject of considerable inquiry on the part of the defending counsel ; Dr. Willmott, 'of Pylmoston ; Dr. Charlton, surgeon to tho Gloucester Infirmary ; and Miss Matthews the deceased's sister. Tho latter was tho first wit- ness for the defence. Baron Bramwell, in summing np tho case, said that the prisoner was charged with the manslaughter of his wife, and the way in which ho was accused of causing the death was by a blow, which had other caused or accelerated the death, and if he had inflicted that blow he ought to be convicted, tho case was certainly a most remarkable one, and undoubtedly, a very long time had elapsed since the alleged crime was committed, and it was always a suspicious fact when persons come forward, and said they were aware all alomg; that a certain act had been committed, but for some reason or other they had chosen to keep it secret. There was also another fact deserving consideration, which was, that it appeared perfectly clear that this charge would never have been made against the prisoner but for the discovery that was made of the connection that existed between the young woman Jeannette Edmonds and Dr. Bass Smith. After these general observations the learned judge called the attention of the jury to the ovious in the case on both sides, and said that, with regard to the evidence given by Anne Bradd, the servant, either her statement was the truth or it must be a downright and deliberate falsehood. His Lordship then referred to the evidence given by Joannette Edmonds, and he reminded the jury that both of these witnesses were contradicted by several ' witnesses in some very material particulars, and that in her own letters she gavo a totally different account of the transaction, and distinctly stated that her aunt's death was a natural death, and sho did not hint at a suspicion of violence on the part of the prisoner or any one else. After some further remarks, his learned judge concluded by leaving the case in the hands of the jury, who retired at a quarter to 6 o'clock to deliberate. They returned into court at 6 o'olock, and gave a verdict of .' Not guilty."_ Tho prisoner was ordered to bo immediately discharged.

Pigeon House, It was probably built for
the Newent solicitor Thomas Cadle, who owned it in 1828. Cadle sold the
house in 1849 to his partner Edmund Edmonds, who renamed it the Holts, the
ancient name of a group of closes on the opposite side of Watery Lane, and fitted
and furnished it on a lavish scale. Edmonds or his mortgagee offered the land
opposite for sale for building c.1880, and in the 1890s a few brick houses were
built there, including a short terrace on what became Holts Road.
In 1881 Edmonds home - the Holts was sold and he filed for Bankruptcy

Year: 1845
Month: Oct
Day: 30
Grooms_Surname: EDMONDS
Grooms_Forenames: Edmund
Grooms_Age: Of f
Groom_Condition: Bachelor
Grooms_Occupation: Solicitor
Grooms_Residence: Pamtly[?]
Grooms_Fathers_Surname: EDMONDS
Grooms_Fathers_Forenames: Joseph[?]
Grooms_Fathers_Occupation: Post Master
Brides_Surname: LEGG
Brides_Forenames: Ann
Brides_Age: Of f
Brides_Condition: Widow
Brides_Occupation: [not stated]
Brides_Residence: Br[?]on
Brides_Fathers_Surname: MATHEWS
Brides_Fathers_Forenames: John
Brides_Fathers_Occupation: Gentleman
Licence_or_Banns: Licence
Date_of_Banns:
Signature_or_Mark: Both sign
Witness_1: John Mathews
Witness_2: John Hill
Other_Witnesses: Ann Hill Mary Mathews Sarah Edmunds Ellen Edmunds
Officiating_Minister: John James Skally[?] Curate
Event: Marriage
Memoranda:
Notes:
Register_Reference: P225 IN 1/11
Page_Number: 72
Parish_Chapel: Newent

1861
Edmund Edmonds abt 1819 Dursley, Gloucestershire, England Head Newent, Gloucestershire
Annie Edmonds abt 1821 Newent, Gloucestershire, England Wife Newent, Gloucestershire
Charles Ralf Augusta Edmonds E abt 1855 Newent, Gloucestershire, England Son Newent, Gloucestershire
Harry Claude Edmonds abt 1857 Newent, Gloucestershire, England Son Newent, Gloucestershire
William Frederick Ann Edmonds abt 1858 Newent, Gloucestershire, England Son Newent, Gloucestershire
Mary Mathews abt 1831 Newent, Gloucestershire, England Wifes Sister (Sister-in-law) Newent, Gloucestershire
Jannette Helena Edmonds abt 1850 Dursley, Gloucestershire, England Niece Newent, Gloucestershire

1871 Newent
Edmund Edmonds 52 Dursley Solicitor Widow
Charles R W Edmonds 16
Mary Matthews 43
Jannette H Edmonds 21

1881
Edmund Edmonds abt 1813 Dursley, Gloucestershire, England Boarder Clifton, Gloucestershire rtd stockbroker !

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