The Gruesome Murder That shocked Guisborough And North Yorkshire In 1903

On Sunday the 27th of December 1903, Elizabeth had gone to church with some friends. After the service ended around 8.10 p.m. the girls walked home together and parted company at Bennison Street in Cleveland, where Elizabeth lived. She only had a few more yards to walk when she was accosted by Clarkson who cut her throat with a razor and left her body in a wooded area near Guisborough workhouse. His motive for the killing remains unknown. Her parents contacted the police when she did not return home and a search was made that discovered a large pool of blood in the backyard of No. 9 Bennison Street. She lived at No. 17. The occupants of No. 9, Clarkson, his father and his sister were questioned. The father and sister could account for their whereabouts but James could not. A bloodied razor was found on the property and at the police station it was noted that Clarkson’s clothes were blood stained. He was charged with Elizabeth’s murder when his alibi was shown to be unsupported. Clarkson was tried at York on the 8th of March 1904 before Mr. Justice Lawrence. He maintained his innocence throughout. A witness testified that while on remand, Clarkson had cried out “What made me do it?” It took the jury just half an hour to reach a verdict. He was duly hanged by William Billington and Henry Pierrepoint. The North Eastern Daily Gazette reported that Clarkson “walked firmly to the scaffold with a smile on his face”. “Clarkson maintained that he had been wrongly convicted, and up to the very last he maintained his innocence.” The rope used was of a new and revised pattern. It was manufactured by John Edgington & Co. with the seams of leather wrapping positioned to ensure that they would not contact the skin and with gutta-percha covering of the eyelet reduced in length. The brass eyelet was made flush with the gutta-percha, to avoid damaging the skin. - Taken from Capital Punishment UK

[@kimbykimbers3750]

A heartfelt video. I live in Guisborough and will look for the poor girls grave and put flowers on. Thank You. 💐🙏

[@bringinghistorybacktolife1824]

That is so nice to hear. Thank you.

[@jennarose4695]

I used to live on Bennison St and found the newspaper articles about it when researching about guisborough history. Very sad story... I tried looking for her grave stone to lay flowers vut always looked in the church not guisborough cemetery.

[@bringinghistorybacktolife1824]

That is so nice to hear. Thank you

[@janwong9437]

Bless her rest in peace dearest Elizabeth xx

[@Cinnerman87]

That actually made me cry

[@bringinghistorybacktolife1824]

Aw bless you. Thanks for watching

[@stomperthemixer1]

Wow amazing buddy, me and Vicky lived in this street between 2013/4 never new this. Great but sad video

[@bringinghistorybacktolife1824]

Yes it is a very sad tale. I lived in Auckland St when I was younger. Thanks buddy

[@nicolalangham9554]

Hi I find your videos interesting. Please could u find the final resting places of the pottery cottage murder victims?