Frank Greening - murderer

[Keitht]

By 1901 Frank Greening, reputedly born in Birmingham between 1877 and 1879 (though GRO does not confirm this) was already a prisoner in Winson Green Prison. On 13 August 1913 he was hanged at the same prison for the murder of girlfriend Elizabeth Ellen Hearne. Please can anyone tell me more?

Keith

[Peter J]

Keith,

Did you acquire Frank's place/year of birth from the E & W death index?

Regards,

Peter

[Keitht]

Hi Peter,

No. The 1901 census gives his birth as "abt 1877. Birmingham", while the record of his hanging gives his age as 34, suggesting 1879. I can't find anything else.

Keith

[Peter J]

Any ideas where he was tried, at all?

[Peter J]

Keith,

Do you perhaps any any more info on the murder victim, Elizabeth? There seems to be a distinct lack of info on either of them.

In view of the fact that hardly any results are showing for Frank, I thought perhaps this could be approached from Elizabeth's angle and see what comes up for her.

Do you have the year she was murdered, or anything else about her?

Cheers,

[Keitht]

Again, no, nor when, on either occasion.

The only Frank Greening births recorded on GRO between 1875 and 1880  were Frank Harry J, Weymouth, March 1879 (5a 324) and Frank, Cheltenham, Sep 1879 (6a 419).

Looks like a trip to the library to see what the papers of the day can tell me.

Keith

[Peter J]

Same listings I found in the indexes. Very curious how there is so little showing against either name.

May I ask how you became interested in the case to begin with?

[Keitht]

Pete,

Like you, I thought an approach through the girlfriend might help but she is proving just as elusive as Greening.

I am merely trying to determine whether he was a member of a family which married into my my maternal ancestral family in Birmingham (about which I can find equally little) but it's as though he is only traceable through his various incarcerations. Neither he nor the girlfriend appear on any family tree I have found.

I assume that the murder would have taken place within say the two years before his death. This would allow for capture, trial, sentence and the automatic appeal which would have preceded execution.

Keith

[Peter J]

Point taken, Keith.

I think your assertion about the Press being the way forward is definitely the right tack.

Cheers, mate.

PJ