Murder of Mary Griffiths, Plantation Street

[trish18]

Hi

Does anyone have any information on the death of Mary Griffiths of Plantation Street, Rhymney in about 1932.

Older family members say she was murdered by her husband and the case was reported in the national newspapers.

Would welcome any information.

Regards

Trish18

[CaroleW]

There are 2 Mary Griffiths deaths in Bedwelty registration district in 1932.  One was aged 41 and the other was 53 - which one is yours?

There was also one in 1931 but she was 87

Bedwelty was the RD for Rhymney for that period

[trish18]

I'm assuming it is the one aged 41 as I know her birth year was about 1891. Her maiden name was Mary Carroll, husband was HenryGriffiths.

Regards

Trish18

[CaroleW]

Hi

Searching newspapers is very time consuming unless you can narrow the dates down.   

You would need to buy a copy of her death cert to establish the circumstances of her death and the actual date of death

This is the GRO ref for ordering purposes and you can order online at

www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/  the cost is £9.25

Mary Griffiths aged 41 December quarter 1932 Bedwelty Volume 11A Page 131

[trish18]

Thanks for the advice CaroleW.

You are right, I think I will have to order the death certificate to get any further information.

Regards

Trish18

[RCB]

It looks like Henry didn't hang for the murder, so he probably was classed as insane and served life ?

[Jeuel]

There's nothing in  The Times Online archive.  You'll need to get the death cert which will help you with the timeframe to search local newspapers.

You might even find she died of natural causes!

[PatrickSullivan]

Hi Trish. Did you find out what happened to Mary Griffiths/Carroll? My grandfather James Sullivan and Mary's mother Eliza Carroll born Sullivan were brother and sister.

[trish18]

Hi Patrick,

Yes, I did find out that the story was true but Mary's husband, Henry Griffiths, was charged with manslaughter, not murder. I have the newspaper articles from the Merthyr Express, which Stephen Kings from Bargoed Library found for me.
I can email you copies of them if you would like to see them?  I assume I can still contact you at the email address I have used before?

Regards

Trish