John Bedford - a strange jealousy murder.
41 year old John Bedford was hanged at 8.00 a.m. on Wednesday the 30th of July 1902 within Derby’s Vernon Street Gaol by William Billington, assisted by Henry Pierrepoint, for the murder of his girlfriend, 48 year old Nancy Price at “Oxpasture” in Parker’s Lane, Sutton-cum-Duckmanton, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire on the 25th of June of that year.
Nancy was married to Joseph Price who was a lot older than her. He ran a fish and chip shop and it appeared that Nancy did not work. For several years Nancy had been having an affair with Bedford who was more her own age. However she would not leave her husband for him, something that rankled with Bedford.
On Wednesday the 25th of June 1902 while Joseph was at his shop, Nancy and Bedford visited the White Hart pub in Callow where they met Alice Round. She went back to Nancy’s home with them to pick up a skirt that Nancy had been altering for her.
The following morning Bedford was in the White Hart again. Here he met a friend, Fred Wagstaffe, to whom he confided that he had murdered Nancy. Fred did not initially believe him so Bedford insisted on him accompanying him, together with another customer, Robert Davison, to the house to view the body.
Nancy was lying on the sofa. In one hand was a stocking that she had been darning, in the other hand was the needle and thread. She had been battered to death with the fire poker.
In front of Wagstaffe and Davidson, Bedford reportedly took Nancy’s hand and said “God bless thee. I love thee, but thou hast not been true.”
The three returned to the White Hart and the police were called. Bedford then took the officers back to the house and showed them the body. He never denied the murder and in fact told the officers that he should have committed it three years earlier.
Bedford was tried at Derby on the 11th of July 1902, before Mr. Justice Lawrence. Given the witness testimony, it took the jury just a few minutes to convict him.
In the condemned cell Bedford was reported to be very penitent and listened closely to the ministrations of the Wesleyan chaplain, the Rev. Robert Odery.
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