Today in the Pace case: 29 March 1928

Thursday, 29 March 1928: The coroner’s inquest into Harry Pace’s death – adjourned since 16 January – finally resumes. Testimony is given by Leonard Pace (Harry’s brother) and Elizabeth Porter (Harry’s mother).

The inquest is then adjourned until 12 April.

Today in the Pace case: 17 March 1928

Saturday, 17 March 1928: the Scotland Yard detectives, Cornish and Campion, return to London. Cornish submits a forty-nine page report to his superiors on their investigations. He states that the case was‘about as complicated, contradictory and mysterious as it is possible for any case to be.’

A passage from Chief Inspector Cornish's report to his superiors on the Pace case
(The National Archives, MEPO 3/1638/5a, p. 39)

Nonetheless, he concludes that Beatrice murdered Harry by deliberately putting arsenic (derived from sheep dip) into his food.

Today in the Pace case: 14 March 1928

Wednesday, 14 March 1928: Beatrice goes to Coleford and meets again with the detectives. She makes her third, and final, official statement to the police.

Today in the Pace case: 11 March 1928

Sunday, 11 March, 1928: Inspector Bent goes to Rose Cottage to request that Beatrice meet with the detectives in Coleford. Beatrice spends a long day in Coleford answering questions posed by the men from Scotland Yard. The result is her second police statement. There will later be a great deal of controversy about what happened during questioning.

A couple of days in Gloucester and the Forest of Dean

Following on from my Friday interview on BBC Radio Gloucestershire (follow that link if you'd like to listen), there were two events on Saturday related to The Most Remarkable Woman in England.

At mid-day, I spent an hour or so at the Waterstones in Gloucester, signing books and talking to people about it.

The shop is just down the road from the Shire Hall, where the Pace trial was held in the summer of 1928.

Then, in the afternoon, I headed to the Forest of Dean (specifically Bream) where I gave a lecture on the book for the Forest of Dean Local History Society.

It was very well attended, with more than 80 people coming to hear me give a general talk about the book, only a few miles down the road where many of the key events occurred.

It was a great pleasure to talk about the case in front of an audience so genuinely interested in the case. I've given a number of lectures on the case, but I think this might have been the most enjoyable so far.

Stopping at a very nice pub on the way back to Gloucester, I was pleased to find a very positive review of the book in a local Forest of Dean newspaper. More details on that to follow...

Many thanks to Waterstones and the FODLHS for helping me to organise these events!

Today in the Pace case: 9 March 1928

Friday, 9 March 1928: From an article printed in the Dean Forest Guardian under the title 'The Fetter Hill Mystery':

‘In an interview with a reporter after the stoppage of the funeral she said that the 18 years of their married life had been absolutely happy, and that if it had not been for personal ill-feeling on the part of certain people my husband would have been laid to rest without all this anxiety.’

Radio interview, BBC Gloucestershire

For those of you who were unable to listen live to my interview today with Anna King on BBC Radio Gloucestershire, it's available on the station's website at this link for the next week or so.

My interview starts at the 1 hour, 13 minute mark, with the inspired lead-in song of 'I would do anything for love (But I won't do that)' from Meatloaf.

Before that, it was 'Why do fools fall in love?'

Which also fit somehow.

Just in case you want some visuals to accompany your listening pleasure, here's me outside the studio looking quite relieved after the interview.

Many thanks to Anna King for the invitation and for a very enjoyable interview.

Looking forward to tomorrow's events as well!

[UPDATE]: for my book signing in Gloucester and lecture in the Forest of Dean, see here.

Today in the Pace case: 8 March 1928

Thursday, 8 March 1928: Scotland Yard detectives Cornish and Campion begin interviewing various people connected to the case, beginning with members of Harry Pace’s family.

Today in the Pace case: 7 March 1928

Wednesday, 7 March 1928: Scotland Yard informs the Gloucestershire Constabulary that a detective has been assigned to the case: Chief Inspector George Cornish. Accompanying and assisting him would be Detective Sergeant Clarence Campion. Cornish and Campion travel to Cheltenham, where they meet with the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire.

Today in the Pace case: 6 March 1928

Tuesday, 6 March 1928: The Gloucestershire Chief Constable’s office sends a telegram to Scotland Yard, requesting that detectives be sent to the Forest of Dean to investigate the circumstances of Harry Pace’s death. Telegrams are exchanged into the night.

Events in Gloucestershire this week

This week, the unstoppable marketing juggernaut for The Most Remarkable Woman in England rolls into Gloucester and the Forest of Dean!

On Friday afternoon, I'll be interviewed by Anna King on BBC Radio Gloucestershire (between, I believe, about 1:00 and 1:30). 

Then, on Saturday, there'll be two further events.

From about noon to 1pm, I'll be signing copies of the book at the Waterstones in Gloucester (13-15 Eastgate Street), which is, incidentally, just down the street from the Shire Hall, where the Pace murder trial took place.

Then, I will be giving a talk about my book at the Forest of Dean Local History Society (pdf) at 3pm on Saturday, 9 March, at the West Dean Centre in Bream, Gloucestershire.

(As the website currently notes, 'non-members will be very welcome at this event'. I have been informed, however, that there will be a entry fee of £2 for non-members.)


Hope to see you, and if you know anyone who might be interested, please do let them know.

To see what people have been saying about the book, click here.