In 1937 Thomas Arthur Malyon murdered Edward Charles Walter who was having an affair with Thomas's wife.  It was decided by the courts that the murder was a Crime of Passion and therefor received only a prison sentence.

The write up below has been taken from the Web site created by Keith Bateman to whom I am very grateful. see http://batemans-history.rootschat.net/shotherlover.htm

On March 31st 1937 the trial took place of Thomas Arthur Malyon for the Murder of Edward Charles Walters a 21 year old Esperanto Student whose parents were living at Elden Street, Bracebrige, Lincoln. Malyon was a 33 year old engineer of Abbot's Road, Letchworth, and appeared before Hitchen, Herts, magistrates court charged with Murder on March 17th.

Thomas was the husband of Florence Rosina Malyon (nee Bateman) who was my dad's older sister. She was born in Hitchen in December 1907 and married Thomas in Hitchen in December 1929.

Thomas was accused of firing 16 bullets from an automatic pistol from about 12in away into the body of Edward Walters

I am very grateful to Darren Isted the Editor of the Comet Newspaper in Hertfordshire for giving me permission to use the following extracts from the Hertfordshire Pictorial of 1937 - as his paper was then known. This is in complete contrast to the Times newspaper who would only allow me to use copies on payment of many hundreds of pounds!! As I owned a small decorating shop for all of my life, I once again have to come to the conclusion that Big is definitely not better - so please support the Comet and ALL small businesses where possible!

                 Malyon is brought before Hitchin Magistrates and Charged with Murder

An Eye Witness (or should that be Ear Witness?) account of the shooting has just been received from Keith Henderson. Keith who is the son of Edith Hay - Florence Malyon's half sister - was a 14 year old at the time of the incident.  Keith says:

 "I was playing with my 15 year old brother Tom and some other lads on Wilbury Road in Letchworth. These lads lived in a house opposite the drive where the shooting took place. Tom Malyon was our Uncle and I believe that he went to the house that Edward Walters was staying at, knocked on the door and somehow managed to persuade Walters to walk with him down the road - as they were walking along Wilbury Road Uncle Tom noticed us and said "Hello Lads". We shortly after heard some gun shots, but thought nothing of this as it was quite common to hear gun fire as the local farmers often used to shoot things!"

Keith also recalls that Florence used to bring her 2 children - Julie aged 7 and John 5 - to his mum Edith to look after, while she went to the trial or later to the prison. Both Edith and her husband James would have nothing to do with Florence, and she had to leave the children at the gate and walk away as she was not allowed into their house! He also thinks that Florence was ostracized by her family for what she had done, which he thinks was very sad but considering how people would have been upset by what had happened was understandable.

 It is good to know that Tom and Florence were reconciled and made a new life for themselves in Australia as were Florence and Edith who spoke to each other after the death of James Henderson in 1953, when Florence came back from Australia on a visit.

Even more news from the trial!! I have found out perhaps one reason why Tom Malyon, in my opinion, got off fairly lightly with his 5 year sentence - the defending council was Norman Birkett. Norman who was a 54 year old at the time was the trial, had joined the chambers of the celebrated defence lawyer Edward Marshall Hall. Like Hall, Birkett specialised in criminal defence cases, and in 1934 secured the acquittal of Tony Mancini (alias Jack Notyre) in the celebrated "Brighton Trunk Crime No 2" Mancini had faced overwhelming evidence and many years later admitted his guilt. He later in 1939 was picked to head an Advisory Committee to oversee the internment of British citizens under the Defence Regulations and was later selected over more experienced colleagues to be the British Judge at the Nuremberg Trials. In 1950 Birkett was made a Lord Justice of Appeal and was later quoted as saying " I do not mind people looking at their watches when I am speaking. But I strongly object when they start shaking them to make certain they are still going"

So how Birkett became Maylon's defence lawyer I have not yet found out - or how he could afford such a high profile lawyer - so if anyone else has more details please let me know by emailing me from the home page of this website.  

What happened afterwards I am slowly piecing together, so please look in again for the next chapter in this intriguing story in the lives of my relations. At the moment all I do know is that the family emigrated to Australia in 1951 as per this census record.

Julie Yvonne Malyon married shortly after they arrived in Australia to Johan Leendert Van Den Wey at Wollongong - they may have then moved to Malaysia - anyone know any more details?

In amongst some photos which the Hendersons have are these two - which as usual I am not sure about - but I think it is very probably the marriage of Florence Bateman and Tom Malyon.

The above was written by Keith Bateman

Thomas Arthur Malyon and Florence Bateman on weeding day

"Read all about it"