9 March 1950 – Timothy Evans

Timothy Evans

Poor old Timothy Evans. First his missus is killed by the guy downstairs. Then the guy downstairs gives evidence against him in court. Then he’s hanged for the crime.

Unfortunately for Tim the guy downstairs was serial sadist John Reginald Halliday Christie and although he didn’t know it at the time, when he moved into 10 Rillington Place in west London with his wife Beryl it was the beginning of the end for the whole family.

Beryl gave birth to the couple’s first child, Geraldine, in October 1948 and although Tim would often boast of the high-flying deals he’d done and the money he’d earned he was actually a bit of a wideboy prone to fanciful tales and the couple struggled to pay the bills and make ends meet.

So, when Beryl found herself pregnant again and the “kindly” gentleman downstairs offered to help her out of the family way the couple reluctantly agreed.

It was a decision that would prove to be fatal for all concerned.

First Christie gassed and strangled Beryl, then he persuaded Tim to do a bunk to avoid copping for any of the blame.

With the hapless Evans out the way Reg soon reneged on his promise to have baby Geraldine looked after by a nice couple in Acton…when he strangled her and placed her tiny corpse alongside her mother’s in an shed in his back yard.

The law soon caught up with Tim who’s low IQ didn’t do him any favours and when this was coupled with a confused confession it wasn’t long before he was off to Pentonville for a 9am appointment with Mr Pierrepoint and his ropey friend.

He was hanged aged 25 for the murder of his daughter and it would be another 16 years before he was eventually pardoned.

John Hurt stars as Tim alongside Richard Attenborough’s Christie in the 1970 film ‘10 Rillington Place’.

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