"So help me God she won't come down for me again in a hurry." • The Bridgend Murder

On the night of the 12th of August 1872, Selina Jones was found dead in her home at 34 Newcastle Street. Later known locally as “The Bridgend Murder” - It was initially suspected that her death was caused by a series of falls she had earlier that evening but over the days that followed something very different was uncovered.

Unfortunately, not much is known about the early life of both Thomas and Selina Jones. What little we know has been drawn from census records, court records, and newspaper articles. 

A newspaper article reporting the trial of Thomas and Selina. 

The first record of Thomas Jones and Selina Adams (Adams was Selina’s maiden name) in Bridgend can be found in the Glamorgan Calendar of Prisoners for the year 1857. 

On the 26th of September 1857, a warrant for the arrest of Thomas Jones and Selina Adams was issued by Bridgend Magistrates Court. The pair were accused of  “Stealing one jacket, valued at 15s, the property of William Jeffreys, at Bridgend,” on the 1st of September.

They were received into custody at the House of Correction at Swansea on the 28th of September. 

The Glamorgan Calendar of Prisoners gives a brief but interesting description of the couple: 

• Thomas Jones, then aged 34, was described as being a Hawker who was unable to read and write.

• Selina Adams, then 27, was described as being a Pedlar who had an “imperfect education” - this meant that she was able to read and write but at a very basic standard. 

Thomas and Selina spend just over a month at Swansea House of Correction before being tried at Glamorganshire Quarter Sessions on the 21st of October. The verdict was given as “Not True Bill.”

 

A view of Freeschool Court.

I have been unable to find a marriage record for Thomas and Selina. Thomas was previously married to a woman named Rosannah, with whom he had two children. There is no record of their separation, so it is possible that Selina took Thomas’ last name without ever marrying him.

In 1858, Selina gave birth to their first child, Henry. He was soon followed by six siblings: Rosanna (b.1860)  Esther Ann (b.1861) David (b.1863) Shadrach (b.1864) Adah (b.1869) and Thomas (b.1871). 

The first recorded address of the Jones family in Bridgend is found on the baptism record of their eldest daughter Rosanna. Rosanna was baptised at St Mary's Church (Nolton) on the 18th of August 1860. At the time of her baptism, the Jones family were living at School Court. 

The1861 Census tells us the family had moved just across the road and were living at Phillips Court. Thomas and Selina lived there with two of their children: Henry and Esther Ann. Both Selina and Thomas are listed as ‘Licensed Hawkers.’  

The Census record also shows that the Jones family shared their house with another family, the Davies'. These were: Esther Davies and her four children. 

Selina was charged with assaulting her neighbour in September 1868.

The 1871 Census tells us that the Jones family were now living at 34 Newcastle Street (now Newcastle Hill). 

It was there that Thomas and Selina lived with their children: Henry, Esther Ann, David, Shadrach, and Rosana. At this time, Thomas' mother, Ann, aged 79 was also living with the family. Again, Thomas and Selina are listed as 'Hawkers.'

On the night of the 12th of August 1872, tragedy struck the Jones family, when Selina Jones was found dead in the family home at 34 Newcastle Street. 

On the 16th of August, an inquiry was opened at The Angel Inn (at the bottom of Newcastle Hill) into the death of Selina Jones. Thomas had been taken into custody prior to the inquest on the suspicion that he had caused Selina’s death. 

The Cardiff and Merthyr Guardian Glamorgan Monmouth and Brecon Gazette reported: 

“The inquiry lasted between three and four hours, but the evidence adduced did not appear to implicate the husband of the deceased woman. Superintendent Sadler applied for an adjournment, stating that he had important evidence to bring forward.” 

“There is a feeling of sympathy for the man in his unfortunate position, as he bears the character of being a quiet man, and is said to have received much provocation from the deceased.”

The death certificate of Selina Jones.

The inquiry into Selina’s death was resumed at The Angel Inn on the 23rd of August. The important evidence mentioned in the above article came from Dr Leahy and a neighbour of the Jones family. 

Dr Leahy had performed the postmortem on the deceased. During the postmortem, Dr Leahy found a severe laceration on one part of the deceased’s body. He went on to say which must have been caused by direct violence, and haemorrhage ensued, causing death. 

“The wound would most probably have been caused by a kick that was the most natural way of accounting for it.”

A witness had heard a quarrel between Thomas and Selina. They heard the latter say, "You have killed me now; you have done it." 

The jury, after deliberating for four and a half hours, returned a verdict of manslaughter against Thomas Jones, and Thomas was committed to Cardiff Gaol the following day to await trial. He was later transferred to Swansea Gaol on the 18th of February 1873.

The calendar entry for the trial of Thomas Jones.

On the 6th of March 1873, after eight months in prison, Thomas Jones stood trial on the indictment of  “having feloniously, wilfully, and, of malice aforethought, killed and murdered his wife Selina Jones at Newcastle, near Bridgend on the 12th August, 1872.” - At the coroner's request, Thomas was also charged with Manslaughter.

The long-awaited trial was widely reported. The below quotes are taken from a report of the trial in the South Wales Daily News - dated the 12th of March, 1873. As well as documenting the trial, the report gives us an insight into Thomas and Selina’s turbulent relationship. 

Mr B. T. Williams and Mr Arthur Williams prosecuted; prisoner being undefended, but at the request of his lordship Mr Allen consented to appear for the prisoner. A short adjournment took place after the empanelling of the jury, so as to allow Mr Allen an opportunity to peruse the depositions. 

In total, eleven witnesses were called to testify at the trial. Many of them being neighbours and friends of both Thomas and Selina. 

Mr B. T. Williams opened the case to the jury relating the facts of the case which can be found below: 

The first witness to be called was Elizabeth Hapgood:  

"I know the prisoner and his wife, and I remember her being in my house on the evening of the 12th of August, last. She had a pint of ale, and whilst she was in the house, her husband, the prisoner, came in. At the time she had a pint of beer in her hand. She then left and he remained, and later in the evening, about nine o'clock, she returned, and the prisoner was still there." 

"She was then the worse for drink. She came in and caught hold of a parcel he had and was about striking him with it. He jumped up and I went between them. Just then another man who was in the house also got up and took the deceased out and the prisoner followed her but came back in the course of a quarter of an hour. In about another quarter-of-an-hour prisoner's little boy came in and said to the prisoner that the deceased was ill."

The second witness to be called in was William Howe and said: 

"I remember being in the Talbot on the night in question, and saw the deceased there; she had a pint of beer. Shortly after she had been there, the prisoner came in, and when he saw his wife he told her to "go home," and she said “I won't go home," and he said I will make you," and prisoner gave her a push." 

"Prisoner remained in the house afterwards drinking, and in about half-an-hour afterwards the wife returned to the house, strongly under the influence of drink. She appeared to be in a temper. The prisoner was sitting down on the settle with a bundle by his side. She caught hold of it and said, “I will have it," but he said" You shan't," and a struggle followed."

"Prisoner rose his fist about to strike his wife, but he did not strike her. I went between them, and took her out to the door and put her in the direction of her home, and I persuaded her to go." 

"It was about a quarter of an hour afterwards that the prisoner left, but again returned in a short time and sat down by me, and said to me: "So help me God she (the deceased) won't come down for me again in a hurry."

"After the prisoner's little boy came down he said: "Father come home, my mother is ill," That was the first time the little boy came down, but the prisoner did not go out. The little boy came down again and said: "Father come home, mother is dead." Prisoner said: “Drunk she is." 

"The deceased used to drink heavily, and when drunk was often very quarrelsome."

A view of Newcastle Hill.

Sarah Howe was next called and said: "I remember seeing the deceased on the evening of the 12th of August on her own doorstep. She was rather intoxicated and abused everyone that passed. I walked down the length of two houses, and as I was returning I heard a plate being broken."

"I ran on towards her house, as there were two or three children about the door, and sent them away. I then heard her scream “Murder” three times, and exclaim “Oh Tom." The door was closed after these screams. I could see that it was open, but I could not see in. I do not know who closed it. "

"I often heard rows between the prisoner and the deceased, who was a woman of a very quarrelsome temper. Deceased was a very violent woman, and would abuse anyone that looked at her." 

Thomas Riley was next examined by Mr A Williams and said: "I was passing prisoner's house with my wife, it was between nine and ten o'clock I heard a man saying “Give me my supper.”

"I did not know whose voice it was I also heard a plate broken. I also heard screams, and a woman's voice saying" Oh, you have murdered me." I then went away, and saw the prisoner on the following morning, but not that night. I did not see the prisoner that night, but I heard him coming to the door and say: “Get up, you old sow, you are drunk.” 

Thomas Jenkins, examined by Mr B. T. Williams, said: "I was in The Lamb Inn, about nine o'clock, and prisoner came in there, and afterwards his mother came in and asked for 6d for tea and sugar, which he gave her."

“My wife is not what the man calls her a whore, but I have nearly done for her now." 

Helen Bevan was next called and said: “A little after ten, I went into the house, just as Dr Jenkins was coming out, and I found the prisoner's wife sitting down in the chair. I undressed the deceased and washed her. On one of her cheeks, there was a slight discolouration. The witness also spoke to other marks of violence on the person of the deceased."

Ann Jones, the mother of Thomas Jones was called and said: "I am 81 years of age, and the mother of the prisoner' I lived with him and his wife Selina. It was about seven o'clock that the wife came home on the evening in question. She had been drinking before she came home."

"Selina suckled her child and then went out. I also went out afterwards to the public house and the deceased said, “Go, home mother, I'll come after you. She soon afterwards came home, and was followed by her husband. It was about half-past nine that she came home and immediately after he came in, she up with a soup plate, and threw it at him." 

"He then went out of the house, and she said she would follow him in a minute. She got up to go after him, but fell over the table, and the little boy and myself then caught hold of her arm, and she got up, and we put her in the armchair by the fire, and I thought she went to sleep."

"Soon afterwards I went up to her, and got a little alarmed because she did not speak. I then went to look for my son, the prisoner, and it was then I had the gin."

Ann was then questioned by the Judge.

The Judge: "Did she drink it?"

Ann Jones: "Yes. She was alive then, I am sure I put it to her mouth, and I am certain she swallowed it. I afterwards put my hands to her head. Afterwards, my son came home, and he sent for Dr Jenkins. When my son gave me the gin, he told me to give it to his wife, as it would do her good and liven her up." 

The final witnesses to be called were Dr Jenkins and Dr Leahy.

Dr Jenkins said: "...a little after 10 o'clock, prisoner and another man came for me, and the prisoner said he believed his wife was dead. I went directly, and I found the wife in the house seated in a chair by the fire. She was dead, and I thought at the time that she had been dead a quarter of an hour."

"I noticed the floor of the room was smeared with blood. By smeared, I mean that the blood had been washed up. I examined her and found blood on her clothes and legs. I did not examine her minutely because there were no external injuries. I thought I should have to make a postmortem examination."

Dr Leahy then presented the court with the results of the post-mortem: 

Dr Leahy was of opinion that “..she bled to death from the internal wounds, which corresponded with a slight external contusion which he found on her person, and such wound would have been produced by a kick." 

"...did not think the wound could have been produced by a fall and did not think that even the falling upon the leg of a table would have produced it. I do not think the weight of a body falling against the leg of a table would have produced the injuries.”

The Jury afterwards retired and having been absent a short time, returned to court with a verdict of guilty of Manslaughter. Thomas was sentenced to ten years of penal servitude.

The prison record of Thomas Jones.

Thomas’s prison record gives a detailed insight into Thomas’s time in the penal system. 

While at Swansea Gaol, William Cox (the governor of Swansea Gaol) described Thomas as being:

• 5ft6, with foxy red hair, blue eyes, and a light complexion.
• His face was described as “unproportioned” and “irregular.” 
• It was noted that he had five blue dots tattooed near his left thumb and was described as a “drunkard.”

On the 28th of April 1873, Thomas was transferred to carry out his sentence at Pentonville Prison. 

On admission to Pentonville Prison, Thomas was described as being:

• "5ft6, fat and missing most of his left little finger."
• It is also noted that he suffered from a "prominent ulcer on his right leg."

Shortly after his admission to Pentonville, Thomas was hospitalised with a large ulcer on his right leg. As a result of this, he was confined to the infirmary for four months.

On the 19th of January 1874, Thomas was transferred from Pentonville Prison to Portland Prison. 

During his time at Portland Prison, Thomas was hospitalised seven times for various complaints including lumbago, diarrhoea, and an abscess. Thomas was also punished for causing a nuisance and for “Leaving his work on the verge and picking up some tobacco.” 

A portrait of Thomas Jones taken at Pentonville Prison. 

All though Thomas did not receive any visits during his incarceration, he did receive letters from his mother, who was residing at Bridgend Workhouse until her death. He also received letters from his friend Mr Wallington. 

Shortly before his release, Thomas began to correspond with his son, Thomas. Thomas was a son from Thomas’ previous marriage. He was born in Birmingham in 1846 and at the time of corresponding with his father, he lived at Mill Street with his family in Hereford. 

Thomas was released from Portland Prison on a license (after serving just under eight years of his ten-year sentence) on the 31st of December 1880 and discharged to the Bristol Aid Society. 

The license conditions. 

By 1881, Thomas has returned to Bridgend. 

• The 1881 Census tells us that Thomas was lodging at 17 Newcastle Hill and is listed as a 'Pedlar.'
• The 1891 Census tells us that Thomas had moved to Nolton Street. There he was lodging with eight others and is listed as a 'Hawker.'
• The 1901 Census tells us that Thomas was an inmate at The Bridgend and Cowbridge Union Workhouse. Aged 80, he was listed as a 'Pauper' with his previous occupation being a 'Hawker.' 

Thomas died at Bridgend and Cowbridge Union Workhouse in 1911 aged 91.

(Sources: NLW - Ancestry - Glamorgan Archives - Pentonville Prison )