CHAPTER 9

The Major and his Wayward Son
1888

You had better speak to me: it is a matter of life or death.

Middle-class murders are unusual in real life, though not in the pages of fiction. This was an exception to the rule and, in a year overshadowed by the deeds of a more infamous (and anonymous) criminal, it has been all but forgotten. The autumn of 1888 had been, in any case, a grim one in the locality of Kingston. There had been a railway accident at Hampton Wick, where four people had been burnt to death; a drayman was killed in Thames Street, Kingston, and a man was killed in the hayfield near the town. Then there were two deaths by gunshots which are about to be detailed.

Thomas Hare, born in Ireland in 1817, joined the 27th Regiment, the Royal Inniskillings Fusiliers, on 27 March 1835, as an ensign. He became a lieutenant on 11 November 1838. He switched to a colonial unit, becoming a captain on 1 April 1847 in the Cape Mounted Rifles in South Africa and saw distinguished service in the Kaffir Wars, reaching the rank of major on 26 October 1858 and being awarded the Kaffir Medal. He should, after his retirement shortly afterwards, have had a pleasing life. He had married Frances (born in 1828) from Cape Town and they had at least five sons: Gordon Horace (the third oldest), born in 1855, Waltham, born in 1861 and lastly Maynard, born in 1867. The latter two went into business, as City clerks. After residing in Bournemouth and then Harrow, in the 1860s, since about 1876, they had lived in St James’ Road, Kingston, a street lived in by the middle class. Dr Holberton, who had examined the corpse of Sarah Martin in 1872, lived there.

Hare lived a fairly retired life, not taking a prominent part in local affairs, as a magistrate or a councillor, as some retired officers did. Yet his local friends talked of his kindness. He was also a keen churchgoer, though he did not attend any one particular church. He also attended meetings of the Liberal Party, supporting local candidates. He was a very healthy man and thought nothing of regularly walking long distances.

Yet there was a fly in the ointment. Gordon Hare was that fly. It is not certain exactly what the reason for his falling out with his father was, but it concerned money. Although his brothers settled down into the ordered world of work, he did not. Perhaps he could not. In 1873, he went to America to pursue cattle farming. He spent most of his adult life abroad, including spells in Australia and Mexico, and had a gift for languages, being able to speak four or five. At first his parents had indulged him to the extent of giving him several thousand pounds. His ventures abroad had not been a success. The money spent, he returned from America to England in 1885, but he was not a prodigal son. He began to threaten his father, to such a serious extent that his father took the extreme step of charging him before the magistrates. Certainly the old man went in fear of his life.

At the magistrates’ court, in November 1885, the major told the sorry story. As soon as Gordon returned, he had called on his parents and demanded money from them. They told him that he had no claim on them. He returned and caused a scene. He threatened to shoot his father, but he claimed that if his father could not find him a job, he would have to go to the workhouse or kill his father and then commit suicide. Given that he had resisted arrest and had a revolver on his person, his father’s testimony was enough for him to be found guilty of threatening words. He was told by the magistrates that he must find sureties for his good behaviour or be gaoled for three months. Lacking any money, he was imprisoned for the time mentioned.

On leaving gaol in the following year, he is alleged to have openly repeated his threats. In February 1887, Hare thought about bringing charges again, but was talked out of it. Gordon then went abroad.

Gordon returned to England in August 1888 and took up residence in Burlington Road, Bayswater. On Friday 24 August, he was seen by Maynard, who lived with his parents, when the latter was leaving his offices. Maynard tried to avoid him, but was unsuccessful, and told Gordon, ‘It is no use for me to speak to you, everybody has tried to speak to you, but it is no good.’ His brother replied, ‘You had better speak to me: it is a matter of life or death.’ The two brothers then lunched together. Maynard was shown some revolver cartridges and his elder brother talked about his money troubles and how no one would help him. There was no explicit threat made against anyone, least of all their father. Gordon then visited his parents, a fact he mentioned to his brother. The major spoke quietly, but firmly to his wayward son, telling him that if he did not leave, he would be trespassing. Martha Hodsell, a housemaid, was instructed not to admit Gordon should he call again.

It should be noted that Major Hare was not in a position to do much more to financially help his wayward son. On his death, he had but £41 2s 6d. There were no Army pensions for those leaving the forces until 1872; instead, officers sold the commissions they had first paid for, often investing the cash in order to provide an income.

On the following day, Gordon visited his brother’s place of business. He showed him a number of revolver cartridges and talked of ‘a matter of life and death’, but did not directly threaten their father. Maynard knew that his brother was excitable, especially on the subject of money and he was convinced that he had been ill treated financially and should receive all the help he needed. It should be noted that he was given one guinea a week by his parents which would be enough to prevent him starving. He told Maynard that he was taking sleeping draughts in large quantities. Gordon spent the Saturday night in a hotel in Kingston.

The climax came on the Sunday evening of 26 August 1888. Major Hare had attended St Mark’s church that evening, as he usually did. Whilst he was at prayer, Gordon called at the family house, at about 7.10 pm but when the housemaid saw who it was, she did not open the door. After waiting on the steps for a few minutes, he tried the back door and then went away, but not for long, for he was waiting for when his father, when he finished his walk home and was on the threshold, unaware of who was waiting for him. It was just before 8 pm.