CHAPTER 8

Behind Closed Doors Ernest Hutchinson 1932

There was something very curious going on in the house at 8 Heywood Avenue, White Waltham, near Maidenhead. Joseph Thomas Hutton, a retired policeman who lived next door at number 9, had been watching the various comings and goings with great interest.

The house at number 8 was occupied by four people. As far as Mr Hutton knew, these were Gwendoline Annie Warren, her husband Ernest and their two children: twelve-year-old Ronald Jeffrey and the baby, Connie. In fact, things were more complex than that, for Mr and Mrs Warren were not man and wife and Ernest Warren’s real name was actually Ernest Hutchinson.

Mr Hutton had last seen Mrs Warren at around 9.15pm on Saturday 10 September 1932. The following day, Sunday 11, at 11.00am, Hutton saw Ernest Hutchinson and remarked that he hadn’t seen Gwendoline up and about as yet. Hutchinson told him that she was still in bed, to which Joseph Hutton said that she must be making a day of it then. Hutchinson agreed and the matter was left there.

Joseph Hutton saw Hutchinson again the following morning, at 9.00am. Once again he asked after Mrs Warren and was told that she had gone to Birmingham and would be there until the following Tuesday. He said he was finding it rather difficult to look after two children, so added that he intended taking them to Burnham, in Buckinghamshire, to stay with relatives there.

At this stage, nothing had really happened to arouse Joseph Hutton’s suspicions but then, at 6.00pm on that same Tuesday evening, 13 September, a gentleman called to see Hutchinson at number 8. The very next morning, Wednesday 14 September, a carrier’s van with the word ‘Bunce’ painted on the side, appeared outside number 8 and Mr Hutton saw a piano, a table and a settee loaded onto it. Shortly after this, at 12.15pm, Hutchinson bumped into Mr Hutton and announced that he too was now going to Birmingham, to be with his wife, but would travel via Oxford. He then closed the door behind him, made sure it was locked, and walked off down the street, taking the two children with him. It was now close to 12.30pm on 14 September 1932.

For a few hours at least, Mr Hutton saw nothing more to arouse his curiosity. Then, at around 6.00pm, he saw twelve-year-old Ronald Warren return to the house with a woman Mr Hutton did not recognise. The two visitors were unable to gain access to number 8 despite their constant knocking, and Mr Hutton went to see if he could help in any way.

The woman with Ronald was his aunt, Mrs Mable Ellen Clara Fleet who lived at School House, East Burnham, Buckinghamshire. After Joseph Hutton had introduced himself, he assisted Ronald through the larder window at the rear of the house. Ronald then opened the front door but as soon as Mrs Fleet stepped inside, Mr Hutton called her back out and told her to take care of the boy. His police training told him that there might well be something untoward inside the house and he felt that he should make a search of the premises himself.

The house was tidy enough but when Mr Hutton went into the front bedroom, it became clear that all was not well. A large pile of bedding, weights and other items were tied into a bundle and placed on top of the bed. Beneath this, lay the body of a woman. Mr Hutton wasted no time in calling for the police.