A murder mystery at Flaxley, Gloucestershire, August 1938.
The Summer of 1938 was a hot one in the Forest of Dean. In the village of Flaxley, even a Civil War cannot stop the Overwhelming Force that is the annual village fête.
Supporters of the various political factions, have decided to declare a truce, relax and attend the fête. The local Vicar’s wife is organising the event and the Longhope Jam Factory militia are providing the jam stall.
Personae Dramatis.
Left Photograph: Major Charles Mitchell-Scott - the victim!
Centre Photograph:
Back Row(LtoR): BUF District Inspector John Austin: Police Sgt. Andrew Williams;
The Summer of 1938 was a hot one in the Forest of Dean. In the village of Flaxley, even a Civil War cannot stop the Overwhelming Force that is the annual village fête.
Supporters of the various political factions, have decided to declare a truce, relax and attend the fête. The local Vicar’s wife is organising the event and the Longhope Jam Factory militia are providing the jam stall.
Personae Dramatis.
Left Photograph: Major Charles Mitchell-Scott - the victim!
Centre Photograph:
Back Row(LtoR): BUF District Inspector John Austin: Police Sgt. Andrew Williams;
Mrs. Alexandra Sheridan; Miss Katie Lewis;
Lt. Peter Smith RN; Reverend Owen Lttlejohn.
Middle Row(LtoR): Miss Samantha Hastings; June Daniels; Comrade Wilfie Smith;
Lt. Peter Smith RN; Reverend Owen Lttlejohn.
Middle Row(LtoR): Miss Samantha Hastings; June Daniels; Comrade Wilfie Smith;
Miss Priscilla Perkins; Mrs. Carol Brown.
Front Row(LtoR): Young Bert, Comrade Monkey & Young Davey.
Right Photograph: Mr. Leonard Woods
Major Charles Mitchell-Scott (operating under the alias of “Richard Evans”) is a secret agent of the ‘Free’ Parliament at Winchester.He was working under cover in this area for several months and had carried out various missions, stealing documents and a couple of assassinations of significant local BUF supporters. He has been sent to canvas support amongst the local Anglican League forces for Parliament’s plan to offer then position of ‘Lord Protector’ to Prince Albert.
Mrs. Carol Brown, wife of the Vicar of Flaxley, the organiser of the fête. She is an ardent supporter of the Anglican League and has arranged a meeting between Reverend Owen Littlejohn and Leonard Woods, the leader of the currently neutral “Flaxley Defenders”.
Reverend Owen Littlejohn, the Vicar at Longhope and a local Anglican League commander. He aims to persuade Mr. Woods that the Flaxley Defenders” should join the League in its efforts to dislodge the Royalist/BUF forces from the Gloucester area.
Miss Priscilla Perkins, a reporter for the ‘Wye and Severn Sentinel’, here to cover the fête. She is always on the lookout for that big scoop that might land her a better job at a bigger newspaper. Politically she is of a pro-Royalist persuasion.
Lt. Peter Smith, a Royalist Naval officer from Gloucester Flotilla currently hunting for arms dealers at the fête following a tip off.
BUF District Inspector John Austin, a local British Union of Fascists (BUF) officer. He seems to have influence above his rank, this is because he is actually an Intelligence officer in the BUF’s notorious Z Division.
Mrs. Alexandra Sheridan, a Flaxley housewife, with a vague interest in fascism, who has been having an affair with Alan Knight, one of the leading BUF officials in Gloucester. Knight died in a car accident a couple of months ago. Mrs. Sheridan was in the car too but was uninjured.
Sargent Andrew Williams, a local Policeman, who was recently in the newspapers after his commendation for his actions at the ‘Battle of Longhope’ (See the write up in an earlier post on this blog). He is off-duty and just relaxing at the fête. Sgt. Williams sees the Police as politically neutral and is trying to uphold the law and help innocent civilians.
Mr. Leonard Woods, is the village blacksmith/mechanic and now mainly runs the business side employing two men to do the work. He is thinking of entering local politics as an Independent and currently leads the village defence force.
Samantha Hastings, a Longhope Jam Factory Militia member and crack shot. She has joined the Independent Labour Party and is a friend of Charlie Masson, the leader of the ILP’s Warren James Centuria at nearby Mitcheldean. She is here to collect a load of new weapons for the militia from Wilfie Smith.
June Daniels, a Longhope Jam Factory Militia member She is in the Communist Party and has a brother fighting in the Peoples’ Assault Column near Birmingham. She would like the militia to be controlled by the Communists rather than the Independent Labour Party. She aims to scupper the arms deal to make the ILP faction in the militia look weak and incompetent.
Wilfie Smith, the Comrade-Skipper of a anarcho-syndicalist ship operating in the wider Severn Estuary/ Bristol Channel area. His crew have engaged in piracy against non-left wing vessels and are known for supplying small quantities of weapons, medical supplies and fuel to groups they support.
Katie Lewis, a Jewish refugee from who has been working as a farm labourer in the area. She is trying to get support from the locals to allow a small group of refugees to take over an abandoned farm on the outskirts of the Parish.
Young Bert & Young Davey, two local rapscallions.
The story unfolds.....
The fête was opened by Mrs Brown and the various attendees began to mingle, not knowing what was to come.
Front Row(LtoR): Young Bert, Comrade Monkey & Young Davey.
Right Photograph: Mr. Leonard Woods
Major Charles Mitchell-Scott (operating under the alias of “Richard Evans”) is a secret agent of the ‘Free’ Parliament at Winchester.He was working under cover in this area for several months and had carried out various missions, stealing documents and a couple of assassinations of significant local BUF supporters. He has been sent to canvas support amongst the local Anglican League forces for Parliament’s plan to offer then position of ‘Lord Protector’ to Prince Albert.
Mrs. Carol Brown, wife of the Vicar of Flaxley, the organiser of the fête. She is an ardent supporter of the Anglican League and has arranged a meeting between Reverend Owen Littlejohn and Leonard Woods, the leader of the currently neutral “Flaxley Defenders”.
Reverend Owen Littlejohn, the Vicar at Longhope and a local Anglican League commander. He aims to persuade Mr. Woods that the Flaxley Defenders” should join the League in its efforts to dislodge the Royalist/BUF forces from the Gloucester area.
Miss Priscilla Perkins, a reporter for the ‘Wye and Severn Sentinel’, here to cover the fête. She is always on the lookout for that big scoop that might land her a better job at a bigger newspaper. Politically she is of a pro-Royalist persuasion.
Lt. Peter Smith, a Royalist Naval officer from Gloucester Flotilla currently hunting for arms dealers at the fête following a tip off.
BUF District Inspector John Austin, a local British Union of Fascists (BUF) officer. He seems to have influence above his rank, this is because he is actually an Intelligence officer in the BUF’s notorious Z Division.
Mrs. Alexandra Sheridan, a Flaxley housewife, with a vague interest in fascism, who has been having an affair with Alan Knight, one of the leading BUF officials in Gloucester. Knight died in a car accident a couple of months ago. Mrs. Sheridan was in the car too but was uninjured.
Sargent Andrew Williams, a local Policeman, who was recently in the newspapers after his commendation for his actions at the ‘Battle of Longhope’ (See the write up in an earlier post on this blog). He is off-duty and just relaxing at the fête. Sgt. Williams sees the Police as politically neutral and is trying to uphold the law and help innocent civilians.
Mr. Leonard Woods, is the village blacksmith/mechanic and now mainly runs the business side employing two men to do the work. He is thinking of entering local politics as an Independent and currently leads the village defence force.
Samantha Hastings, a Longhope Jam Factory Militia member and crack shot. She has joined the Independent Labour Party and is a friend of Charlie Masson, the leader of the ILP’s Warren James Centuria at nearby Mitcheldean. She is here to collect a load of new weapons for the militia from Wilfie Smith.
June Daniels, a Longhope Jam Factory Militia member She is in the Communist Party and has a brother fighting in the Peoples’ Assault Column near Birmingham. She would like the militia to be controlled by the Communists rather than the Independent Labour Party. She aims to scupper the arms deal to make the ILP faction in the militia look weak and incompetent.
Wilfie Smith, the Comrade-Skipper of a anarcho-syndicalist ship operating in the wider Severn Estuary/ Bristol Channel area. His crew have engaged in piracy against non-left wing vessels and are known for supplying small quantities of weapons, medical supplies and fuel to groups they support.
Katie Lewis, a Jewish refugee from who has been working as a farm labourer in the area. She is trying to get support from the locals to allow a small group of refugees to take over an abandoned farm on the outskirts of the Parish.
Young Bert & Young Davey, two local rapscallions.
The story unfolds.....
The fête was opened by Mrs Brown and the various attendees began to mingle, not knowing what was to come.
The fête is in full swing with games stalls and cake stands
As all the shenanigans were going on In the background, gallons of tea were drunk to compliment the scones and jam and lashings of ginger beer washed down a fine array of cakes from the local Women’s Institute.
Major Mitchell-Scott failed to persuade Leonard Woods, the leader of the “Flaxley Defenders” LDV, to support Prince Albert and arranged to meet Mrs Brown, as a representative of the area’s Anglican League faction, to meet him in the village hall to see if he could get them on board.
The reporter, Miss Perkins, found out about the possible arms deal from Lt. Peter Smith and started investigating it, hoping for that big story. Lt. Peter Smith was busy keeping an eye on the Jam Factory Militia members at the fête.
BUF District Inspector Austin was generally being nosy and discussing the finer points of fascism with Mrs.Sheridan.
Katie Lewis talked to Leonard Woods and Mrs. Brown about taking over the farm and received a mixed reaction..
The others relaxed and enjoyed the fête playing games and awaiting their opportunities to further their schemes..
After lunch, Mr. Leonard Woods left to go back to his business and Comrade Wilfie Smith turned up to meet members of the Jam Factory Militia.
The murder is discovered...
About half an hour later, Mrs. Brown’s scream was heard from the village hall! As everyone rushed in, they saw the prone body of Richard Evans (A.K.A. Major Charles Mitchell-Scott) with a kitchen knife sticking out of his chest.
About half an hour later, Mrs. Brown’s scream was heard from the village hall! As everyone rushed in, they saw the prone body of Richard Evans (A.K.A. Major Charles Mitchell-Scott) with a kitchen knife sticking out of his chest.
The Victim (looking slightly deflated)
Sgt.. Williams, although off-duty, took charge of the situation immediately. He telephoned his Inspector and began to investigate the murder.
As many of those present had been quietly wandering off in twos or threes to discuss their various aims throughout the morning, and no one had seen the victim for an hour or so, everyone was a suspect.
Williams systematically questioned all those present. Witnesses had seen June Daniels, Mrs. Sheridan, Lt. Peter Smith, and Katie Lewis entering the village hall around the estimated time of the murder and the fact that Mrs, Brown had discovered the body made some think she had done it.. Wilfie Smith and Reverend Littlejohn had both arrived at the fête close enough to the time of death for them to have done it before making an appearance.
Documents discovered on the body gave a hint as to why he was visiting Flaxley and the consensus was that he was killed by a rival faction in the civil war.
Much of the afternoon was spent in providing alibis for each other and in a couple of cases trying to blame and perhaps (though not proven) plant evidence on political opponents. Eventually, the Sargent gathered everyone together in true whodunnit style and revealed the results of his investigation:
Mrs. Sheridan had been conducting an affair with Mr. Alan Knight, a BUF official, and was a witness when he was killed in a car accident. The other vehicle in the incident (later found to have been stolen) had been badly damaged and as the driver fled on foot. Mrs. Sheridan had caught a glimpse of the culprit as he ran down the street. When Major Mitchell-Scott appeared at the fête, she recognised him instantly! She arranged a meeting with him to discuss “something about the BUF in Gloucester” and as soon as they were alone she had plunged a knife into his chest.
Although at first everyone had assumed that there had been a political motive for the murder, in the end it turned out to be a simple crime of passion.
After the murderer was caught......
BUF District Inspector John Austin continued his search for the gun-runner and caught Wilfie Smith and Sam Hastings red-handed making their arms deal in a back room of the local pub. Wilfie held off the BUF officer whilst Sam escaped (fortunately she was not identified) and during this altercation, during which Austin shot Smith in the left arm. Wilfie was then arrested.
Austin admitted that he had been tipped off about the meeting. It is not known who provided the information but it was thought to be either been Miss Perkins (in exchange for a scoop) or June Daniels (to further the Communist cause).
A wounded Wilfie Smith looks wistfully into the last scone he is likely to get for a while, as BUF District Inspector Austin watches over him after his arrest.
Austin and Police Sargent Williams argued over jurisdiction and Williams eventually won, so Smith was turned over for the Police to deal with. The all weapons, except for a Tommy gun that Sam Hastings had grabbed as she fled, were confiscated by Austin.
Smith was sent to Littledean Police station, but on the way, the Police car crashed, having swerved to avoid a forest sheep in the road, and Wilfie made his escape! Strangely, the Police vehicle was undamaged in this incident and there were no eye-witnesses.
Finally, Sgt.Williams’s superior arrived to investigate the murder but found the crime was already solved and the situation was under control. Williams was commended for a second time in two months!
Mrs. Sheridan was arrested and eventually taken to Gloucester for trial. Since she had killed the assassin of a BUF offficial, the murder charge was reduced to manslaughter and probable political interference meant that she received a relatively short sentence.
A few of the props I made or
acquired for the day...
Photographed on Major Charles Mitchell-Scott’s suitcase
Top Row: Gibraltar brochure and suitcase labels (part of the Major's cover story); Sgt. William’s handcuffs & Warrant Card; Lt. Peter Smith’s County of London driving licence and Naval ID card
Bottom Row: Rev. Littlejohn’s and Mrs Brown’s Gloucestershire County driving licences; A Fascism for Women leaflet given to Mrs. Sheridan by Austin; Austin’s BUF membership card and tie pin; Sam Hasting's Independent Labour Party membership card and badge; a Longhope Jam Factory plum jam label.
Notes: I wrote this little murder mystery as part of my 50th birthday celebration back in 2012. Lovely weather and excellent role-playing made for a really enjoyable time down in the Forest of Dean. Amazingly, my friend playing the Police Sargent had got it right and arrested the actual culprit!
