Record

4857 - West Mercia Police Authority
- 11 - West Mercia Police Authority. Files relating to the Bella Murder
  - 5 - Photocopies of investigation records and related papers used for case review

Reference Number	010:18 BA14908/4
Hierarchy Browser Number	4857/11/5/1
Title	West Mercia Police Authority Murder at Hagley Wood Bella file 1
Description	Photocopies of original documentation and photographs from the investigation and subsequent the attempts to identify the remains of an unknown adult female recovered from the hollowed out trunk of an elm tree located within Hagley Wood in 1943. With report from the police officer undertaking a review of the case and list of contents at the front of the file. The photocopies seem to be of the original case documents in parcels 1-3 of this deposit. The review was commissioned by Detective Chief Superintendent T Albut and undertaken by Detective Chief Inspector I Nicholls in 2005. Following the review the case was officially closed on 28 July 2005. Labelled 1 Bella Ring Binder 1 Contents by Digitised Image Finding No: Summary of Review – 010_18_BA14908_4_001 - 010_18_BA14908_4_007 Case Review Document List - 010_18_BA14908_4_008 - 010_18_BA14908_4_016 Case Review Documents 1 – 60 - 010_18_BA14908_4_017 - 010_18_BA14908_4_124 Case Review Documents 61 – 80 - 010_18_BA14908_4_125 - 010_18_BA14908_4_155 Case Review Documents 81 – 112 - 010_18_BA14908_4_156 - 010_18_BA14908_4_214 Case Review Documents 113 – 137 - 010_18_BA14908_4_215 - 010_18_BA14908_4_273 Case Review Documents 138 – 198 – 010_18_ BA14908_4_274 - 010_18_BA14908_4_391 Case Review Documents 199 – 208 – 010_18_ BA14908_4_392 - 010_18_BA14908_4_488 Case Review Documents 209 – 215 - 010_18_ BA14908_4_489 - 010_18_BA14908_4_546 2005 CASE REVIEW CONTENTS LIST WHICH CAN BE FOUND IN RING BINDER 1: Doc Ref Section Content & Subject Action/s 1 Misc Pages missing refers to Midlands Regional conference and input from Forensic Pathologist Research to establish if originals on file 2 Misc Circulation doc Nil 3 Misc Proforma doc uncompleted Nil 4 Misc FSL doc of Prof. Webster re skeleton and presumptions surrounding this. Possible description proffered Consider reinterpretation by current pathologist 5 Misc FSL doc re associated clothing by Staff Biologist Lund Interpretation of summer wear at time of death 6 Misc Circulation doc Wakefield Police requesting checks Nil 7 Misc Blank Proformadoc Nil 8 Misc Police Report 84 29.4.43 Nil 9 Misc Police Report 85 20.4.43 with entry relating to event Nil 10 Misc Police Report Number 87 containing details of ring from scene Nil 11 Misc Police Report 87 4.5.43 containing details of bones and teeth at scene Nil 12 Misc Police report 92 11.5.43 containing teeth details Nil 13 Misc Police Report 96 17.5 43 Nil 14 Misc Report re stolen handbag Nil 15 Misc Report re handbag found xr 14 Nil 16 Misc Report re visiting shoe shops Nil 17 Misc Report re identification of shoe makers Leics Nil But id follow up enquiries 18 Misc Message form with update re above Nil 19 Misc Report re identification of shoes Lancs Nil 20 Misc Update re id of shoes Nil 21 Misc Page 2 of a document re QUEEN Identify first page of doc 22 Misc Report re identification of shoes Nil 23 Misc Nine pages of handwritten notes with Ref nos dates and serial numbers What is this about? 24 Misc Report re writing on wall at Oldbury outlining an address in Hasbury Research circumstances and relationship 25 Misc Update re several items of writing on walls, visits to various locations in Hasbury area and circulations Review this doc again 26 Misc Newspaper cutting Nil 27 Misc Update re locations of chalking Nil 28 Misc Report from Wolves Police rewriting on wall possibly written 1st August 1944 Result of enquiries? 29 Misc Statement of S.A. Ray re above Nil 30 Misc Report re person living in Hagley Road, Hasbury referred to in chalk markings 31 Misc Message Form re chalkings Nil 32 Misc Reproduction of chalkings Nil 33 Misc Reproduction of chalkings Nil 34 Misc Message form re chalkings Nil 35 Misc Report re chalkings Mucklow Hill Nil 36 Misc Ditto Nil 37 Misc Report re Harry Truman Who is Truman 38 Misc Report re Bengeworth Elm Nil 39 Misc Report re John JONES Reservoir Road B'Ham Who is Jones relevence 40 Misc Report re Chalkings Mucklow Hill Nil 41 Misc Report from FSS re handwriting Nil 42 Misc Message form re Chalkings Mucklow Hill Nil 43 Misc Report re chalkings Old Hill Nil 44 Misc Statement ROWLEY re Old Hill chalkings Nil 45 Misc Ditto COX Nil 46 Misc Report re forensic retrieval Pershore St. Bham chalkings 47 Misc List of Customers attending shop in locality of chalkings 48 Misc Report re investigations re chalkings at Old Hill and Birmingham 49 Misc Message form re chalkings Oldhill Nil 50 Misc Samples of handwriting JONES 51 Misc Ditto COFFEY 52 Misc Report re chalkings in markets area B'ham 53 Misc Message re chalkings B'ham Markets Nil 54 Misc Misc docs Nil 55 Misc Misc Docs Nil 56 Misc Message re chalkings B'ham Markets Nil 57 Misc Ditto Nil 58 Misc Report re report of chalkings WHITE Nil 59 Misc Handbook Armchair Science 60 Misc Extract from above 61 Poss Victim light blue Letter from W.P. WILSON relevance unknown 62 Tel Mess re Frick and Frack 63 Tel Mess re background to Frick and Frack 64 Tel Mess re Coventry Theatre and William MARTIN 65 Tel Mess re enquiry at Standard Motor Works 66 Tel Mess re enqs for Dutchman 67 Tel Mess with details of Van RAALT 68 Tel Message Nil 69 Report re background of Laura Frances Ryllis van RAALTE 70 Application for a guide book of Malvern area from Laura van RAALTE 71 Report from Notts Constab and anonymous letter appertaining to van RAALTE 72 Report re activities of van RAALT in Malvern Nil 73 Poss Victim Red Letter re Julian Michael GOSSOP @ ABELL KELLY 74 Misc Corres Nil 75 Tel message re JM GOSSOP 76 Tel Mess re Bill WILSON 77 Notes of interview Una HAINSWORTH @ MOSSOP 78 Statement MOSSOP @ HAINSWORTH 79 Synopsis of info gained by Coventry WILSON, HAINSWORTH MOSSOP 80 Interview William Phillip WILSON 81 Poss Victim Green folder Statement Jack LAVIN re wife Mary Ann LAVIN @ Dowling his working on B'ham Worcs Road, and Dinah Curley@OGrady 82 Doc re LARIN/LAVIN wanted in MPA 83 Doc re interview with LAVIN 84 Tel Mess re interview LAVIN Nil 85 File note re int Lavin Nil 86 File note re int Lavin Nil 87 File note re attendance to interview Lanvin Nil 88 File note re Lanvin and Northants Nil 89 Report re identity status re John LAVIN, Jack LAVIN, and Michael LAVIN 90 Enq re LAVIN Nil 91 Report from MPS re ID Cards and LAVIN 92 Internal Docs re LAVIN and Burnside 93 Docs re LAVIN and work 94 Doc from Leeds re ID LAVIN Nil 95 Doc re warrant Nil 96 Doc re Location of Lavin Nil 97 Doc re Leeds enq Nil 98 Doc Dumfries re Enq Nil 99 Doc re Leeds enq Nil 100 Doc re enqs by Mrs. M LAVIN about Dinah CURLEY 101 N’hants doc re movements of LAVIN 102 Report Stockport re Mary LAVIN and enqs to trace Dinah CURLEY 103 Report re M LAVIN Nil 104 Misc docs re M LAVIN Nil 105 Misc docs re M LAVIN Nil 106 Misc docs re LAVINS Nil 107 Enqs at RIPON re M. LAVIN 108 Enqs Haverford West re M LAVIN Nil 109 Mics process doc Nil 110 Enqs re M. LAVIN Nil 111 Enq re Lynch family ass of M LAVIN Nil 112 Letter to Manchester Police with list of persons 113 Possible suspect yellow Criminal Record re MOSSOP 114 Empire News letter Nil 115 Misc Letters Nil 116 Misc doc Nil 117 Misc doc Nil 118 Representation of clothing 119 PDF Julian MOSSOP 120 Ditto Pink Report of enquiries into Bella LAWLEY @ Kendrick @ Shenmwell 121 Report re enqs to trace Bella 122 Update re enqs to trace Bella 123 Misc corres from Ipswich Nil 124 Report re enqs Isabel Eleanor BEECH Safe and well 125 Misc Doc re Police Gazette Nil 126 Report re Thomas Truman and Violet GOODE Bella BEECH Both resolved 127 Report from Ipswich re search for Bella BEECH Nil 128 Misc Corres Nil 129 Report re Ipswich re BEECH family and background information 130 Report initiating enquiries appertaining to Truman and GOODE Nil 131 Misc corres MPS Nil 132 Report MPS re Bella LUER and enqs by Mr IJ LEVANE to find her location 133 Report MPS re RICHARDSON and Bella LUER 134 Statement Dora HARRIS re LUER 135 Statement Alfred RICHARDSON re LUER 135 Report re Bella TONKS and attempts to trace 136 Letter from CAMM reBella TONKS 137 Typed copy of above 138 Sky Blue Letter Nat Reg Office re FORREST family, Swaley FORREST, Tom, Hamilton, Annie, Henry & Samson HIBBS, Bridget HIBBS 139 Report re identifying location of Annie FORREST 140 Staffs Report re Interview of Annie FORREST 141 Update of enqs Swaley FORREST 142 Misc docs Nil 143 Report re background to the FORRESTs residence at Spout Farm prior to murder 144 Report initiating actions in respect of FORRESTS 145 Red folder Report re efforts to locate Mary LEE @WENMAN Nil 146 Letter from Rev HARPER re Mary LEE Nil 147 Doc re LEE family in Sunday Express Nil 148 Docs re efforts to trace LEE family Nil 149 Report re LEE family in Evesham area and statements about girl called LEE 150 Report re GURNEY (ass of Miss LEE) and Mary WENMAN 151 INDISCERNABLE 152 Report re Freddie WENMAN @ BOTTON and Ome LEE 153 Hampshire doc re women named WENMAN 154 Report re enqs and relationship WENMAN and BEAVERS 155 Report re enqs Gloucs re WENMAN family 156 Result of info WENMAN family 157 Report Hants re enqs BEAVER and LEE negative Nil 158 Report re enqs re BEAVER @ WENMAN LEE 159 Report Reading re enqs and possible links twixt MELLIS & BULL & WENMAN & Edith BULL @ WENMAN @ LEE 160 Report re Henry BEAVER and Ma WENMAN LEE 161 Report re efforts to locate WENMAN @ LEE at Kempsey Nil 162 Report re interview of Ernest NUNN 163 Statement re above 164 Report re efforts to locate WENMAN @@ at Evesham 165 Misc docs Nil 166 Reports re enqs Bromyard Nil 167 Misc doc Nil 168 Report re links twixt WENHAM and James BULL 169 Misc doc Nil 170 Circulation doc re LEE Nil 171 Misc doc re Lennie SMITH dec Nil 172 Report re enqs Daniel SMITH Nil 173 Misc Docs Nil 174 Report Berkshire Constab Nil 175 Report update re WENMAN /BEAVER Nil 176 Corres misc Nil 177 Report outlining the background to the LEE @WENMAN enqs and factor female not missing Nil 178 Two statements FLETCHER re above doc Nil 179 Statement HAYWOOD re letters and LEE @ @ Nil 180 Misc update doc Nil 181 Statement Nalie SMITH re id of LEE @WENMAN @@@ Nil 182 Statement James Harriman HANDLEY re FLETCHER AND LEE @@@ 183 Re I from FSS re writing of letters Nil 184 Misc report Nil 185 Statement Norman Walter TAYLOR re assos of FLETCHER And LEE @@@ Nil 186 Report re enqs to trace LEE Nil 187 Misc doc Nil 188 Misc DOC inc GABB and Smith re postcard Nil 189 Report with background to SMITH and deceased wife Nil 190 Re ort with Misc u date Nil 191 Report with assumption initiating enqs to trace LEE@@@ Nil 192 Copies of letters sent by HEYWOOD seeking to id location of LEE Nil 193 Receipt from FSS Nil 194 Doc outlining addresses for HAYWOOD and FLETCHER Nil 195 Report identifying potential link in letters re LEE Nil 196 Misc doc Nil 197 Copy of 191 plus CC comments Nil 198 Reply to letter of HAYWOOD and associated docs Nil 199 Storage envelopes Green Letter re premonition Nil 200 Ramblings of J. G. Bowers in letter Nil 201 The thoughts of Zita BOYDEN Absolutely none 202 Letter Greta BRADLEY Nil 203 Letters of Victor CRUMPTON Nil 204 Letters re Edgington Nil 205 Letters re Billy GIBSON Review possibility and the location of person 206 Misc docs without author or back round Nil 207 Ramblings of Mr Elwell" as forwarded by Birmingham Gazette Nil 208 Letters from Anna intimating that victim was an illegal Dutch national Nil 209 Reports yellow Documents appertaining to John Jones poss suspect Nil 210 Docs Re Kenneth Francis PATTEN Pat GRAHAM Nil 211 Docs re assumptions of William Edward SHEARWOOD and gypsies at Nimmings Wood 212 Docs re search of Worcestershire for gypsy family SMITH, following finding of clothes Nil 213 Docs from John SWINDEN having seen persons going into wood. Nil 214 Docs re anonymous letter Mr. WOOD Nil 215 Diagrams of clothing recovered from the scene Nil
Date	[2005]
Physical Description	paper in lever arch file - good

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