During my research for Vote for Murder, I came across the following extract in a letter from P Jones to his friend and cousin Major Jones in which he mentioned murderess Mary Emily Cage, my inspiration for the book. The letter entitled, The brutality and cruelty of the British people , describes several British murders during 1851 including two Suffolk murders & the …
Vote for Murder is set in two main locations; Stonham Aspal during 1851 and Christchurch Park, Ipswich in Edwardian times. Suffragette Louisa Russell, cousin of Millicent Fawcett, lives in Ivry Road on the outskirts of Christchurch Park. These two areas, together with Henley Road and Fonnereau Road, account for many settings within the book. Christchurch Park …
On 23rd March 1851, James Cage took his last breath, poisoned to death by his wife, Mary. The Press were quick to report on the murder and before long produced damning reports of Mary and her ‘depraved’ character, as evidenced in the extract from the 9 August 1851 Norfolk Chronicle, below: “It will be remembered …
In Vote for Murder, Louisa Russell witnesses the unedifying spectacle of Clara Delaney enduring force-feeding in Holloway prison. Though a work of fiction, this is based on numerous true accounts of the tortuous force-feeding of suffragettes who resorted to hunger strikes, willing to die for their cause. The Bath Hotel in Felixstowe was completely gutted on 29th April …
“Alfred said he was afraid of this but continued without preamble stating that Mary had been found guilty of murder by poison and would die within a week. There was nothing that could prevent her execution, so any renewal of our friendship would inevitably be of short and painful duration.” Extract from the diary of …
In the Spring of 1911, suffragist Louisa Russell finds an old diary in a box of artefacts, while attending a census evasion night at the Old Museum in Ipswich. The diary recounts the last days of Mary Emily Cage, executed for the murder of her husband six decades earlier. When Louisa’s next door neighbour, Charles …
Vote For Murder In the Spring of 1911, suffragist Louisa Russell finds an old diary in a box of artefacts, while attending a census evasion night at the Old Museum in Ipswich. The diary recounts the last days of Mary Emily Cage, executed for the murder of her husband six decades earlier. When Louisa’s next …
My other WordPress site has just been hacked; attacked by malicious software & closed down without warning yesterday, just like that. My web site host sent a blunt and somewhat complicated email last night; then relieved me of my monthly renewal fee this morning. I’m still smarting at the injustice of it. I use an …
Jacqueline Beard Writer 