You have no doubt already clicked on the ‘Everton‘ tab on the home page, as it explains my own personal role within the cemetery. This page relates to one of my favourite grave stories for the cemetery.

The grave of ‘George’ Walker

On Section CE11 / plot 415 of Everton Cemetery, lies the low grave of Hugh ‘George’ Walker and his wife Francis Lee Walker. Also buried in the plot is their eldest son, William Hugh, who died at the age of 13 years… However, it is George’s story that I tell here…

One of the most colourful and interesting grave stories (amongst many), here at Everton Cemetery, is that of Hugh ‘George‘ Walker… his grave and headstone occupy a plot in Section CH11 of the cemetery, a stones throw from the now demolished CoE Mortuary Chapel, which once stood on the roundabout in that part of the cemetery.

Mr Hugh ‘George Walker

For ‘George’ (as he took his middle name) was the victim of one of Liverpool’s most infamous murders, and subsequently when his murderer was eventually captured, was ‘dropped’ at Walton Goal, by Albert Pierrpoint, Britain’s No.1 Hangman (on the Home Office List).

The West Derby Cottage Homes

George worked for many years, as a ‘master’ tailor, at the West Derby Union Cottage Homes, on Longmoor Lane/Fazakerley, not far from the Cemetery. However, in his early 60’s, George retired, from the Cottage Homes, and both he and his wife, Frances’ had bought the house & shop, at 98 Warbreck Moor. The house was originally built as a pub, but no licence was ever granted on it. So Frances ran dance classes, in one part of the house, whilst George, converted the hall and adjoining room into his antiques business. The antique shop, was really by all accounts, a second-hand dealers, with a junk yard to the rear, serving the customers of the area, and this was to give this murder, the name… “The Old Curiosity Shop Killing” which is now enshrined in Liverpool’s rich history.

98 Warbreck Moor… ‘The Old Curiosity Shop‘

It was a cold crisp winters morning, when George’s body was found laying on the shop floor. Georges wife Francis had died some 7 years previously, and was the second burial to enter the plot here at the cemetery, and as such George, now managed, and ran the shop alone…

When George’s body was discovered, his face was unrecognisable, his skull had been shattered, by over 30 blows, from a short handled axe, which George had kept to cut coal, for his fire. The axe had been found by Police Detectives, when searching one of the upstairs rooms, and had been hidden in an attempt to conceal the murder weapon.

George was known to employ a man, on Mondays & Fridays, to mend clocks, which George had bought from house contents sale and customers at the shop, and the police were keen to trace this man, to exclude him from their inquiries. So they released a statement asking people to be on the lookout for a man of around 30-35 years of age, about 5feet 8-9inches in height, of thin build with a distinctive wart on the side of his left eye, and a pointed nose.

The recently painted bike

George had, at the back of the shop, what can only be described as a scrap yard, and when police searched it, they found a recently painted green, lady’s Phillips bicycle, and it was originally thought that this could well have been used by the murderer. So people in the area had been asked if they recognised it from photographs, to come forward… subsequently, a lady from the Bootle area of the city, upon seeing the bicycle in a Liverpool Echo report, did identify it as her own, stating that it had been stolen some days previously. In a later edition of the Echo, the police apprehended a 23 year old man, who had stolen the bicycle, and he was remanded in custody until his court date.

George’s 2 dogs

George owned 2 terrier type dogs, and it was their continuous barking, for approximately 48 hours, which aroused the concerns of the neighbours, and which eventually led to the finding of George’s body in the hall-way of the shop/house. George had 2 sons in the medical profession (both doctors), and one who lived locally, was called to identify the body. George’s sister Mary (from Tuebrook), who called at the house regularly, visited soon after the discovery of George’s body, and led police to where George hid his most valuable pieces of gold and silver items, including bank notes… all were in place. However, George’s prized silver pocket watch and chain were missing from his body… this was to become a serious part of evidence when his killer was eventually caught and tried.

By the end of the first week, it was now clear to the police, who had a team of 100 officers working on the case, calling door-door in the local area, that the murderer, was indeed the watch & clock repairer, who worked for George in the shop, and as such, the investigation focused on him… with the police asking people… ” Has anyone offered to fix, your radio transmitters, watches or clocks recently?”

Police searching the rear of the shop

A police detective, who was instrumental in the case… Detective-Sargent EM Richardson, who was an important detective linked to the Cameo and Cranborne Road, murders, was reported to have broken his right hand, wrist and lower arm, scrambling over the ‘Junk’ in George’s back yard… which he later received a cast from Walton Hospital… but continued this hunt for the Murderer of George.

It was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 20th January, that a local man, John Lawrence Todd from Roxburgh Street L4 (where he lived with his mother and 2 sisters), had been apprehended, in possession of the pocket watch and chain, noted to have been in the personal possession of George at the time of his killing, which he wore constantly, and was individually inscribed. Todd appeared in front of the Liverpool Stipendiary Magistrate on a charge of the murder of Hugh George Walker, on or about the 14th January 1953.

In the February-April, of 1953 John Lawence Todd, went on trial for his life, in a packed Liverpool court room, where he entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ to the charge against him. A full account of the trail, can be found in the Liverpool Echo, dated Feb 18th (page 7) & April 9th (page 7). Todd, after lengthy legal arguments, was subsequently found GUILTY on 9th April 1953, for the murder of George, and was sentenced to be hanged.

Despite last moment applications to the then current Home Secretary to commute Todd’s sentence to a lesser sentence of life imprisonment on the grounds of Todd’s ill-health, this was not to be granted, and John Lawrence Todd, went to the gallows at Walton Gaol at 9:00.am. on Tuesday, 19th May 1953 (as reported in the Liverpool Echo of the day (page 6))… and is buried in an unmarked plot, in the confines of the prison grounds.

Georges Burial

St.Peters Church – Warbreck Moor (now demolished)