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Murder of Fanny Adams
Fanny Adams (30 April 1859 – 24 August 1867) was an eight-year-old English girl who was murdered by Frederick Baker, a solicitor's clerk, in Alton, Hampshire, in 1867. Her murder was extraordinarily brutal and caused a national outcry in the United Kingdom. Baker abducted Adams and took her into a hop garden near her home, where he killed and dismembered her; some parts of her body were never found. An investigation suggested that two small knives were used for the murder, but it was later ruled they would have been insufficient to carry out the crime and that another weapon must have been used. Baker was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.
Fanny Adams (born 30 April 1859) and her family lived in Tanhouse Lane on the northern side of Alton, a market town in Hampshire. The 1861 census shows that Fanny lived with her father and five siblings. The family was locally rooted; George Adams and his wife Ann, believed to be Fanny's grandparents, lived next door.
Fanny was described as a "tall, comely and intelligent girl". She appeared older than her actual age of eight and was known locally for her lively and cheerful disposition. Her best friend, Minnie Warner, was the same age and lived next door in Tanhouse Lane. Alton was renowned for its plentiful supply of hops, which led to many breweries opening in the town and made hop picking an integral part of its economy until the mid-20th century. To the northern end of Tanhouse Lane lies Flood Meadow and the surrounding River Wey, which sometimes flooded the area in times of heavy rain. A large hop garden was next to the meadow.
Alton had previously seen no serious crime during the 19th century. The afternoon of 24 August 1867 was reported as fine, sunny and hot. Around this time, Fanny, her sister Lizzie and best friend Minnie asked Harriet Adams, the sisters' mother, if she could go out to the nearby Flood Meadow. Having no objections and being pleased for the girls to leave her while she was getting on with housework, Harriet agreed. Fanny and the local children had often played in Flood Meadow, owing to its proximity to Tanhouse Lane and the fact that there had been little crime in Alton within living memory.
As the girls were walking towards Flood Meadow and into a hop garden, they met Frederick Baker, a 29-year-old solicitor's clerk. He wore a frock coat, light-coloured trousers and a tall hat. Baker had moved from his former home in Guildford to work and live in Alton about twelve months previously. He was employed by solicitor Mr. Clements, whose office was situated on Alton High Street, opposite the Swan Hotel, a hostelry which Baker frequented.[citation needed]
Baker gave Minnie and Lizzie three halfpennies to spend on sweets and Fanny another halfpenny. The girls had seen Baker before at church meetings and were thus unconcerned about taking money from him. Baker then watched the girls run up and down The Hollow (a lane leading to the nearby village of Shalden) as they played and ate the blackberries he had picked for them. An hour later, Lizzie and Minnie decided they had had enough and opted to go home. Baker then approached Fanny and asked her to accompany him to Shalden. Fanny refused, and it was then that Baker abducted her and carried her into the nearby hop garden.
Lizzie and Minnie ran back to Minnie's mother, Martha Warner, on Tanhouse Lane. She ignored their story, so the girls played together, oblivious of Fanny's abduction. It was not until 5 pm that they went home for dinner. Mrs. Gardner, who also lived on Tanhouse Lane, noticed Fanny's absence and asked the girls her whereabouts. The children relayed what had occurred earlier in the day and told Mrs. Gardner that Baker had taken Fanny away. Mrs. Gardner then relayed the information to Fanny's mother, Harriet, and the two women searched for her. They met with Baker after going only a short distance, near a gate separating the hop garden from Flood Meadow.
According to the Hampshire Chronicle, Mrs. Gardner asked Baker what he had done with the child. Baker assured her that he often gave money to children to buy sweets. Mrs. Gardner replied, "I have a great mind to give you in charge of the police," to which Baker told her she could do what she liked. Baker's position in town as the solicitor's clerk initially deflected any suspicions the two women had. Both returned to their homes, believing Fanny was still playing in one of the surrounding fields.
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Murder of Fanny Adams
Fanny Adams (30 April 1859 – 24 August 1867) was an eight-year-old English girl who was murdered by Frederick Baker, a solicitor's clerk, in Alton, Hampshire, in 1867. Her murder was extraordinarily brutal and caused a national outcry in the United Kingdom. Baker abducted Adams and took her into a hop garden near her home, where he killed and dismembered her; some parts of her body were never found. An investigation suggested that two small knives were used for the murder, but it was later ruled they would have been insufficient to carry out the crime and that another weapon must have been used. Baker was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging.
Fanny Adams (born 30 April 1859) and her family lived in Tanhouse Lane on the northern side of Alton, a market town in Hampshire. The 1861 census shows that Fanny lived with her father and five siblings. The family was locally rooted; George Adams and his wife Ann, believed to be Fanny's grandparents, lived next door.
Fanny was described as a "tall, comely and intelligent girl". She appeared older than her actual age of eight and was known locally for her lively and cheerful disposition. Her best friend, Minnie Warner, was the same age and lived next door in Tanhouse Lane. Alton was renowned for its plentiful supply of hops, which led to many breweries opening in the town and made hop picking an integral part of its economy until the mid-20th century. To the northern end of Tanhouse Lane lies Flood Meadow and the surrounding River Wey, which sometimes flooded the area in times of heavy rain. A large hop garden was next to the meadow.
Alton had previously seen no serious crime during the 19th century. The afternoon of 24 August 1867 was reported as fine, sunny and hot. Around this time, Fanny, her sister Lizzie and best friend Minnie asked Harriet Adams, the sisters' mother, if she could go out to the nearby Flood Meadow. Having no objections and being pleased for the girls to leave her while she was getting on with housework, Harriet agreed. Fanny and the local children had often played in Flood Meadow, owing to its proximity to Tanhouse Lane and the fact that there had been little crime in Alton within living memory.
As the girls were walking towards Flood Meadow and into a hop garden, they met Frederick Baker, a 29-year-old solicitor's clerk. He wore a frock coat, light-coloured trousers and a tall hat. Baker had moved from his former home in Guildford to work and live in Alton about twelve months previously. He was employed by solicitor Mr. Clements, whose office was situated on Alton High Street, opposite the Swan Hotel, a hostelry which Baker frequented.[citation needed]
Baker gave Minnie and Lizzie three halfpennies to spend on sweets and Fanny another halfpenny. The girls had seen Baker before at church meetings and were thus unconcerned about taking money from him. Baker then watched the girls run up and down The Hollow (a lane leading to the nearby village of Shalden) as they played and ate the blackberries he had picked for them. An hour later, Lizzie and Minnie decided they had had enough and opted to go home. Baker then approached Fanny and asked her to accompany him to Shalden. Fanny refused, and it was then that Baker abducted her and carried her into the nearby hop garden.
Lizzie and Minnie ran back to Minnie's mother, Martha Warner, on Tanhouse Lane. She ignored their story, so the girls played together, oblivious of Fanny's abduction. It was not until 5 pm that they went home for dinner. Mrs. Gardner, who also lived on Tanhouse Lane, noticed Fanny's absence and asked the girls her whereabouts. The children relayed what had occurred earlier in the day and told Mrs. Gardner that Baker had taken Fanny away. Mrs. Gardner then relayed the information to Fanny's mother, Harriet, and the two women searched for her. They met with Baker after going only a short distance, near a gate separating the hop garden from Flood Meadow.
According to the Hampshire Chronicle, Mrs. Gardner asked Baker what he had done with the child. Baker assured her that he often gave money to children to buy sweets. Mrs. Gardner replied, "I have a great mind to give you in charge of the police," to which Baker told her she could do what she liked. Baker's position in town as the solicitor's clerk initially deflected any suspicions the two women had. Both returned to their homes, believing Fanny was still playing in one of the surrounding fields.