Editing Elstree (section)

== Murders ==
[[File:Elstree Parish Church Burial of William Weare.jpg|thumb|The burial of William Weare at the parish church in Elstree.]]

=== Martha Ray murder ===
[[File:Elstree murder 1882.jpg|thumb|The Elstree Murder of Eliza Ebborn on 17 August 1882 by George Stratton, as illustrated in ''The Illustrated Police News'' Saturday, 11 November 1882]]
In 1779, [[Martha Ray]] (c. 1742–1779), singer and mistress of [[John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich]], was buried in the parish church (illustrated, right) after she had been shot dead by the Rev. [[James Hackman]], [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|Rector]] of [[Wiveton]] in Norfolk.<ref>Authoress of Red Rose, The twelve churches; or, tracings along the Watling street, Publ. Rivingtons, London 1860, 56 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=xJ8_AAAAYAAJ&dq=elstree&pg=PA39 page 39])</ref>

=== The Elstree murder of William Weare ===
In 1823 Elstree became notorious for the [[Radlett murder|Elstree murder]] of William Weare, killed in Radlett and the body disposed of in a pond in Elstree by [[John Thurtell]].<ref>John Thurtell, ''A full account of the atrocious murder of the late Mr. W. Weare: containing the examinations before the magistrates, the proceedings of the coroner's inquest, with the whole of the evidence; the confessions of Hunt, and the statements of the other prisoners, verbatim'', publ. Sherwood, Jones and Co., 1823, 56 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=qgo_AAAAYAAJ&dq=elstree&pg=PR1 full text] at Google Books)</ref> The incident was recalled by [[Charles Dickens]] in his ''Weekly Journal''.<ref>Charles Dickens, ''All the year round, Volumes 15–16'', "Dec 8, 1866", Publisher Charles Dickens, 1866 ([https://books.google.com/books?id=TnQHAQAAIAAJ&dq=elstree&pg=RA1-PA521 page 521])</ref> An inquest of the deceased was held on 31 October by county coroner Benjamin Rooke at the local Artichoke public house.<ref>John Thurtell, ''A full account of the atrocious murder of the late Mr. W. Weare: containing the examinations before the magistrates, the proceedings of the coroner's inquest, with the whole of the evidence; the confessions of Hunt, and the statements of the other prisoners, verbatim'', Published by Sherwood, Jones, and Co., 1823. 56 pages ([https://books.google.com/books?id=qgo_AAAAYAAJ&q=artichoke&pg=PA13 page 13])</ref> He was likewise buried (funeral depicted) at the Parish Church.

=== The Elstree murder of Eliza Ebborn ===
On 17 August 1882, Eliza Ebborn of [[Watford]] was murdered by 24-year-old [[shoemaker]] George Stratton, who was subsequently sentenced to death.<ref>''The Illustrated Police News'', Saturday, 11 November 1882; Issue 978.</ref><ref>"Alleged Murder at Elstree", ''The Times'', Tuesday, 22 August 1882; pg. 8; Issue 30592; col E</ref> She was buried at Elstree Parish Church.<ref>"Elstree Parish Records Hertfordshire", The National Archives, website. Retrieved 10 October 2011 ([http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=046-dp36&cid=-1#-1 ref])</ref>