Mad Bessy Woods !?

Two of the newspaper articles I have tracked down regarding the 1837 murder of John Brill in Youngwood (now part of Mad Bess Wood), and the 1845 magistrate's hearing of his alleged murderer, poacher Charles Lamb, call Mad Bess Wood; "Mad Bessy" wood.

As Ruislip historian Elien Bowlt has documented, in the 18th century, the wood today called Mad Bess, consisted of several woods, North Riding, Mad Bess, Youngwood, Standell's Wood and Censor's Wood, and it is only in recent years, Mad Bess has become the predominant name.

The first article, which can be read in full here, is from 1837, and the name "Mad Bessy" appears, when the journalist quotes Charles Churchill, the owner of Young Wood farm and the employer of the John Brill, whilst he was under oath at the Magistrate's court.

Bell's Life in London, and Sporting Chronicle, February 26, 1937, p.5 

The second appearance of the name "Mad Bessy" wood, appears in a different newspaper, eight years later.  The article can be read in full here. 

Lloyds' Weekly London Newspaper, January 12, 1845, page 2

Growth of London Map

Off topic for this blog, but I thought this was well worth posting as there doesn't seem to be many online.

A map which shows how London has expanded over the centuries

Here for enlarged version

The source for this map is 2008 edition of The London Encyclopaedia, I've simply stolen their map and coloured it in for easier viewing, but the original of their map, captured from the Kindle edition of the book available on Amazon, is viewable here.

Hibbert, Christopher. Weinreb, Ben. Keay, John. Keay, The London Encyclopaedia. London: Pan Macmillan. 2008. pp.vi-vii.

February 1837: Murder in Mad Bess Wood

On Thursday, February 16th, 1837, fifteen-year-old farm-labourer John Brill, was killed by a head injury in Young Wood, which is now part of Mad Bess Wood.

John Brill had given evidence against three poachers; James Bray, Thomas Lavender and Charles Lamb, only a short while before he was killed. At both the Inquest and the Magistrate’s trial, threats of vengeance had been made by the poachers.

Brill’s body was found during a huge search by Ruislip villagers the following Sunday, the person who found the body was James Lavender, the father of one of the poachers. In the early hours of Monday, warrants were issued for the arrest of all three of poachers, who were soon apprehended, and appeared at the Magistrate court (in the yard of the King’s Arms, Harefield) at 3.00pm.

Further inquires followed, but to cut a long story short, due to lack of evidence, all three poachers were eventually released due to the lack of evidence. One of the poachers, James Bray, even suggested that they be allowed to view the body, as myth held that a body of a murdered victim would run with blood if his killer was close. This request was permitted, but of course, no blood ran from the boy’s body.

In 1845, eight years after the murder, twenty-five-year-old poacher George Sibley from Harefield, who was then a prisoner in Coldbath Fields Prison (Clerkenwell, London), confessed that his fellow prisoner Charles Lamb had admitted to him that he had murdered John Brill. Although Sibley and Lamb were both prisoners at Coldbath, they had known each other for approximately 12 months, and before they were both sent to Coldbath. Sibley claimed the he and Lamb use to go poaching together, and that whilst they were travelling from Rickmansworth to Harefield one day, Lamb had confided to him that he was the murderer of John Brill. Sibley also claimed Lamb had threatened to kill him if Sibley told anyone of this.

In late January or early February, Charles Lamb stood trial for the murder of John Brill, but the jury found him not guilty.

Below are newspaper articles I have found about the murder, and the later trials of suspects.

Gardener Gazette, March 11, 1837, page 6.

The Courier (London), February 24, 1837, page 4

The Gardeners' Gazette, February 25, 1837, page 12

In the article below, Mad Bess Wood is referred to as "Mad Bessy", whilst quoting the farmer who employed 
the boy who was killed, and who owned Young Wood, which was immediately next to Mad Bess Wood.

Bell's Life in London, and Sporting Chronicle, February 26, 1937, page 5.

The Weekly Chronicle, February 26, 1837, page 1

Following are articles about the discovery of the murderer in 1845

The Atlas, January 11, 1845, page 4.

The Weekly Chronicle (London), January 11, 1845, page 3

In the article below, Mad Bess Wood is called "Mad Bessy" 

Lloyds' Weekly London Newspaper, January 12, 1845, page 2

The Weekly Chronicle, January 26, 1845, page 6.

The Atlas, February 8, 1845, page 8.

The Churchman's Newspaper, February 11, 1845, page 4.

March 1805: Fox Hunt in Mad Bess Wood

On Saturday, March 9th, 1805, the famous Berkeley Hunt began in Mad Bess Wood. The hunt finished well, for the fox, he escaped after what seems like an immense chase, but not so well for a "very favourite and valuable horse", which was killed.

The magazine article below which mentions this fox hunt in "Ryslip", I've been informed by one of, if not the leading historian of Ruislip, is a contender for the earliest appearance of the name Mad Bess Wood.

The Sporting Magazine Or Monthly Calendar of the Transactions of the Turf, the Chase, and
every other Diversion interesting to the Man of Pleasure, Enterprise and Spirit. March 1805.

January 1912: Mad Bess Oaks for Sale

In January 1912, 3,600 feet of Oak from Mad Bess Wood was auctioned, after an auction for 11,000 feet of timber from the Breakspeare Estate.

Sorry, the scanned copy available online isn’t very good, an enlarged version can be viewed here, but that doesn’t really make the text any more legible. A copy of the magazine (see below) in which the advert appears, is available at The British Library Newspaper Collection in Collindale, North London.

The Timber Trades Journal and Sawmill Advertiser, January 20, 1912.