Show description

Weale set off for Winchester straight away, taking with him the basket, apron and cambric handkerchiefs. On his arrival, he began to question the retailers and makers of rush baskets in the area and quickly found Mr Harper, who recognised the basket as one that he had made and sold in his shop on 4 July. Unfortunately for Weale, Mr Harper could not recall to whom he had sold the basket. The officer then made enquiries to try and establish if anyone in the parish had given birth to a baby in the last few days and was informed that a young woman named Jane Sturgess, who lived with her mother in a cottage adjoining Winchester Cathedral, had given birth to an illegitimate baby on 4 July.

On 23 October 1818, landlady Louisa Jennings was invited to supper with the Huntingford’s. m. and went to her bedroom. Soon afterwards she heard Thomas and Sarah going up the stairs to their bedroom, calling out ‘Good night, neighbour’ as they went. Soon the house was peaceful as all four occupants slept. Sadly, the peace didn’t last for long. , Samuel Beatley was rudely awakened by the sound of somebody clumping noisily downstairs and leaving the house. Beatley went to his bedroom window to investigate and saw Sarah Huntingford pacing nervously backwards and forwards in the yard.

First she removed several sheets of paper from the top of the basket, which were interspersed with pages torn from a prayer book. As soon as she disturbed the papers, the basket began to give off the most terrible smell. Beneath the papers she found a layer of rose leaves, a small parcel of musk, and some other perfumes. Once these had been removed, all that remained in the basket was a bundle made from two cambric handkerchiefs that had been roughly stitched together on all four sides. Curiously Mrs Massell unpicked a little of the stitching and saw that the contents of the cambric bag were further wrapped in what looked like an old apron.