Elizabeth McLindon was a 41-year-old high-class prostitute, and in the early summer of 1946 her lover Arthur Robert Boyce forged a number of references for her, enabling her to obtain the position of housekeeper at 45 Chester Square, Belgravia, which had been rented by the king of Greece. She moved in while the house was being redecorated, and Boyce visited her from time to time.

He was 45, had been a regular soldier, and had rejoined the army in 1939. After his discharge he became a housepainter in Brighton, telling workmates he was going to marry Elizabeth. But he already had a wife.

Elizabeth did not love him, she had told a friend with whom the couple stayed for a time, but she was afraid to leave him because he had made threats to shoot her if she did.

During the first week in June he visited her more frequently, buying gifts for her with worthless cheques, and on June 7th, on Elizabeth’s instructions, he was given a key to the house. After June 8th she was not seen until six days later when police entered the house, wishing to interview her because they had been tipped off that Boyce was contemplating bigamy.

They found her body slumped in a chair in the king’s library. She had been shot in the back of the head. Her wound could not have been self-inflicted, and the bullet was believed to have been fired from a .32 pistol which Boyce was known to have possessed.

Questioned by detectives, he denied ever having such a gun and mentioned two other men friends of Elizabeth, suggesting that the police should look for them.

He was charged with murder, and at his Old Bailey trial in September he changed his story. Pleading not guilty, he admitted possessing the pistol, but said he had given it to Elizabeth for her protection when she was alone in the house. He had not had the key to the house for more than five minutes, he claimed, and he had last had contact with Elizabeth when he telephoned her at 7.45 p.m. on June 8th. She was then quite all right.

The jury didn’t believe him, and their verdict of guilty was upheld by the Court of Criminal Appeal.

Boyce had nine previous convictions – seven for breaking and entering, one for leaving his wife unsupported, and one for bigamy. His final crime, the Home Secretary noted, was aggravated by his effort to put the blame on innocent people, and there were no grounds for a reprieve.

So on NOVEMBER 1st, 1946, Boyce went to Pentonville’s gallows, where he was hanged by Albert Pierrepoint and Henry Critchel.