William Bouldrey, 41, had a good reputation both as a soldier and in his subsequent job as a machinist. But he was an appalling husband.

He had recently split from his wife, who was recovering from a miscarriage, and on OCTOBER 12th, 1908, he went to her rented room at Saltwood, Kent. Shortly afterwards her landlord heard them quarrelling, and when he went to Mrs. Bouldrey’s room to intercede Bouldrey threw him out, slammed the door, and attacked his wife, who was holding their baby.

The landlord returned, only to be repulsed again as Bouldrey continued his assault on his wife, which concluded with his cutting her throat.

Convicting Bouldrey of his wife’s murder, the jury at his trial recommended mercy on the ground that he had been in a frenzy. But the judge took the view that Bouldrey’s attack had been too determined and persistent to merit clemency.

It subsequently transpired that Bouldrey was believed to have caused his wife’s miscarriage by kicking her in the back, and he was hanged at Maidstone Prison on December 8th, 1908.