By evening time, at the end of the days trading, Robert Venners tailors shop would have been expected to have taken about £7. Mr. Venner didnt have a till, and kept the takings in his pocket. But when he was attacked in his shop in New Cross Road, Deptford, at 6 p.m. on July 6th, 1934, all that was on him was a few coins.
No one saw the attack in the open shop, even people waiting outside at the bus stop.
Mr. Venner died in hospital, five days later on Wednesday, July 11th. The post-mortem suggested he had been heavily punched, and then repeatedly struck over the head with a blunt instrument.