The Leveson Street Murders - Bristol 

Image from: https://historic-liverpool.co.uk/old-maps-of-liverpool/plan-of-liverpool-south-sheet-1890/#5/69.272/-42.385. Approximately where Leveson St or now Grenville St would be.

In this first post we wander into the dark streets of Liverpool, more specifically on Number 20 Leveson Street. The date is the 28th of March 1849, a murder has been committed that has sent shockwaves throughout Liverpool. An expectant mother, her two children and her maid have been brutally attacked. Their names were Mrs Ann Hinrichson originally from Hull, the wife of Captain Hinrichson, who was the commander of a ship called the Duncan. (He was on his way from Calcutta when the incident occurred). Their two sons, Henry George aged 5 and John Alfred aged 3, and their maid Mary Parr who was thought to be around 23-24.

At the time, Mrs Hinrichson had wanted to procure a lodger to gain extra income, she had advertised by putting a card in her window. A man had enquired about leasing the property, who she deemed suitable. He gave his name as John Gleeson Wilson, a carpenter from the Dock Estate who earned 2 pounds and 10 shillings which is around £151.04 in today’s money. He is described as this in the Liverpool journal.

The man was of a rather striking appearance, 5ft 7ins tall and rather broad of build, and muscular, his hair brown, short at the back but hanging long and lank over the right side of his face. He was of fair complexion, his face presented several curious characteristics, his ears nearly on a line with his eyes, which were small and had a queer cast, set deeply in the head, cheek bones high, nose rather pointed, cheeks hollow, lips full and pouting, face tapering into a small chin, the tip of which was red, characteristics which cut the face into a mass of sharp angles.

However, unbeknownst to the Hinrichson’s Wilson had no intention of ever paying, as he had very little money in which to give his landlady, indeed he actually borrowed money from her.

On the day of the incident Mrs Hinrichson had gone out shopping, Wilson was left with the maid and the two children. Apparently being provoked by one of the children, Gleeson attempted to strike the child. However, he was thwarted by Mary Parr who tried to protect them. Suddenly, Gleeson attacked the maid knocking her unconscious, he beat Henry to death and then slit the throat of John. When Ann Hinrichson returned from her shopping, Wilson who was rummaging around the house beat her repeatedly.

After Wilson left the house, the alarm was raised by a delivery boy who had heard moaning coming from inside the house. By the time the police and the attending physician attended the scene, the two children Henry and John had succumbed to their injuries. Whereas Anne and Mary Parr were just clinging to life. Wilson was finally arrested after trying to pawn a gold watch belonging to Mrs Hinrichson. Mary Parr who had managed to retain consciousness was asked to identify the attacker. Mary Parr died from her injuries soon afterwards.

The killer of the Hinrichson’s and Mary Parr – Irishman Maurice Gleeson. https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/echo-murder-files-killings-shocked-8689552

John Gleeson Wilson whose real name was Maurice Gleeson had arrived in Liverpool from Limerick, Ireland. His family were well known to the authorities, his sister Honorah had been deported for 10 years. Gleeson himself had escaped from Ireland from a robbery that he had committed although it was never clearly proven. He had taken lodgings originally at 34 Sparling Street. It was owned by a widowed lady who was the daughter of a Mr Stewart, he proposed marriage to Miss Stewart which she accepted. However, he quickly became abusive towards her often beating her. On one particular occasion he threatened to kill her, she eventually found refuge with her father who bared Gleeson from ever seeing his daughter again.

Image from; https://www.historyextra.com/period/general-history/history-guide-executions-capital-punishment-hanging/

However, Glesson’s actions cost the lives of two innocent children their mother and their maid. He was finally charged at the Liverpool assizes on the 22nd of August 1849. He had shown no remorse for his actions and the jury took only 5 minutes to find him guilty. He was hanged at noon on the 15th of September 1849 outside of Kirkdale prison, it is estimated that 100,000 people attended the execution. According to the Liverpool journel, Gleeson was supported by two priests and was muttering the words “innocent, innocent”, “pity” and “Holy Mother”. In a moment of irony, the head executioner William Calcroft who was unwell that day, so the execution had to be performed by 70-year-old George Howard, who had to be assisted by the warden of the prison to put the noose around Gleeson’s neck. The execution was a botched job, the noose was too short leaving Gleeson to be slowly strangled his eyes popping out of his sockets and his face turning purple. Many near the gallows fainted at the spectacle, he did not stop struggling for 15 minutes.

The Hinrichson memorial. Image taken from: http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/levesonstmurder.html

As a result of this horrendous crime, Leveson Street managed to get its name changed to Grenville Street. The Hinrichson family were buried at St James’ cemetery in Liverpool which remains one of the most haunted sites in England.

Note: Thank you for reading this post. If you want to know more about the Leveson Street case, the Old Mersey Times which I got a lot of information from, they have compiled all newspaper clippings from the Liverpool journal which have much more detail than I have managed to condense here. I highly recommend you have a read.

Resources: 

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/levesonstmurder.html

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/echo-murder-files-killings-shocked-8689552