Lily Sentance and her brother - Sheffield 1956

This was all that appeared on a local forum 

"In the early 50's I think it was . There was an old lady ( Mrs. Sentance ) on Wallace Road on the Springs who was murdered by her brother . He stole £20 off her and battered her to death . He gave himself up at Salford police station . He had 1s.3d. in his pocket."

Rather intrigued by the circumstances surrounding the death of Mrs Sentencey, I looked at the newspaper archives for the period and uncovered what actually happened to her.

The first report appeared in the The Manchester Guardian dated 1st January 1957

The Sheffield Star dated 4th January 1957 contained the following report

Sheffield Telegraph published the same day added some additional information

The Manchester Guardian dated 5th January 1957 also reported

But by far the most detailed account appeared in the Sheffield Star dated 4th January 1957. Its headline was 

and then it began recounting the events surrounding the death of Lily Sentance and the arrest of her brother Harry Barker for her murder.  

What made it even more tragic was that Lily had lived in 152 Wallace Road for many years - there are records that show that she and her husband Arthur were living there in 1925 and quite possibly before. Her husband Arthur who she married in 1912 died there in 1949 after 37 years of marriage. And it was her brother Harry who put an end to her life with what only can be described as a ferocious attack with a hatchet. As one report stated she was almost unrecognisable as a result of the injuries that she had received to the head.

On Friday 19th April 1967 a report appeared in the Express Herald. Under the title "Execution Date is fixed" It stated that

"The execution of Harry Barker who at Sheffield Assizes on March 8th was sentenced to death for the murder of his 70 years-old sister, has been fixed for Thursday April 25th at Leeds Prison

Barker a labourer lived in Wallace Road Sheffield. He said in evidence at his trial that he killed hs sister Lily Sentance after she had threatened him with a hammer. 

Barker's appeal against his conviction was dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal on April 8th"

Wallace Road still exists but all the housing in this close-knit community was demolished years ago.

Wallace Road looking towards Pickering Road Parkwood Springs circa 1965

The area is now just waste-ground and non-descript industrial units - photograph taken 29th June 2009 

Notes

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Mar 1912 Barker Lily Sentance Sheffield Volume 9c Page 609 Sentance Arthur E Barker

1925 Directory - 152 SENTENCE ARTH. ERNEST, DRAYMN

1939 National Register - Lily and Arthur E Barker

1948 Directory - 152 SENTENCE ARTHUR ERNEST DRAYMAN


Deaths Sep 1949 Sentance Arthur E 68 Sheffield Volume 2d page 95

SENTANCE, Arthur (Labourer, age 68). Died at 152 Wallace Rd; Buried on July 25, 1949 in General ground; Grave Number 59, Section M2 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.  Remarks:Officiating Minister, E Moses: Removed from Sheffield Parish.

SENTENCE, Lily (~, age 70). Died at 152 Wallace Rd; Buried on January 7, 1957 in General ground; Grave Number 59, Section M2 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Remarks: Removed from Sheffield Parish.

Sources

The Manchester Guardian dated 1st January 1957 and 5th January 1957

The Sheffield Star dated 4th January 1957

The Sheffield Telegraph dated 4th January 1957

Express Herald dated Friday 19th April 1967 

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