The Tragedy of Nellie Nettleship - Totley Sheffield July 1935
The Birth, Marriages and Deaths Register has this entry
Births Dec 1904
HESSEY Nellie Ecclesall B.Volume 9c Page 470
Baptism Record - St Andrews Church Sharrow. Seffield
The 1911 Census has this entry for the Hessey family living at 18 Stalker Lees Road which is in the Sharrow District of Sheffield
Name: Nellie Hessey
Age in 1911: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1905
Relation to Head: Daughter
Gender: Female
Birth Place: Sheffield
Civil Parish: Ecclesall County/Island: Yorkshire-West Riding Country: England
Street Address: 18 Stalkers Lees Road Sheffield
Registration District Number: 509 Sub-registration District: Broomhall ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Piece: 27844
Household Members:
Name Age
John Arthur Hessey 46
Ellen Hessey 48
Alice Winifred Hessey 14
Mabel Hessey 12
John Arthur Hessey 8
Nellie Hessey 6
1921 Census
Name Nellie Hessey
Gender Female
Marital Status Single
Age 16 Years 8 Months
Relation to Head Daughter
Estimated Birth Year 1904
Birth Place Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Residence Street Address 18 Stalker Lees Rd, Sheffield
Residence Place Ecclesall, Yorkshire (West Riding), England
Occupation Draper's shop assistant Occupation Code 775/6 Employer T & J Roberts Drapers Employer Code 636
Place of Work Moorhead, Sheffield
Ward Broomhall Parliamentary Division Sheffield Pb, Hallam Div. Registration District Ecclesall Bierlow
Registration District Number 509 Sub registration district Broomhall
Sub Registration District Number 5
Respondent Mr John Arthur Hessey
Enumeration District Name Sheffield Cb Enumeration District 4 Schedule 86 Schedule Type Code E
Household Members (Name) Age Relationship
John Arthur Hessey 58 Years 8 Months Head
Nellie Hessey 59 Years 2 Months Wife
John Arthur Hessey 18 Years 3 Months Son
Nellie Hessey 16 Years 8 Months Daughter
Alice Winifred Hessey 23 Years 11 Months Daughter
Mabel Hessey 22 Years 4 Months Daughter
The next entry I can find is for Nellie's marriage in 1931 to Joseph Nettleship
Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page
Marriages Sep 1931
Hessey Nellie Nettleship Ecclesall B. 9c 910
Nettleship Joseph Hessey Ecclesall B. 9c 910
Three years later the couple had a baby girl Doreen
Surname First name(s) Mother District Vol Page
Births Jun 1934
Nettleship Doreen C Hessey Ecclesall B. 9c 625
But just over a year later this report appeared in the Daily Independent dated Thursday 18th July 1935
The following day this report appeared in The Birmingham Evening Gazette dated
Friday 19th July 1935
BABY'S DEATH
Mother's Arrest Follows Discovery
The discovery yesterday of the dead body of a 14-ntontlis-old child. Doreen Nettleship, at her home
in Aldam Road, Totley, Sheffield, was followed by the arrest of her mother. Nell• Nettleship, wife of Joseph Nettleship,
a traveller. Mrs. Nettleship will appear at Sheffield l'olice Court to-day.
The Derbyshire Times Friday 19th July 1935 added further detail
A CHARGE OF MURDER
Nellie Nettleship (31), of, 7, Alder Road. Totlev, appeared at Sheffield Police Court yesterday (Thursday), charged with feloniously, wilfully, and of malice aforethought, killing and murdering her daughter. Doreen Nettleship. She was in charge of a wardress, and appeared to be in great distress. Mr. J. W. Fenoughty, defending on behalf of Mr. Irwin Mitchell, said he understood the police were asking for a remand, and the defence did not object. The woman was remanded in custody for eight days
The following day the Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer dated Saturday 27 July 1935
SHEFFIELD CHILD'S DEATH
Mother Sent for Trial on Murder Charge
At Sheffield yesterday, Nellie Nettleship (31,. Aldam Road, was charged with the murder of her 14-months-old daughter, and with attempting to commit suicide. For the prosecution, it was alleged that neighbours found the child in its wet clothes lying a cot. apparently dead. There was also a smell of gas. A clothes line was suspended from a banister It was alleged that she said. "You are too late. She dead. I have done it." When charged, she replied, "No, I did not murder her."
Dr Nelson, Chester Road, said Nettleship was anaemic, run down, and suffering from extreme nervous depression. After the incident he was certain she did not fully realise what had happened. There were marks her neck which might have been done by rope. It was possible for person in Nettleshlp's condition to believe she had done something she had not done. In his -opinion the baby had been drowned. Her neighbour, Mrs. Padley, said that if the child had fallen into the bath Nettleshli might, the condition she was in, say she had drowned It. The child was strong and active, and. when excited, was difficult to hold. Nettleshlp. who pleaded not guilty and reserved her defence, was committed for trial.
But it was over four months before the case reached court. The Hull Daily Mail dated Monday 02 December 1935 carried this brief report
MOTHER UNFIT TO PLEAD Mrs Nellie Nettleship, 31, of Sheffield, was at the West Riding Assizes at Leeds to-day. She was found insane and unfit to plead to the charge of drowning her 14- months-old daughter, and attempting to commit suicide. She was ordered by Mr. Justice Porter to be confined to prison during the King's pleasure.
Nellie was charged with charged with feloniously, willfully, and of malice aforethought, killing and murdering her daughter. Doreen Nettleship and attempting suicide. The charge carried a mandatory death penalty at the time. The doctor at the hearing in July stated that Nellie was "anaemic, run down, and suffering from extreme nervous depression." She may well have had post natal depression as well." But do these conditions meet the criteria for a defence of insanity. I would argue that they did not but the fact that Nellie faced a death penalty was incomprehensible. Nevertheless she was deemed insane and sent to prison which was really the only option open to the authorities.
But when I checked the 1939 National Register I found this entry. Nellie was back at her childhood home and living with her dad who was now a widower. Furthermore she had a job as a shop assistant and was an ARP warden to boot. This seems to confirm to me that the insanity and unfit to plead outcome of the trial was just a way to avoid the imposition of a death penalty by the judicial and medical authorities.
Nellie died in Sheffield in 1987. It appears she never remarried but kept her
married name for the rest of her life.
Deaths 1987 - NETTLESHIP NELLIE 22OC1904 SHEFFIELD Volume 3 Page 1951
Notes
Name John Arthur Hessey
Marriage Age 28
Record Type Marriage
Birth Date abt 1864
Marriage Date 16 Nov 1892 Marriage Place Sheffield, St Andrew, Sharrow, Yorkshire, England
Father Samuel Hessey Spouse Ellen Fairest
HESSEY, Ellen (Wife of John Arthur, age 69). Died at Royal Hospital; Buried on August 19, 1932 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 4766, Section II of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: ~ ~ of ~. Page No 233
HESSEY, John Arthur (Retired, age 78). Died at 18 Stalker Lees Road; Buried on December 7, 1943 in Consecrated ground; Grave Number 4766, Section II of Crookes Cemetery, Sheffield. Plot Owner: of ~. Page No 58
Sources
Sheffield Indexers
UK Census - Free BMD
Daily Independent dated Thursday 18th July 1935
The Birmingham Evening Gazette dated Friday 19th July 1935
The Derbyshire Times Friday 19th July 1935
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer dated Saturday 27 July 1935
The Hull Daily Mail dated Monday 02 December 1935
This page was last updated on 21/01/26 11:57