Michael Harris Article - Hanslope Tragedy

Newspaper article - probable date 1986-7, newspaper unknown, possibly the Bucks Standard

(Transcribed from a photocopy of original held by Hanslope & District Historical Society)

THE HAUNTING EPITAPH AT HANSLOPE

By Michael P. Harris

Returning as I periodically do to the spacious and tranquil grounds of Hanslope Parish Church of St. James, I hurry through the tombstones in the failing light and come to rest in the South West corner at a singularly plain headstone. Dropping to my knees in the damp grass, I rub the surface coating of lichen with the side of my hand and read, "In Loving memory of William Farrow, The Dearly Beloved Husband of Annie Farrow, Who Died July 21st, 1912, Aged 45 years" .."Waiting Until All Shall Be Revealed". Not an unusual epitaph in itself, but when one is informed that this covers the remains of a murderer and a suicide it may become clear why my curiosity regarding the final sentence has remained with me since I first became aware of the fact many years ago.

It has now been over 15 years since I sat in a cottage at Tathall End, with 80 year old William Green, who had been an eye witness to the murder, gathering his memories of the incident, to arrange later into essay form which would be published shortly after. It was through Mr. Green that I discovered the Farrow tombstone. Surprisingly, William Green had not been consulted for the preparation of a private publication in 1968 which dealt with the murder story, entitled "The Hanslope Park Tragedy". The book was written by one of the murder victim's family and while an eloquent and interesting work, naturally was biased in its opinions of the parties involved and gave no clue as to what was "Waiting To Be Revealed". Mr. Green leaned towards the local views of the time, which understandably were more concerned with the victim, so he was unable to throw any light on Annie Farrow's meaning.

For those who may not be familiar with the tragic event, a brief description as related by William Green may be of some interest. The date was Sunday July 21st 1912, it was morning and the weather was fine. The Squire of Hanslope and Castlethorpe, Edward Hanslope Watts and his wife had attended the service at the Parish Church of St. James. They were walking back to their home, Hanslope Park, now a Ministry establishment, and as was their custom on such occasions, The Squire was striding on several yards ahead of his wife. As they reached a small spinney just a short distance away from the Lodge gates a shot was fired from the trees and the squire fell bleeding profusely from a wound to the head. Mrs. Watts screamed and hurried to her husband's aid. William Green observing all from the Lodge, where he lived with his parents, his father George being the Squire's groom, ran out towards the spinney. Mrs. Watts now kneeling supporting the head of her husband, her own clothes and face now smeared with the Squire's blood. At the frantic suggestion of Mrs. Watts, Green ran for help but on retreating, heard a second shot that hit the prostrate squire in the side of his body. Sometime after, a third shot was heard from deep within the spinney and a later search revealed the body of the Squire's gamekeeper, William Farrow. He was found with a shotgun lying on his stomach pointing towards his shattered head. It was supposed he had placed the barrel end in his mouth and actuated the trigger with a stick. The force of the explosion had caused the head to swell to twice its normal size. News of the crime appalled both the locality and the nation.

Shortly after, the section of road was fenced off, and a bypass constructed, now having taken on an appearance of long standing. William Green said that during the following period, the ghostly black figure of Mrs. Watts could be seen standing silently at the spot where the squire fell, and the staff would avoid the vicinity, leaving the lady to her thoughts.

It was suggested at the inquest that Farrow may have killed Squire Watts because he had received notice to terminate his employment because, among other things, of an incident involving the death of one of Mrs. Watts' dogs. Apparently Farrow had been responsible for the well being of the animal during the absence of the squire and his wife, but in that period it had died.

To me it has always appeared an enigmatic conclusion that does not explain fully the fury of the attack. Being prepared to kill one's employer and then oneself seems a gross overreaction. Even if this were true, it could then well be expected that the wife of the assailant would have considered humility to be the order of the day, with more than just a touch of shame at the impetuous action of her spouse. Instead of which we have the obituary full of adulation, ending with the strong suggestion that another side of the story had yet to be told. Considering the feelings at the time this was either an act of extreme folly or a cry for understanding from a woman of firm principles. The wording so inflamed the locals that it was rumoured that the headstone would be destroyed and only a 24-hour police guard ensured that it would survive to send its haunting suggestion down to posterity.

Now it is almost certain that all contemporaries have followed the two protagonists of the day, so any hope of an answer is unlikely to come from that direction. I now return to the car, no nearer to a conclusion after all these years, but I live in the hope that there is still time, even now, that eventually, "All Shall Be Revealed".