March 18, 2025 • 11 mins
In 1890, a young machinist named Walter James Lyons committed a shocking act of violence on the streets of Plumstead, southeast London. What drove this 20-year-old to murder a decorated soldier in broad daylight? The answer lies in a moment of rage, a clash of Victorian morality, and a mother’s decision that scandalised an entire community. Leaving the Old Bailey to decide: was Walter truly a killer, or just a son pushed beyond his limits?
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Music:
"Long Note Three" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
Eternal moment by Farrell Wooten
Sources:
Ancestry
Gloucester Citizen - Tuesday 16 September 1890
Nottingham Evening Post -Tuesday 16 September 1890
Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 20 September 1890
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Saturday 27 September 1890
London Evening Standard - Friday 24 October 1890
💡 Support me on Patreon to get ad-free episodes
https://www.patreon.com/prashsmurdermap
💰 Make a one-off contribution
Every little bit helps! If you'd like to make a one-time donation, you can do so via PayPal here: https://www.paypal.me/prashsmurdermap
🎧 Listen to my new podcast Curious Britain
Explore the mysteries, folklore, and forgotten stories of Britain. Listen now: https://linktr.ee/curiousbritainpodcast
🙏 Thank You!
Your support means the world to me and helps keep Prash’s Murder Map alive. I truly appreciate it!
Music:
"Long Note Three" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
Eternal moment by Farrell Wooten
Sources:
Ancestry
Gloucester Citizen - Tuesday 16 September 1890
Nottingham Evening Post -Tuesday 16 September 1890
Cheltenham Chronicle - Saturday 20 September 1890
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser - Saturday 27 September 1890
London Evening Standard - Friday 24 October 1890
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Victorian justice is often thought to have been swift, harsh,
and unforgiving. While this was generally true with murder convictions
usually resulting in an execution, there were occasional cases where
killers received surprisingly light sentences. In this case from eighteen ninety,
(00:22):
a twenty year old machinist named Walter James Lyons was
spared the noose on the grounds that his anger had
been kindled by his mother's actions, a decision which offers
insight into the behaviors that people of the time considered
sufficient provocation to justify violence. Walter James Lyons was a
(00:45):
slightly built, morose young man who lived with his Irish
born mother Ellen and younger brother William, in a small
terraced house at thirty two Conway Road, Plumstead, in southeast London,
which the family shared with two paying lodgers. Walter's father
(01:05):
had died four months ago, leaving eleanor widow. The etiquette
and duration of grief in Victorian times were socially prescribed,
with mourning trends inspired by Queen Victoria's decision to wear
black for the rest of her life after the death
of Prince Albert. Widows, for example, were generally expected to
(01:29):
mourn their husbands for a minimum of one year and
one day, although interestingly a man was only expected to
mourn his wife for three to six months. While this
morning period was most visibly observed in middle and upper
class families, working class people were also expected to adhere
(01:49):
to certain behaviours and dress codes after the death of
a loved one. On a pleasant Friday afternoon in September
eighteen ninety, Ellen Lyons decided to go and enjoy watching
soldiers playing military sports on Woolidge Common, in contravention of
(02:10):
these social expectations. There she was introduced to John Stewart,
a well built quartermaster sergeant of the fifty first Royal
Artillery Battery. The pair spent the afternoon together and afterwards
Ellen invited him back to her home. Around lunchtime the
(02:32):
next day, on Saturday, thirteenth of September, Walter wondered why
his mother had not yet risen. When he opened her
bedroom door to check if she was all right, he
was horrified to find her in bed with the military man.
What is the meaning of this, he demanded. His mother
(02:53):
calmly replied that she would be marrying John Stewart. The
next day, and they planned to travel to India for
their honeymoon. Noting Water's discomfort, Sergeant Stuart condescendingly challenged the
young man, Are you the master of this house? Or
is it your mistress? Here? He pattered Ellen's leg as
(03:15):
he spoke, the gesture only serving to inflame Water's anger.
Ellen told her son to leave them alone, but he refused.
I will not go out of the room, he bellowed,
not caring that his words were overheard by one of
their lodgers. He threw insults at Ellen, calling her a
(03:37):
bloody cow and a bitch, before screaming, would you like
to come home and find a man in bed with
your mother? No, Sergeant Stuart replied mildly, though it wasn't
entirely clear to whom the question had been addressed. But
the man's calm demeanor had no effect on the twenty
(03:58):
year old, who continue when you to rant and rave?
Threatening to cut Stuart's head off, He ran into the kitchen,
a where he was heard rummaging frantically through the drawers
and cupboards. Fearing that Water might be arming himself with
a kitchen knife, Ellen Lynes and Sergeant Stuart quickly got dressed.
(04:19):
When the angry son returned, they were relieved to see
was wielding only a small hammer, which he brandished at
the soldier. Stuart laughed unconcerned, telling the boy that he
had fought in real battles and could easily knock Water down.
Lodger Edwin Phillimore would later report that Stuart warned him,
(04:42):
I could kill you with one blow. Seething with fury,
Water stormed back to the kitchen. Sensing the growing tension,
his mother felt it would be best to usher her
boyfriend out of the house, so the pair walked hurriedly
away towards the corner of Conway Road and Griffin Road,
(05:02):
where a building site for a new Catholic church was underway.
Moments later, they heard running footsteps behind them, and Water
emerged from around the corner, wielding a butcher's knife and
wearing the look of a man who had taken leave
of his senses. As he ran past his mother, she
tried to stop him by grabbing his coattails, but only
(05:25):
succeeded in tearing his jacket, falling backwards with the fabric
clutched in her hands. With an indecipherable yell, Water flung
himself at the soldier, stabbing him so hard with the
knife that it penetrated nine inches deep, nearly cleaving his
heart in two. Distraught, ellen Lynes bent down to comfort
(05:49):
the man, unbuttoning his tunic and desperately trying to stem
the bleeding, but he had already died, his life extinguished
almost instantly at the moment of impact. Two witnesses stood
numbly on the street, having been drawn to the scene
by water shouts of rage, arriving just in time to
(06:11):
see him viciously stabbed the soldier. Walter turned to one
of them, and his anger now having left him, placidly said,
I have done what I intended to do. Call a policeman.
When two constables arrived on the scene, Water willingly handed
(06:32):
over the knife and announced, simply take me. I know
my doom. At Woolwige Police station, he made a full statement,
making no attempt to lessen his responsibility. The coroner's inquest
was held at Plumstead Workhouse on Tuesday, sixteenth September, and,
(06:55):
suspecting that public opinion would be against her, Missus ellen
ly arrived three hours early to avoid the rowdy crowds
that would flock to watch the proceedings. Ellen told the
coroner that her son Walter, was subject to fits of
passion and that several of his father's relatives were in
a lunatic asylum, but it was clear that she felt
(07:16):
personally accountable for the incident. The Illustrated Police News reported
she is deeply grieved for the consequences of her folly
and takes all the blame without reservation, upon herself. So
slight was her acquaintance with the murdered man that she
could not at first say whether his name was Stuart
(07:40):
or Shepherd. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder
against Walter James Lyons, but expressed hope that the judge
would be merciful. The public vehemently agreed that Ellen was
to blame, and seemed to endorse the killing, applauding lions
while booing and hooting it his mother, who, given the
(08:01):
mood of the crowd, might have been lynched had she
not been under police protection. Water Lyons was charged at
Woolidge Police Court on Saturday twentieth September, his pale face
reflecting a painful awareness of the gravity of his situation.
A month later, he stood trial at the Old Bailey
(08:22):
before Justice Stephens, defended by Gerald Gagan. Gagan was known
to be an alcoholic and would later commit suicide in
his chambers in nineteen o two by taking an overdose
of an opioid sedative. Nonetheless, he proved a formidable counsel
for Lions, reminding the jury that the law was made
(08:44):
for the man, not the man for the law, and
that an English jury's duty was to be kind and merciful.
He used in motive language to mitigate the crime, arguing
nothing could exaggerate the nauseous horror of tragedy. The mother
dishonored and degraded her late husband's memory and disgraced her
(09:04):
living son's fame. In his summing up, Justice Stevens agreed that,
speaking as a human being not a judge, he felt
the provocation given by the mother was as great as
could possibly have been given to a son. He remarked
that although this was as deliberate and vicious an act
(09:26):
as he had ever seen, the behavior of Ellen Lyons
was disgraceful and was undoubtedly the cause of Water's violent outburst.
The jury found water Line's guilty of manslaughter with a
recommendation to mercy due to his youth, and he was
sentenced to seven years penal servitude. The Illustrated Police News
(09:51):
ran the story for three consecutive weeks, capitalizing on the
public's ghoulish fascination with the case. There was next to
no sympathy for the victim, and it seemed that in
the eyes of the population, Ellen's decision to enter into
a new relationship just months after a husband's death was
(10:12):
a crime far worse than murder, and young Walter, on
finding his mother in bed with another man, had only
done what any son in his right mind would have.
Ellen Lynes continued to live with her younger son William,
and worked as a lawn dress presumably leading a quiet life,
(10:33):
as she made no further appearances in the newspapers. When
Walter Lyons was released from prison, he secured work as
an engineer, a notably prestigious role for an ex convict.
He married a local girl named Annie Rickwood, and the
couple settled in Hammersmith, later having a daughter named ethel Maude,
(10:54):
who became a dressmaker's apprentice. It's unclear whether war To
ever reconcile with his mother, and he died in nineteen
twenty nine at the age of fifty eight. Thank you
for listening to this episode of Prash's Murder Map. If
you'd like to support the show, please like, subscribe, and
(11:15):
leave a comment or review. My husband Prassion and I
have recently created a new podcast called Curious Britain, available
on all major podcast platforms. In the show, we explore
the myths, legends, and mysteries of the British Isles, from
peculiar prehistory and ancient archaeology to UFOs ghosts and many
more intriguing tales that shape Britain's cultural heritage. If that
(11:37):
sounds interesting to you, then we'd love it. If you
give it a try and let us know what you think,
we'll leave a link in the show notes. Thank you
for your support, and we'll see you again soon.
Victorian justice is often thought to have been swift, harsh,
and unforgiving. While this was generally true with murder convictions
usually resulting in an execution, there were occasional cases where
killers received surprisingly light sentences. In this case from eighteen ninety,
(00:22):
a twenty year old machinist named Walter James Lyons was
spared the noose on the grounds that his anger had
been kindled by his mother's actions, a decision which offers
insight into the behaviors that people of the time considered
sufficient provocation to justify violence. Walter James Lyons was a
(00:45):
slightly built, morose young man who lived with his Irish
born mother Ellen and younger brother William, in a small
terraced house at thirty two Conway Road, Plumstead, in southeast London,
which the family shared with two paying lodgers. Walter's father
(01:05):
had died four months ago, leaving eleanor widow. The etiquette
and duration of grief in Victorian times were socially prescribed,
with mourning trends inspired by Queen Victoria's decision to wear
black for the rest of her life after the death
of Prince Albert. Widows, for example, were generally expected to
(01:29):
mourn their husbands for a minimum of one year and
one day, although interestingly a man was only expected to
mourn his wife for three to six months. While this
morning period was most visibly observed in middle and upper
class families, working class people were also expected to adhere
(01:49):
to certain behaviours and dress codes after the death of
a loved one. On a pleasant Friday afternoon in September
eighteen ninety, Ellen Lyons decided to go and enjoy watching
soldiers playing military sports on Woolidge Common, in contravention of
(02:10):
these social expectations. There she was introduced to John Stewart,
a well built quartermaster sergeant of the fifty first Royal
Artillery Battery. The pair spent the afternoon together and afterwards
Ellen invited him back to her home. Around lunchtime the
(02:32):
next day, on Saturday, thirteenth of September, Walter wondered why
his mother had not yet risen. When he opened her
bedroom door to check if she was all right, he
was horrified to find her in bed with the military man.
What is the meaning of this, he demanded. His mother
(02:53):
calmly replied that she would be marrying John Stewart. The
next day, and they planned to travel to India for
their honeymoon. Noting Water's discomfort, Sergeant Stuart condescendingly challenged the
young man, Are you the master of this house? Or
is it your mistress? Here? He pattered Ellen's leg as
(03:15):
he spoke, the gesture only serving to inflame Water's anger.
Ellen told her son to leave them alone, but he refused.
I will not go out of the room, he bellowed,
not caring that his words were overheard by one of
their lodgers. He threw insults at Ellen, calling her a
(03:37):
bloody cow and a bitch, before screaming, would you like
to come home and find a man in bed with
your mother? No, Sergeant Stuart replied mildly, though it wasn't
entirely clear to whom the question had been addressed. But
the man's calm demeanor had no effect on the twenty
(03:58):
year old, who continue when you to rant and rave?
Threatening to cut Stuart's head off, He ran into the kitchen,
a where he was heard rummaging frantically through the drawers
and cupboards. Fearing that Water might be arming himself with
a kitchen knife, Ellen Lynes and Sergeant Stuart quickly got dressed.
(04:19):
When the angry son returned, they were relieved to see
was wielding only a small hammer, which he brandished at
the soldier. Stuart laughed unconcerned, telling the boy that he
had fought in real battles and could easily knock Water down.
Lodger Edwin Phillimore would later report that Stuart warned him,
(04:42):
I could kill you with one blow. Seething with fury,
Water stormed back to the kitchen. Sensing the growing tension,
his mother felt it would be best to usher her
boyfriend out of the house, so the pair walked hurriedly
away towards the corner of Conway Road and Griffin Road,
(05:02):
where a building site for a new Catholic church was underway.
Moments later, they heard running footsteps behind them, and Water
emerged from around the corner, wielding a butcher's knife and
wearing the look of a man who had taken leave
of his senses. As he ran past his mother, she
tried to stop him by grabbing his coattails, but only
(05:25):
succeeded in tearing his jacket, falling backwards with the fabric
clutched in her hands. With an indecipherable yell, Water flung
himself at the soldier, stabbing him so hard with the
knife that it penetrated nine inches deep, nearly cleaving his
heart in two. Distraught, ellen Lynes bent down to comfort
(05:49):
the man, unbuttoning his tunic and desperately trying to stem
the bleeding, but he had already died, his life extinguished
almost instantly at the moment of impact. Two witnesses stood
numbly on the street, having been drawn to the scene
by water shouts of rage, arriving just in time to
(06:11):
see him viciously stabbed the soldier. Walter turned to one
of them, and his anger now having left him, placidly said,
I have done what I intended to do. Call a policeman.
When two constables arrived on the scene, Water willingly handed
(06:32):
over the knife and announced, simply take me. I know
my doom. At Woolwige Police station, he made a full statement,
making no attempt to lessen his responsibility. The coroner's inquest
was held at Plumstead Workhouse on Tuesday, sixteenth September, and,
(06:55):
suspecting that public opinion would be against her, Missus ellen
ly arrived three hours early to avoid the rowdy crowds
that would flock to watch the proceedings. Ellen told the
coroner that her son Walter, was subject to fits of
passion and that several of his father's relatives were in
a lunatic asylum, but it was clear that she felt
(07:16):
personally accountable for the incident. The Illustrated Police News reported
she is deeply grieved for the consequences of her folly
and takes all the blame without reservation, upon herself. So
slight was her acquaintance with the murdered man that she
could not at first say whether his name was Stuart
(07:40):
or Shepherd. The jury returned a verdict of wilful murder
against Walter James Lyons, but expressed hope that the judge
would be merciful. The public vehemently agreed that Ellen was
to blame, and seemed to endorse the killing, applauding lions
while booing and hooting it his mother, who, given the
(08:01):
mood of the crowd, might have been lynched had she
not been under police protection. Water Lyons was charged at
Woolidge Police Court on Saturday twentieth September, his pale face
reflecting a painful awareness of the gravity of his situation.
A month later, he stood trial at the Old Bailey
(08:22):
before Justice Stephens, defended by Gerald Gagan. Gagan was known
to be an alcoholic and would later commit suicide in
his chambers in nineteen o two by taking an overdose
of an opioid sedative. Nonetheless, he proved a formidable counsel
for Lions, reminding the jury that the law was made
(08:44):
for the man, not the man for the law, and
that an English jury's duty was to be kind and merciful.
He used in motive language to mitigate the crime, arguing
nothing could exaggerate the nauseous horror of tragedy. The mother
dishonored and degraded her late husband's memory and disgraced her
(09:04):
living son's fame. In his summing up, Justice Stevens agreed that,
speaking as a human being not a judge, he felt
the provocation given by the mother was as great as
could possibly have been given to a son. He remarked
that although this was as deliberate and vicious an act
(09:26):
as he had ever seen, the behavior of Ellen Lyons
was disgraceful and was undoubtedly the cause of Water's violent outburst.
The jury found water Line's guilty of manslaughter with a
recommendation to mercy due to his youth, and he was
sentenced to seven years penal servitude. The Illustrated Police News
(09:51):
ran the story for three consecutive weeks, capitalizing on the
public's ghoulish fascination with the case. There was next to
no sympathy for the victim, and it seemed that in
the eyes of the population, Ellen's decision to enter into
a new relationship just months after a husband's death was
(10:12):
a crime far worse than murder, and young Walter, on
finding his mother in bed with another man, had only
done what any son in his right mind would have.
Ellen Lynes continued to live with her younger son William,
and worked as a lawn dress presumably leading a quiet life,
(10:33):
as she made no further appearances in the newspapers. When
Walter Lyons was released from prison, he secured work as
an engineer, a notably prestigious role for an ex convict.
He married a local girl named Annie Rickwood, and the
couple settled in Hammersmith, later having a daughter named ethel Maude,
(10:54):
who became a dressmaker's apprentice. It's unclear whether war To
ever reconcile with his mother, and he died in nineteen
twenty nine at the age of fifty eight. Thank you
for listening to this episode of Prash's Murder Map. If
you'd like to support the show, please like, subscribe, and
(11:15):
leave a comment or review. My husband Prassion and I
have recently created a new podcast called Curious Britain, available
on all major podcast platforms. In the show, we explore
the myths, legends, and mysteries of the British Isles, from
peculiar prehistory and ancient archaeology to UFOs ghosts and many
more intriguing tales that shape Britain's cultural heritage. If that
(11:37):
sounds interesting to you, then we'd love it. If you
give it a try and let us know what you think,
we'll leave a link in the show notes. Thank you
for your support, and we'll see you again soon.
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