The Brides In The Bath murders hit headlines in the early 1900s when charming bigamist George Joseph Smith killed his last three wives for money
As World War 1 raged on the home front, news of the conflict dominated the news agenda. But in a guesthouse in Blackpool, another news story caught the eye of the hotelier, which would lead the police to a mysterious string of killings, splashed across the front pages as The Brides In The Bath Murders.
Smith started life in Bethnal Green, London, and before long he was established as a petty criminal. He spent his early years at a reform school before serving time for theft. By the time he was executed, aged 43, he was a serial bigamist who married seven times, killing his final three brides for his own greedy gains.
Not one to stand still, Smith was walking down the aisle for a third time by the end of July 1908. This time, his bride was Edith Peglar, and the setting was Bristol, where the Edith had replied to an advert for a housekeeper. The couple were married for two years, but the union was complicated, with Smith leaving her and returning, looking for forgiveness. In a cruel act of premeditation, Smith took his wife to the doctors, saying she had fits which she could not remember when she came around. His confused wife was none the wiser and was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Alice’s father loathed Smith, seeing him as a spiv and a fortune seeker, but with the flush of young love, his daughter was determined to tie the knot to her sophisticated sweetheart. By the time the doctor arrived it was too late. Despite efforts to pump her stomach, Alice was already dead. Smith arranged a cheap funeral for her at Layton Cemetery, but was forced to upgrade the proceedings when her family said they would travel to attend the memorial.
Detective Inspector Arthur Neil began investigating and scoured insurance documents and death reports looking for clues. At first, Smith’s use of pseudoynyms threw the detective off the scent, and in each case a doctor had confirmed the women had died from natural causes.
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