NEWSLETTER HISTORY SOCIETY SUMMER 2019 #55 THE WALLACE MURDER – A NEW POSSIBLE MOTIVE by fred forrest William Herbert Wallace was convicted in being just before he passed away in 1974 a woman that a homosexual male dates 1931 of the murder of his wife Julia in their and at which time he told me that William or marries as a cover for his true sexuality. home in Wolverton St. in Liverpool’s Anfield Herbert Wallace was a homosexual who Todd Winslow’s father’s resignation from the district. His conviction was overturned by quite regularly paid young men to have sex Prudential Assurance in March 1931 and his Court of Criminal Appeal, the first instance with him (my father and Gordy Parry being departure for the USA a few months later, at in British legal history where an appeal two of those young men) and when Julia about the time of Wallace’s reprieve, can be had been allowed after a re-examination Wallace discovered the true nature of her seen as the actions of a scared young man. It of evidence. The case, with its strange husband’s relationships with young men, could be that Winslow is a new name he took background, has long been the subject of she threatened him with exposure and up in case he was implicated after further speculation and had generated many books, divorce. And THAT in my father’s opinion investigation. being regarded internationally as a classic was the reason she was murdered. My father murder mystery, with opinion very divided as was also convinced that William Herbert Every time I look into the Wallace murder, to Wallace’s guilt or otherwise. Wallace and Gordy Parry were BOTH inside I discover new things. This time I found the Wolverston (sic) house when Julia was out that the person who delivered their LHS received murdered. It’s quite possible that Gordy had newspaper on the night of the murder was the following returned to the Wolverston (sic) house with one David Jones, the grandfather of a friend correspondence William earlier that afternoon or that either of mine. David was very much an adult and via its website William or Julia had welcomed him inside was working at several jobs in those poverty- from an American BEFORE William had left on his search for stricken times. Julia was buried a mere five named Todd the mysterious R.M. Qualtrough, who in all days after the murder; unthinkable today. Winslow:- probability was Gordy Parry”. Also, one neighbour described the couple as “strange, queer”. As well as collecting “My father was The same message was sent via snail mail insurance, Wallace lectured part-time in born in Liverpool from the USA to the publisher in London Chemistry and other hobbies were Botany in 1910. During of a book on the Wallace murder by local and Chess. He also learnt to play the piano the years of 1927- writer (and LHS member) John Gannon. to accompany his wife, an accomplished 31 he worked at Unfortunately neither of us has been able violinist. These facts would not, however, the Prudential to make contact with the writer or find any have necessarily made them stand out Assurance records in respect of his father but we have as the 1935 Kelly’s Directory shows that Company on not given up! neighbours in Wolverton St., then only 20 Dale Street. He years old, included two music teachers, a was not only co- On the face of it, this seems to me as plausible school teacher, a police sergeant and at least worker to William Herbert Wallace, but also a motive for the murder of Julia Wallace as any ten white collar workers. Nobody is shown as an intimate friend and frequent guest at the advanced to date. Male homosexuality was living at number 29, the Wallaces’ former house! Wallace’s house on Wolverston (sic) Street. treated as a serious criminal offence until the He was also acquainted with Gordy Parry and late 1960s and could lead to imprisonment Lily Loyd – although he knew Gordy much as well as financial and social ruin. Wallace better than he knew Lily. My father left the would no doubt remember well from his Prudential Assurance Company in March of youth the downfall and early death of Oscar 1931 and in May of the same year relocated Wilde. Although the gravestone at Anfield to Boston, Massachusetts, where he Cemetery suggests that Julia Wallace was eventually met and married my mother. I am a similar age to her husband, there is now the second son and fifth child (of seven) born compelling evidence unearthed by locally to my parents in 1949. My father first told me born writer James Murphy to suggest that about the murder of Julia Wallace when I Julia was in fact born near Knaresborough was a teenager, at which time he also told seventeen years before him and was about me about his friendship with William Herbert 53 when they married. If Wallace knew this, Wallace. Over passing years my father and he kept up the pretence right up to his wife’s I had many conversations about the murder burial and it could be that he was using her as of Julia Wallace – the last conversation what in modern parlance is termed a “beard”, ARTICLE REQUESTS The LHS newsletter has different sections that can see the presentation of contributions from our members. The front page is for ‘feature’ articles of about 600 words in length. Pages two and three are dedicated to meeting reports and feedback of our walking tours and the final page presents articles of varying length under the heading of ‘Books, Events & Other’. All articles can come with an image or two and please send any contributions to the editor at [email protected]. 1 LIVERPOOL SCHOOLS HISTORY COMPETION eddy estlin & glyn williams Liverpool in the competition has been of Key Stage 2 winners critical importance and the beginnings of Kindertransport a very productive relationship have been formed. 62, Falkner Street The History of the Albert Dock All the schools of Liverpool were asked Key Stage 3 winners to take part, with a request that teachers The Beatles: A Moment in Liverpool History would proffer the best three essays for William Roscoe their respective Key Stage entries. Sixteen The Brave Women Who Fought For Our schools participated as follows: Rights: The Liverpool Suffragettes Alsop High School Key Stage 4 winners Broadgreen International School How the Civil War between King Charles and Calderstones School Parliament affected Liverpool Fazakerley High School Liverpool’s role in the Slave Trade Kirkdale St Lawrence C of E Primary School Sir Robert Shields: The Surgeon who left behind a legacy of healthcare in Liverpool Liverpool Life Sciences UTC Mab Lane Primary School Key Stage 5 winner Northway Primary and Nursery School Does Liverpool deserve the title ‘Capital of Slavery’? Notre Dame Catholic College Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School The prizewinners also received a family St Ambrose Catholic Primary School pass to a local venue of historical interest St Finbar’s Catholic Primary School (via our sponsors The Anglican Cathedral; The Beatles Experience; British Music St Francis de Sales Catholic Junior School Experience; Everton Football Club; The St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School The Liverpool Schools Essay Competition Liverpool Medical Institution; Speke Hall and The De la Salle Academy Western Approaches). School Improvement Project idea was developed in 2017 Liverpool also provided book tokens for all to honour money and materials gifted The Studio School winners and the ‘Horrible History’ textbooks posthumously to the society by the late for the Key Stage 2 awards. Certificates Russell Molyneux-Johnson, Veronica Gibson were given to all participating schools and and founder member Brenda Murray. The for each child who submitted an entry to the 2018-19 competition, the first in the city, We do not know the total numbers of pupils competition, but who did not win a prize. The enabled school pupils from the ages of 7 to who actually presented essays to their LHS also commissioned the production of a 18 to showcase their historical research and teachers for entry, but in some cases we special journal that features the prizewinning writing skills and capture and celebrate part have learned that these could be by an entire essays. Copies of these were given to the of the city's achievements. class. Judging the merits of the essays that schools and the prizewinners and copies we received were a very difficult task – the will be available to see/purchase at the next We have been both greatly impressed overall standard was high, the originality meetings of the LHS. impressive and the effort put in was obvious. and encouraged by this start to what we However, we were able to award Gold, Silver For this inaugural competition, we have hope will be a sustainable annual event. and Bronze certificates for the following attended the school assembly or classroom The involvement of School Improvement essays according to educational Key Stage: presentations for the winners. This has been an absolute joy to be involved in, but for next year’s competition, we intend to host a single presentation ceremony for all of our winners. We will keep you updated about this. 19TH MAY james crossland LIVERPOOL AFRAID? MERSEYSIDE AND THE FRENCH THREAT, 1803-60 meeting report by glyn williams Dr James Crossland works as a Senior Lecturer done to avoid the likelihood of future invasions. in International History at the Liverpool John Six hundred thousand militia volunteers were Moores University.