A human skull buried for 131 years under Sir David Attenborough’s property was finally identified as a Victorian widow’s killer, proving even the coldest cases yield to persistent truth-seeking.
The Gruesome Murder at Mayfield Cottages
Kate Webster, an Irish maid with a larceny record, killed Julia Martha Thomas on March 2, 1879, at 2 Mayfield Cottages in Richmond upon Thames. Thomas, a childless widow, argued with Webster over chores and alcohol. Webster pushed her down stairs, strangled her, then dismembered the body. She burned parts, boiled flesh into lard—rumored fed to children—and packed remains into a box for the Thames. The head stayed buried under stable foundations near the Hole in the Wall pub. This savage act exposed the servant’s resentment of Victorian class structures.
Initial Investigation and Webster’s Flight
Remains surfaced near Barnes Bridge weeks later, prompting an open verdict inquest. Unidentified, the torso was buried in Barnes Cemetery as the “Barnes Mystery.” Webster posed as Thomas, sold her goods for over £80, and fled to Ireland. Bloodstains and a forged letter betrayed her. Extradited, trial witnesses detailed premeditation and fatty deposits from boiling. Despite a false pregnancy claim rejected by matrons, a jury convicted her. Webster confessed before her July 29, 1879, hanging at Wandsworth Prison. Justice moved decisively then.
Skull Discovery on Attenborough’s Property
Sir David Attenborough bought his nearby house in 1952 and the derelict pub in 2009 for redevelopment. On October 22, 2010, workers unearthed the skull under pub foundations. Acting Detective Inspector David Bolton led the probe, with Chief Superintendent Clive Chalk overseeing. Coroner Alison Thompson examined it. Proximity to the crime scene stunned investigators—the head evaded detection for 131 years despite Thames searches. Attenborough stayed uninvolved, focused on development. This finding revived a case that was symbolically open.
Forensic Breakthrough Closes the Case
Radiocarbon dating placed the skull in the late 19th century. Census data and records matched Thomas, a childless widow with no DNA kin. Thompson ruled asphyxiation and head trauma as causes in July 2011. No relatives meant no DNA, but historical fusion sufficed. Chalk praised blending “good old-fashioned detective work” with technology. The verdict honored Thomas’s memory, affirming the police’s evolution from 1879, when they outmaneuvered Webster, to modern precision. Such closure upholds common sense: facts demand resolution, not excuses.
This resolution boosted forensic anthropology, showing science pierces time. Richmond locals embrace the tale as curiosity; sites remain landmarks. The media frenzy confirmed lore without new probes, since Webster is long deceased. The case underscores personal responsibility—Webster’s rage and theft met swift punishment, in contrast to today’s delays. True crime fascination endures, but facts align: order prevails when evidence rules.
Sources:
Unearthed Skull Solves 132-Year-Old Murder Mystery
Skull discovered in David Attenborough’s garden clo
Attenborough skull mystery finally solved
How David Attenborough once helped solve a murder