Murders at Stanfield Hall
Encyclopedia
The Murders at Stanfield Hall, November 28th 1848, was a notorious Victorian double murder that was commemorated in print; pottery; wax; a novel by Joseph Shearing
; plus becoming the inspiration for the 1948 Hollywood drama, Blanche Fury
. The victims, Isaac Jermy and his son Isaac Jermy Jermy were shot and killed on the porch and in the hallway of their mansion, Stanfield Hall, Norwich
. The perpetrator James Blomfield Rush, their delinquent tenant farmer who had conducted a complex and devious scheme to defraud them of their property and their lives, was hanged at Norwich Castle
on 21 April 1849. The unwitting accomplice to the attempted fraud was Miss Emily Sandford who Rush had employed as a governess.
near Norwich
, by James Blomfield Rush, a troublemaking tenant farmer of theirs. Rush had been their tenant for nearly a decade, and he had mortgaged and remortgaged his farm to raise money for improvements (so he said), but without improving the farm's output. The deadline to pay off the mortgages was approaching; otherwise foreclosure and eviction would follow (adversely affecting both his children and his pregnant mistress, their governess Emily Sandford). The Jermys had problems with the title to their estate, with relatives who claimed it was theirs. However, Isaac Jermy was the Recorder of Norwich, so he was a prominent local man with legal connections, thus it was unlikely that he would lose the property. Rush planned was to kill both Jermys, their servant, and the younger Jermy's pregnant wife while disguised, and blame the massacre on the rival claimants to the estate.
Rush planned that Emily Sandford would provide an alibi by stating that he was at the farm during the hour or so that the crime was committed. Rush wore a false wig and whiskers, but failed to hide his body sufficiently so that the wounded Mrs Jermy and the servant Elizabeth Chestney survived to identify him. Emily Sandford also refused to support his alibi. Tried in 1849, Rush defended himself (badly) and was convicted. He was hanged and buried in the grounds of Norwich castle.
produced collectable figures of the main characters, James Rush and Emily Sandford, plus the main locations Potash Farm, Stanfield Hall and Norwich Castle.
representation of James Rush was displayed in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds
in London, from 1849 until 1971.
Margaret Gabrielle Long
Marjorie Bowen , was a British author who wrote historical romances, supernatural horror stories, popular history and biography. Her total output numbers over 150 volumes with the bulk of her work under the 'Bowen' pseudonym...
; plus becoming the inspiration for the 1948 Hollywood drama, Blanche Fury
Blanche Fury
Blanche Fury is a 1948 drama film starring Valerie Hobson, Stewart Granger and Michael Gough. It was adapted from a novel by Joseph Shearing. In Victorian era England, two schemers will stop at nothing to acquire the Fury estate, even murder.-Plot:...
. The victims, Isaac Jermy and his son Isaac Jermy Jermy were shot and killed on the porch and in the hallway of their mansion, Stanfield Hall, Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
. The perpetrator James Blomfield Rush, their delinquent tenant farmer who had conducted a complex and devious scheme to defraud them of their property and their lives, was hanged at Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle
Norwich Castle is a medieval royal fortification in the city of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. It was founded in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of...
on 21 April 1849. The unwitting accomplice to the attempted fraud was Miss Emily Sandford who Rush had employed as a governess.
Scenario
In 1848, Isaac Jermy and his son Isaac Jermy Jermy were shot and killed on the porch and in the hallway of their mansion, Stanfield Hall, WymondhamWymondham
Wymondham is a historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 9.5 miles to the south west of the city of Norwich, on the A11 road to Thetford and London.- Before The Great Fire :...
near Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
, by James Blomfield Rush, a troublemaking tenant farmer of theirs. Rush had been their tenant for nearly a decade, and he had mortgaged and remortgaged his farm to raise money for improvements (so he said), but without improving the farm's output. The deadline to pay off the mortgages was approaching; otherwise foreclosure and eviction would follow (adversely affecting both his children and his pregnant mistress, their governess Emily Sandford). The Jermys had problems with the title to their estate, with relatives who claimed it was theirs. However, Isaac Jermy was the Recorder of Norwich, so he was a prominent local man with legal connections, thus it was unlikely that he would lose the property. Rush planned was to kill both Jermys, their servant, and the younger Jermy's pregnant wife while disguised, and blame the massacre on the rival claimants to the estate.
Rush planned that Emily Sandford would provide an alibi by stating that he was at the farm during the hour or so that the crime was committed. Rush wore a false wig and whiskers, but failed to hide his body sufficiently so that the wounded Mrs Jermy and the servant Elizabeth Chestney survived to identify him. Emily Sandford also refused to support his alibi. Tried in 1849, Rush defended himself (badly) and was convicted. He was hanged and buried in the grounds of Norwich castle.
Pottery
Staffordshire PotteriesStaffordshire Potteries
The Staffordshire Potteries is a generic term for the industrial area encompassing the six towns that now make up Stoke on Trent in Staffordshire, England....
produced collectable figures of the main characters, James Rush and Emily Sandford, plus the main locations Potash Farm, Stanfield Hall and Norwich Castle.
Madame Tussauds
A life-size waxworkWax museum
A wax museum or waxworks consists of a collection of wax sculptures representing famous people from history and contemporary personalities exhibited in lifelike poses....
representation of James Rush was displayed in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's", but the apostrophe is no longer used...
in London, from 1849 until 1971.