A murder victim in Edwardian Liverpool and it has still not been solved to this day.
On 6th January 1908, seven-year-old Margaret (Madge) Kirby was playing in Farnworth Street, off Kensington, with her brother. She was never seen alive again and her badly decomposed body was found in a sack seven months later.
The killer had apparently moved it from its hiding place to the busy thoroughfare of Great Newton Street where it was certain to be found. The girl's father, David, whose wife had died three months before Madge disappeared, could only identify the body by its clothing. David Kirby was so overcome with grief that he died at the end of September, just a month after Margaret was buried.
Two letters claiming to be from the killer were sent to police, the first one saying that he had removed the body from an empty house whilst drunk and wanted to be caught. The second letter was far more sinister and was sent to police in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. This contained a chilling warning that if the police didn't catch him within a week, he would kill another child.
The police were never able to trace who wrote these two letters and the killer has never been brought to justice.
On 6th January 1908, seven-year-old Margaret (Madge) Kirby was playing in Farnworth Street, off Kensington, with her brother. She was never seen alive again and her badly decomposed body was found in a sack seven months later.
The killer had apparently moved it from its hiding place to the busy thoroughfare of Great Newton Street where it was certain to be found. The girl's father, David, whose wife had died three months before Madge disappeared, could only identify the body by its clothing. David Kirby was so overcome with grief that he died at the end of September, just a month after Margaret was buried.
Two letters claiming to be from the killer were sent to police, the first one saying that he had removed the body from an empty house whilst drunk and wanted to be caught. The second letter was far more sinister and was sent to police in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. This contained a chilling warning that if the police didn't catch him within a week, he would kill another child.
The police were never able to trace who wrote these two letters and the killer has never been brought to justice.
A murder victim in Edwardian Liverpool and it has still not been solved to this day.
On 6th January 1908, seven-year-old Margaret (Madge) Kirby was playing in Farnworth Street, off Kensington, with her brother. She was never seen alive again and her badly decomposed body was found in a sack seven months later.
The killer had apparently moved it from its hiding place to the busy thoroughfare of Great Newton Street where it was certain to be found. The girl's father, David, whose wife had died three months before Madge disappeared, could only identify the body by its clothing. David Kirby was so overcome with grief that he died at the end of September, just a month after Margaret was buried.
Two letters claiming to be from the killer were sent to police, the first one saying that he had removed the body from an empty house whilst drunk and wanted to be caught. The second letter was far more sinister and was sent to police in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. This contained a chilling warning that if the police didn't catch him within a week, he would kill another child.
The police were never able to trace who wrote these two letters and the killer has never been brought to justice.
On 6th January 1908, seven-year-old Margaret (Madge) Kirby was playing in Farnworth Street, off Kensington, with her brother. She was never seen alive again and her badly decomposed body was found in a sack seven months later.
The killer had apparently moved it from its hiding place to the busy thoroughfare of Great Newton Street where it was certain to be found. The girl's father, David, whose wife had died three months before Madge disappeared, could only identify the body by its clothing. David Kirby was so overcome with grief that he died at the end of September, just a month after Margaret was buried.
Two letters claiming to be from the killer were sent to police, the first one saying that he had removed the body from an empty house whilst drunk and wanted to be caught. The second letter was far more sinister and was sent to police in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire. This contained a chilling warning that if the police didn't catch him within a week, he would kill another child.
The police were never able to trace who wrote these two letters and the killer has never been brought to justice.
Inscription
Margaret (Madge)
Daughter of the above
Who Died 1908, Aged 7 years
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