Witness Statement of Alan Russell Fraser-Bell, dated, 15th September 1985...

[Nuala]

Think that was his first wife Grahame he went to prison for 6months for violence towards her. The next ....Augusta aged 22 ..lasted 4 weeks!! before he killed her.

Brilliant, Maggie and April, any chance of scanning and posting the piece here?

This is what I've found:


James Bell married Augusta M M-W

Registration district:  Braintree

County: Essex

Year of registration: 1983

Registration quarter: Jul-Sep

Volume no: 9

Page no:  212



Birth:

Name: Augusta M M-W

Registration County: Norfolk

Year of registration: 1964

Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar

Volume no: 4B

Page no: 1315


Death

Name: Augusta Magdalen BELL
Registration district: Depwade
County: Norfolk
Year of registration: 1986
Month of registration: September
Date of birth: 22 January 1964     
Volume no: 10
Page no: 937
Reg no: 986

This Augusta Bell was just 22 when she died, the same as the one in the piece you've quoted.

This Augusta Bell had a baby, born in the Colchester district in 1984.

[Nuala]

Brilliant, Maggie and April, any chance of scanning and posting the piece here?

This is what I've found:


James Bell married Augusta M M-W

Registration district:  Braintree

County: Essex

Year of registration: 1983

Registration quarter: Jul-Sep

Volume no: 9

Page no:  212



Birth:

Name: Augusta M M-W

Registration County: Norfolk

Year of registration: 1964

Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar

Volume no: 4B

Page no: 1315


Death

Name: Augusta Magdalen BELL
Registration district: Depwade
County: Norfolk
Year of registration: 1986
Month of registration: September
Date of birth: 22 January 1964     
Volume no: 10
Page no: 937
Reg no: 986

This Augusta Bell was just 22 when she died, the same as the one in the piece you've quoted.

This Augusta Bell had a baby, born in the Colchester district in 1984.

Got him.


Death

Name: BELL,  James

Registration district: Depwade

County: Norfolk

Registration: 1986

Month: September

Date of birth: 27 March 1936

Volume no: 10
Page no: 936
Reg no: 986


He died in the same month, the same year, the same place as Augusta Magdalen Bell

[maggie]

Brilliant, Maggie and April, any chance of scanning and posting the piece here?

This is what I've found:


James Bell married Augusta M M-W

Registration district:  Braintree

County: Essex

Year of registration: 1983

Registration quarter: Jul-Sep

Volume no: 9

Page no:  212



Birth:

Name: Augusta M M-W

Registration County: Norfolk

Year of registration: 1964

Quarter of registration: Jan-Feb-Mar

Volume no: 4B

Page no: 1315


Death

Name: Augusta Magdalen BELL
Registration district: Depwade
County: Norfolk
Year of registration: 1986
Month of registration: September
Date of birth: 22 January 1964     
Volume no: 10
Page no: 937
Reg no: 986

This Augusta Bell was just 22 when she died, the same as the one in the piece you've quoted.

This Augusta Bell had a baby, born in the Colchester district in 1984.

Yes she had a baby and Jimmy Bell almost killed the baby as well.  He was an educated man who had serious problems with violence. Someone needs to speak to peter healey, he is a healer who lives in Tiptree but he claims to have been in the carpark when Ralph and June were severely threatened by Jimmy Bell with a .22 automatic.

[Nuala]

Yes she had a baby and Jimmy Bell almost killed the baby as well.  He was an educated man who had serious problems with violence. Someone needs to speak to peter healey, he is a healer who lives in Tiptree but he claims to have been in the carpark when Ralph and June were severely threatened by Jimmy Bell with a .22 automatic.

The James Bell who died in Norfolk at the same place and in the same month and year as Augusta Magdalen Bell (aged 22) was born in Colchester.
Birth

Name: James BELL

Registration: Colchester

County: Essex

Year: 1936

Quarter: Apr-May-Jun

Mother's maiden name: Gibson

Volume no: 4A
Page no: 1313



Death

Name: James BELL

Registration district: Depwade

County: Norfolk

Registration: 1986

Month: September

Date of birth: 27 March 1936

Volume no: 10
Page no: 936
Reg no: 986


Could the James Bell who murdered his wife have been the farm hand who had an affair with Sheila when she was a teenager, Maggie?

[Nuala]

The James Bell who died in Norfolk at the same place and in the same month and year as Augusta Magdalen Bell (aged 22) was born in Colchester.
Birth

Name: James BELL

Registration: Colchester

County: Essex

Year: 1936

Quarter: Apr-May-Jun

Mother's maiden name: Gibson

Volume no: 4A
Page no: 1313



Death

Name: James BELL

Registration district: Depwade

County: Norfolk

Registration: 1986

Month: September

Date of birth: 27 March 1936

Volume no: 10
Page no: 936
Reg no: 986


Could the James Bell who murdered his wife have been the farm hand who had an affair with Sheila when she was a teenager, Maggie?

Could he also have been the scruffy man seen walking away from WHF on the night of the murders?

Didn't some of the locals tell the police they believed James Bell was responsible?

[Patti]

Hey look at you lot researching away....Well done girls 

It a shame, but I am way past my bedtime. I'll have to catch up on it all tomorrow...very interesting. Night ladies....X 

[Nuala]

Hey look at you lot researching away....Well done girls 

It a shame, but I am way past my bedtime. I'll have to catch up on it all tomorrow...very interesting. Night ladies....X 

Double check it all tomorrow, please.

Night, Patti!

[Nuala]

Was FRASER-Bell the hitch hiker?

Fraser Bell drove a tractor to WHF that morning and arrived at about 7.45 am.

This must surely mean that the hitch hiker was unlikely to have been him?

So who was the hitch hiker?

James Bell?

[Nuala]

according to David Shaw. One story in the tabloids at the time that a scruffy man had been seen leaving the farm and a scruffy local man was viewed by villagers as a suspect - Shaw names him. Another local man is said to have threatened Nevill, this man killed his wife and himself the following year and attempted to kill his mother in law and his child.

Shaw seems to suggest that JM could have conflated all of these people into the self proclaimed local villain: Mathew McDonald.

[Nuala]

and didnt the police also say mike that they saw a scruffy hunched up figure walking away from the back of whitehouse farm, while they were there. i cant understand why the police didnt stop and take him into custody for questioning at that point. or at least try and trace him later to ask why he was on the grounds at whf

Mike, Shaw writes about this scruffy, hunched up man, do you have any official references to him?

[Nuala]

James Bell,s father was FRASER who worked for NEVILL. iT WAS he who was turned back by EP, poss. WPs Jeapes at 7.30 on morning of the murders.

It is likely that JIMMY had got Sheila pregnant in the ditch. June found them in the act, becoming atad upset.

However, by 1985, jIMMY wasACHAMPION CLAY PIGEON shooter, with amansion and 1200 acres. I know not how. at COGGESHALL. Nevill put him away for 6mths for abusing his 1st wife.

When he came out he threatened ralph with VENGEANCE, in a lane throwing a handful of bullets at him.

One can read the sad ending of Jimmy and his 2nd wife AUGUSTA, IN thurlow's book- The Essex Triangle. If I erred I trust Hartl y will put us right!        My best solution for DR MM SMERDON BS, BS being Dr of Seance, is:- DR means do an ANAGRAM, THUS MM SMERDON BS becomes    B. M. MRS DEMONS where B M  = BLOODY MARY!, perhaps Sheila's favorite tipple? Q E D ?     

Millionaire coggleshall farmer James Bell50killed his estranged wife Augusta 22 in Upper Billingford. Norfolk.

Upper Billingford is in depwade, where Augusta Magdalen and James Bell's deaths were registered

He married Augusta after serving 6months in prison for an attack on his first wife They had been married for 4weeks when he shot augusta and himself. Sounds a bit of a psycopath to me.

Brilliant, Maggie and Campion. This is all taken from Peter Healey's book?

[maggie]

Brilliant, Maggie and Campion. This is all taken from Peter Healey's book?

Yes Keira. Jimmy Bell was a real psychopath. Peter Healeys book is rough and ready but the Jimmy Bell thread is really interesting.  Peter Healey is a spiritual healer and lives in Tiptree would be worth someone local speaking to him. He is  pretty convinced of Jeremys innocence. He published his own book as evidence and knows loads, personally about Jimmy Bell.

[Nuala]

Yes Keira. Jimmy Bell was a real psychopath. Peter Healeys book is rough and ready but the Jimmy Bell thread is really interesting.  Peter Healey is a spiritual healer and lives in Tiptree would be worth someone local speaking to him. He is  pretty convinced of Jeremys innocence. He published his own book as evidence and knows loads, personally about Jimmy Bell.

Thanks, Maggie, I'll see if I can contact him.

[guest154]

Thanks, Maggie, I'll see if I can contact him.

Want help?

[maggie]

Want help?

I get the impression he is the sort of guy who would be only too happy to speak about his knowledge keira. I shouldnt think you would need help.