Left - the diagram of the ground floor of 10 Rillington Place that was used at the trial of Reginald Christie. The manuscript annotation in the centre appears to indicate the location of the “gas pipe” in the kitchen which was first used to poison Muriel Eady, the second known victim,  whilst Christie was purportedly treating her with an inhalant device for her bronchial catarrh.

The manhole cover shown in front of the bay window is one of two which local police are thought to have investigated following Evans’s first confession at Merthyr Tydfil; it was however apparent that this cover had not been disturbed for many years. The other was a larger hole in the centre of the road with an extremely heavy cast iron cover that took three officers to lift, which consequently contradicted Evans’s assertion that he alone had opened it and concealed his wife’s body within.

The National Archives (CRIM 1/2116)

“ELIZABETH THE SECOND, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Our other Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting!

WHEREAS Timothy John Evans at the Central Criminal Court on the thirteenth day of January, 1950, was convicted of murder and sentenced to death;

NOW KNOW YE that We in consideration of some circumstances humbly represented to Us, are Graciously pleased to extend Our Grace and Mercy and to grant him Our Free Pardon in respect of the said conviction; and We do hereby command all Justices and others whom it may concern that they take due notice hereof; And for so doing this shall be a sufficient Warrant.

Given at Our Court at St James’s the 18th day of October, 1966, in the -- year of Our reign.

(signed: Roy Jenkins).

BY HER MAJESTY’S COMMAND”

Above - a copy of Christie’s certificate of birth indicating that he was born on 8 April 1899 not 1898 as was and is often reported, even by sources where accuracy might be expected. The birth was registered on 19 May 1899 by his mother. The place of birth was the family home at Black Boy House, Turner Lane, Shibden, near Halifax in West Yorkshire, England.

Having been born on 8 April 1899 and put to death by hanging on 15 July 1953, it is apparent that Christie’s age at the time of his death was 54 years and not 55 as is almost universally reported, even in official documents (see below).

Above - in a bizarre twist, the deaths of both Christie himself and that of his wife, Ethel, are recorded in the same volume of the register of deaths for the months July, August and September 1953. Although it is known that Ethel died at the hands of her husband on 14 December 1952, her mortal remains were not discovered until 25 March 1953 when the house at 10 Rillington Place was effectively dismantled by police. The registration district was the then Royal Borough of Kensington. The registration may have been further delayed by the extensive forensic pathology procedures and legal proceedings in hand at the time. Christie’s own death was, of course, by hanging on 15 July 1953 at H M Prison Pentonville which is in the London Borough of Islington. As noted above, Christie will have been aged 54 not 55 at the time of his death.