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He was born c.1877, possibly in Suffolk, and had 13 brothers and sisters. Prior to the ABW he had served in the Royal Field Artillery, deserted, and joined the Navy. He rejoined the army and served in the war, was shot in the leg with a mauser bullet, and then invalided home. Upon recovering from his wound, he deserted again, was caught, sentenced to 6 weeks' imprisonment, following which he was discharged.


A terrible love tragedy was enacted at Dalston, London, early this morning, when Miss Florrie Collins, the daughter of a grocer, was attacked while asleep in bed by a man, named Thirkettle, her former sweetheart.

The man, who had evidently secreted himself in the back of the premises last night, forced his way into the house about half-past two, by breaking a window. He left his coat, razor case, and hat downstairs, and went upstairs to the back bedroom, where the girl was sleeping. She was awakened by finding the man She got out of bed, but fell to the floor at once, and died directly afterwards from loss of blood. Thirkettle made no special endeavours to keep his movements secret, for the girl's father and mother heard him rushing upstairs. They heard their daughter scream, but were unable to do anything to save her.

When the bedroom door was opened the girl was lying dead on the floor, and Thirkettle was lying bleeding from a wound in the throat.

Thirkettle, who served in the Boer war, had been engaged to the girl for a long time, but owing to his jealousy she terminated the engagement last Wednesday.
Evening Express, Monday 25th July 1904

Thirkettle, aged 27, was sentenced to death for murder, but was reprieved. www.blackkalendar.nl/content.php?key=313...20Brown%20Thirkettle

Here is the transcription of the trial - www.oldbaileyonline.org/browse.jsp?foo=b...ml&div=t19041017-758

George Brown Thirkettle, the Dalston murderer, has been respited, with a view to the sentence being commuted to penal servitude for life. Thirkettle was sentenced to death at the Old Bailey for the murder of his sweetheart. He broke into her parents' house in the night, and attacked the girl in bed, inflicting mortal wounds. He then cut his throat, and was in hospital for several weeks.
Tarian Y Gweithiwr, Thursday 10th November 1904

Good grief! That's quite a story.

djb wrote: Good grief! That's quite a story.

There were certainly some rascals serving in the army and navy then.