In February, I made a couple of trips to Lancaster as part of research for The Jigsaw Murders.
I was given a guided tour of the former Police Court in Lancaster Town Hall, where Dr Ruxton made his first court appearances in late 1935 as well as the former police station and cells directly below. It was here that Ruxton was questioned by Chief Constable Henry Vann of Lancaster Police and arrested and charged with murder.
I was also shown around Dr Ruxton’s home, 2 Dalton Square, which is directly opposite the Town Hall. The house is where Ruxton committed the murders and dismembered the bodies of Isabella and Mary.
Having grown up fascinated by the Ruxton case, I found it strange and eerie to see these places first-hand, and the experience left me with goose-pimples. I took many photos and I have shared one or two of them here. They are pictures for my own research purposes and are unlikely to appear in the book, but once The Jigsaw Murders is published next year (May 2021), will post a full gallery of them on here.
My dad was a journalist covering the Ruxton trial. I talked about it to Martin edwards who said he had in mind to use it in a novel
Hi Judie.
Many thanks for your comment and good to hear from you. That’s fascinating. Who was your dad and which paper was he working for?
I know Martin and we have chatted about Ruxton.
Kind regards, Jeremy.
Looking forward to reading your book.
Hi Suzanne. Thank you for your message and your interest. I will be posting news about the book’s publication on here, as well as any developments with the TV adaptation.
Kind regards,
Jeremy
Hello, my grandfather was a friend/colleague of Buck Ruxton and later a witness at his trial. He wrote me two long letters about the case. Would these be of interest to you?
Joanna
Hi Joanna,
Many thanks for your interest in the book and for getting in touch. Yes, I would love to see the letters. They sound fascinating. Would you be able to scan them and forward them? If so, you could send them to: j.craddock@mmu.ac.uk
It would be easier to communicate via email, too.
Again, I really appreciate your interest.
Kind regards,
Jeremy