The most remarkable woman in England: Poison, celebrity and the trials of Beatrice Pace - Softcover

Carter Wood, John

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0719086183 ISBN 13: 9780719086182

Publisher: Manchester University Press, 2012

Synopsis

This book offers the first in-depth study of one of the most gripping trials of inter-war Britain, that of farmer’s wife Beatrice Pace for the arsenic murder of her husband. A riveting tale from the golden age of press sensationalism, the book offers insights into the era’s justice system, gender debates and celebrity culture. Based on extensive research, it locates the Pace saga in the vibrant world of 1920s press reporting and illuminates a forgotten chapter in the history of civil liberties by considering the debates the case raised about police powers and the legal system.

Spanning settings from the Paces’ lonely cottage in the Forest of Dean to the House of Commons and using sources ranging from meticulous detective reports to heartfelt admirers’ letters, The most remarkable woman in England combines serious scholarship with vivid storytelling to bring to life the extraordinary lives of ordinary people between the wars.

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About this title

About the Author

John Carter Wood is a researcher at the Leibniz Institute of European History in Mainz, Germany and a Visiting Research Fellow at The Open University

From the Back Cover

The most remarkable woman in England examines an extraordinary legal sensation of the inter-war years, the 1928 trial of Beatrice Pace for the arsenic murder of her husband. It recounts the case and analyses its place in 1920s Britain with regard to justice, celebrity culture and civil liberties.

Illuminating the workings of Britain's criminal justice system in the early twentieth century, this book traces the investigations by Scotland Yard detectives into the mysterious death of Harry Pace and the lengthy coroner's inquest and astonishing trial proceedings that followed. It also considers the dramatic reporting and emotional public reactions it generated. A poor woman from an isolated village, Beatrice was transformed into a household name when, although accused of a crime that might lead her to the gallows, she was also idealised as a wife and mother in newspaper stories that give insight into the gender debates of the 1920s. The public's response was startling, and letters sent by Beatrice's admirers provide a rare glimpse of the reading public in the past. But the case was more than a Fleet Street curiosity, it led to debates in Parliament about 'third-degree' police interrogations, overbearing coroners and the plight of poor defendants, allowing this book to bring to life a forgotten chapter in the history of British civil liberties.

Combining serious scholarship with vivid storytelling, The most remarkable woman in England will fascinate all those interested in the histories of criminal justice, celebrity culture and British society between the wars.

From the Inside Flap

The most remarkable woman in England examines an extraordinary legal sensation of the inter-war years, the 1928 trial of Beatrice Pace for the arsenic murder of her husband. It recounts the case and analyses its place in 1920s Britain with regard to justice, celebrity culture and civil liberties. Illuminating the workings of Britain s criminal justice system in the early twentieth century, this book traces the investigations by Scotland Yard detectives into the mysterious death of Harry Pace and the lengthy coroner s inquest and astonishing trial proceedings that followed. It also considers the dramatic reporting and emotional public reactions it generated. A poor woman from an isolated village, Beatrice was transformed into a household name when, although accused of a crime that might lead her to the gallows, she was also idealised as a wife and mother in newspaper stories that give insight into the gender debates of the 1920s. The public s response was startling, and letters sent by Beatrice s admirers provide a rare glimpse of the reading public in the past. But the case was more than a Fleet Street curiosity, it led to debates in Parliament about third-degree police interrogations, overbearing coroners and the plight of poor defendants, allowing this book to bring to life a forgotten chapter in the history of British civil liberties. Combining serious scholarship with vivid storytelling, The most remarkable woman in England will fascinate all those interested in the histories of criminal justice, celebrity culture and British society between the wars.

Edition details

• Publisher: Manchester University Press
• Publication date: 2012
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0719086183
• ISBN 13: 9780719086182
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 288