Hannah Moore

Hannah Moore was found dead in her cottage.

Her son was charged with her murder but he was discharged by the Consett magistrates who said that there was not sufficient evidence to commit him for trial.

Hannah Moore's granddaughter said that earlier in the day of her murder she had seen Hannah Moore talking to two strange young men but didn't hear what they were saying. However, she did say that she spoke to them as she left saying that they asked her when the bus for Durham left.

Nothing was heard by the neighbours in the way of a struggle nor did they hear the dog that was in her house raise any alarm.

When her body was found a blood-stained hatchet and razor were found in one of the rooms.

Hannah Moore shared her house with her 44-year-old son which was at the crossroads in the village.

She was last seen by her neighbours at 6pm on the Saturday night whilst her son was seen to take the motor omnibus for Durham at 4.45pm. A short while later her granddaughter who lived with her parents in the house next door also left to go to a picture house followed by a dance at Esh Winning.

The omnibus passed the house door every half hour.

The alarm was raised by her son between 10pm and 11pm. he had been in Durham until 9.45pm and had returned via Langley Park by bus and had then walked the remaining distance getting home at 10.20pm.

He called for the police who arrived quickly and he told them that when he had got back he had had difficulty getting into the house through the only door. He said that he thought that the dog was up against the door making it difficult to open but he found out that it was the body of Hannah Moore which was lying in the passage.

Hannah Moore was lying with her feet towards the back door and her head towards the kitchen door in a pool of blood

A doctor who examined her said that her head had been battered in and that she had a wound to her throat. It was said that she had lacerations on her hand which indicated that her hand had been struck whilst she had her hand on the catch and was trying to get out of the house. A cut to her throat extended to behind her right ear and went down to the bone.

The walls and ceiling were besplattered with blood.

Her granddaughter said that £2 was missing from the drawer in the front bedroom.

There were no signs of a forced entry either by the windows or doors and the only evidence of a struggle was in the passage between the back door and the pantry.

The son was soon arrested but later discharged.

Hannah Moore owned the property which consisted of two small houses and a cottage and had come from Witton Gilbert about fifteen years earlier. Her husband had been dead himself for 17 years.