ARTHUR BIRKETT - A SAD CASE OF "IF I CAN'T HAVE HER NOBODY WILL."
22 year old Arthur Birkett was a weaver at Jubilee Mill in Gate Street, Blackburn, Lancs. He had fallen head over heels in love with a co-worker, 18 year old Alice Beetham. The relationship lasted just five weeks until Alice ended it on the 16th of May 1912. Birkett was heart broken and consumed with jealousy.
Both went to work as normal on the morning of Monday the 20th of May in the weft room of the mill. Birkett tried to talk to Alice but she ignored him and began to walk away. He ran after and grabbed round the neck. To the horror of other employees Birkett had cut her throat with a shaving razor he had recently bought.
He then turned it on himself and inflicted two wounds on his neck, collapsing beside Alice. The other workers tried to give first aid to both but Alice died almost immediately, the cut having severed her neck down to the spine. Birkett was taken in a cart to Blackburn Royal Infirmary where he recovered and was charged with the murder.
Birkett’s trial took place at Manchester on the 5th of July 1912, before Mr. Justice Bucknill. Several of the Mill’s workers gave eye-witness testimony and Birkett was convicted and sentenced to be hanged by the neck until he was dead. He was so overcome he had to be carried from the dock. Birkett did not appeal.
Although there was no question of guilt there was considerable public sympathy for Birkett and two petitions were got up for a reprieve and were presented to the Home Secretary by Blackburn’s two MP’s, Mr. Phillip Snowden and Sir Henry Norman.
One of these was even signed by Alice’s mother, who went to visit him in the condemned cell at Strangeways and told him that she had forgiven him.
Birkett wrote a moving letter to his family shortly before his execution. He told them that “he was glad that he was going (to die) as he couldn't bear to live now that Alice had gone.” On Saturday the 20th it was announced that there would be no reprieve.
Birkett rose early on the Tuesday morning and donned the blue serge suit he had worn at trial. He thanked the death watch warders for their kindness to him and looked repeatedly at a photograph of Alice.
Just before 8 o’clock he was pinioned by Ellis and the procession formed up led by the chaplain, the Rev. R. D. Cruickshank, followed by Birkett between two warders, with Mr. Arthur Ratcliffe-Ellis, the under-sheriff, Mr. J. O. Wilson, the governor and Dr, John Edwards, the prison doctor, bringing up the rear,
He was hanged by John Ellis and Albert Lumb at 8.00 a.m. on Tuesday the 23rd of July 1912. A crowd of some 700 had gathered outside the prison to see the death notices posted, many of them reported to be female. The formal inquest was held at 4.30 p.m.
A service conducted by the parish priest was held on the Tuesday morning at the Birkett family home in Riley Street, Blackburn. Among the attendees was Mrs. Beetham, Alice’s mother. The crowd outside the house sang “Nearer My God to Thee” and other hymns.
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