The story of Charles Drew who murdered his father

Whilst on a visit to the UK, Liz and I as usual toured Suffolk and afterwards went to stay with a cousin of hers, John Nunn and his wife Sylvia, who lived in Long Melford, Suffolk.  As my Drew ancestors came from there I thought that it would be interesting to visit the beautiful Holy Trinity Church (which was completed in 1484) in Long Melford, to see where they worshipped and got married etc.   During our visit there we were lucky enough to meet the Church guide and local historian who gave us a thorough tour of several areas not usually accessible to the public such as the Lady Chapel and others which were very old, having decorated painted walls and around which were wide strips had Latin prayers on them.  One such room was dedicated for the use of an acolyte who lived in a little room rather like a cell and was there to say continual prayers for the local Lord of the Manor and his family. He was not allowed out of this room and meals were passed through a small trapdoor cut in the wall.   A medium sized hole had been cut in one wall giving a direct view of the main altar in the church so that the acolyte could say Mass at exactly the same time as the priest but ensuring that the Lord and his family did not have to mix with the locals. His main job apparently was to continually say prayers to ensure that the Lord and his family remained healthy, wealthy and close to God.   When I mentioned to the guide that I had Drew ancestors who lived in Long Melford, he laughed and said “come and look at this”. This church, as with many of the older churches, had headstones laid in the floor of the nave. There were two headstones each side by side labelled Charles Drew with the date of death only a few months apart.  I remarked that that must have been sad for the family and he replied ”There lies a sad story” Needless to say my curiosity was aroused and I asked him for some details which he proceed to relate.  Intrigued, I decided to follow up the story when I got home and try to obtain further details on what had happened.  I found it quite absorbing and I hope that you do as well. The elder Charles Drew was a cousin to one of our ancestors. The story below is written in the vernacular of the day.  More research is needed to find out more about the family especially names of the wife and daughters of Charles Drew Snr.

Charles Drew: Parricide, executed at St. Edmundsbury, 9^th April,1740

This how the story developed:-

 January 31st 1740     Last week Charles John Drew, an attorney at law who has acquired a considerable estate was murdered in his house at Long Melford in Suffolk.  Mr Drew besides his usual house had another about a half mile distant in the principal street of the town and that he made use of that house as his office in which he sometimes lodged.  Apparently he was of so unaccountable disposition, that he wholly neglected his son’s education, having quarrelled with and lived separate from his wife.  There were five daughters and the unhappy son who murdered him, and to all he appears to have conducted himself with the most culpable reserve and unfriendliness. (Local stories tell that Charles Drew Snr. lived upstairs in the main house with his mistress whilst his wife and children lived on the lower floor.   Sometimes, however he would deign to come down to have dinner with his children).  When Charles Jnr. arrived at his years of maturity, he came acquainted with one Elizabeth Boyer (Housekeeper at Liston Hall), who submitted to his solicitations, but she was a woman of so much art, that most people thought that he would marry her; and, when she urged him to it, he said, ”Betsy, let us stay a little longer; it will be worse if I do it now, for my father will certainly disinherit me”: to which she replied,”  I wish somebody would shoot the old dog”.  This discourse was heard to pass between them late January,1740, and Mr Drew was found murdered in his house on the 1^st February following.  On inquiry into the affair, it was suspected that Mr Drew was shot with a gun which had been lent to him by Mrs. Boyer; and though no prosecution was commenced against her, there was every reason to imagine that she had been the chief instigator of the atrocious crime.

Charles Jnr. who having been to the Chelmsford assizes, fell into company with some smugglers, amongst whom  was Humphreys, a hardened villain, whom he invited to meet him at Mrs Boyer’s residence. They accordingly met; when Drew promised to settle two hundred pounds a year on him if he would murder the father; and gave him likewise at the time a considerable sum of money.  Humphreys hesitated for some time; but, but at length consenting to the horrid proposal.  They went together to the house, having a gun loaded with slugs, at about eleven at night on the 31^st January.  It was agreed that young Drew should stand at a distance, while Humphreys was to knock at the door, ask for the old man, and then shoot him.; but Humphreys courage failing him when came near the spot, he threw the gun down, saying he would have no concern in the murder.  On this young Drew commanded him to keep silence on the pain of death, and taking up the gun, went the door, and when his father opened it, shot him dead on the spot.  Having committed this horrid patricide, he said to Humphreys,” The job is done”; on which Humphreys left and went to Dunmow, in Essex, where he had an appointment to meet some smugglers that night, and after that he travelled down to London.

Mr Drew’s servant got up a little before daylight and found the door next the street open and his master lying dead nearby within the house.  His coat was very much singed and three  large irregular pieces of lead (which did not seem to be cast into bullets) were found in his body and three more on the floor which had gone through him, from where the body laid it was supposed that the villain was not concealed in the house but that he had knocked on the door and as soon as Mr Drew opened it had shot him.  In the London Gazette dated February 12^th, 1740 it stated “His Majesty for the better discovering and bringing to justice the person or  persons concerned, is pleased to promise his most gracious pardon to anyone of them who shall discover who actually committed the murder, so that they be apprehended.

Humphrey being apprehended on suspicion, gave such an indifferent account of the transaction that he was ordered to be kept in custody.  By now Drew resided in London, where he changed his name to Roberts, and corresponded with Humphreys who had assumed the name of John Smith.  Some letters falling into the hands of Timothy Drew Esq. a namesake only, went to London to find the murderer.  He went to several bagnios and at length to a house in Leister Fields where he inquired for a Mr Roberts in a loud voice in such an authoritative voice that a waiter confessed that he was in the house.  When they searched his room they found that the bed was still warm, his sword and clothes upon it and the window opened to allow him to escape.  Apparently he had donned women’s clothing to disguise himself, however he was rapidly apprehended.  He was conducted to the mansion of Justice de Veil; and after an examination of above six hours was committed to Newgate Prison under a strong guard.  On Tuesday March 22^nd Charles Drew endeavoured to corrupt   the turnkey, a Jonathon Keate, at Newgate by giving him a bond of one thousand pounds and engaging to give up his estate if he would let him escape from Newgate Prison and that he could go over to France with him. Jonathon immediately carried the bond to Mr Ackerman the head keeper who searched Drew to see if he had any weapons and condemned him to the hole and placed two men to guard him day and night and to cut his victuals for him, he not being allowed edged tools.

On March 29^th 1740 Charles Drew received the death sentence after a five hour trial with many witnesses being called.  After his conviction he attributed it to his father’s treatment of him and that his father denied him necessary money for his expenses.  During his lifetime he had lead a libertine lifestyle and had accrued substantial gambling debts and owed money to money lenders against his inheritance.  He was hanged near Bury St Edmunds on the 9^th April 1740 amidst the greatest crowd of spectators that were almost ever assembled on such a melancholy occasion in that part of the country.  ( It is unusual that a convicted murderer should have his Headstone within the church precincts.) 

His mother and sisters were left in dire financial straights after these events and were required  to petition King George who was graciously pleased to release money from the forfeited estates computed at fifty or sixty thousand pounds (a large sum of money in those days and it’s equivalent today would be in the millions)

To make this little story a bit more relevant, please Google "Liston Hall" and "Long Melford, Suffolk".

References:   “Gentleman’s Magazine 1740”, “Ipswich Journal newspaper archives” and  “The Newgate Calendar”.

John Martin

Family Archivist                                                                                                                                      Tweed Heads

15^th July 2013