It was a full house for our January monthly meeting with 49 members present
Our president Jean Lewis opened the meeting welcoming two new members and encouraged us all to learn new skills in the New Year. An air of anticipation was building up as our 20th anniversary lunch in February is fast approaching and those of us who had not already bought tickets were told that today was our last chance to do so.
The Berkshire Federation at last gave a much deserved plaudit to Ruth Daniel for her win in the Golden Jubilee Cup with an article in the Berkshire News praising her many talents. Nominations for the new committee were invited as fresh blood would be welcome.
The Christmas meeting had proved popular as usual and over £300.00 pounds was made from the raffles.
' My sister Ruth Ellis' was the tile of the talk that followed and we fully expected to see an elderly woman but it transpired that the speaker was Monica Weller , a ghost writer of the book in collaberation with Ruth's sister Murial. Monica had certainly done her homework and had spent several years of meticulous research into this complex case. Most of us will have remembered the sensational case of Ruth Ellis who was convicted of the murder of her lover David Blakely and subsequently hanged. Ruth, a divorced mother of two, nightclub hostess and part time prostitute was convicted after an open and shut trial during which the defence lawyers had nothing to offer. Crucial evidence was withheld. The Smith and Weston service revolver used in the shooting was large gun and it would have been impossible for Ruth, who had small hands weakened by rheumatic fever, to hold the gun steady let alone shoot accurately at a target. Moreover no blood stains or oil from the gun were found on Ruth's person. Although she admitted her guilt Ruth had been known to lie.
She had had another wealthy lover, Desmond Cussen , the original owner of the gun who was a crack shot and it was he who had driven Ruth to the pub in Hampstead where the murder took place . Was it possible that he had pulled the trigger? Was there an establishment plot to eliminate Ruth because she knew too much about the famous and infamous people in her circle ?. She had been a friend of Stephen Ward who was probably a pimp as well as a double agent and had drawn Ruth into the world of espionage.
Our speaker had certainly uncovered a big picture of deceit, lies and dodgy names and addresses and we were left with the feeling that crucial defence evidence was withheld at the trial and no attempt was made to follow up subsequent information that may have aquitted Ruth. What an intriguing story-so much to speculate on. Our speaker left us to draw our own conclusions and urged us to read her book of which she had multiple copies with her and of course achieved many sales.
The meeting closed after some probing questions. At our next meeting on 1st Feb Edward Dixon will talk about postcards of the great war.
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