Bordon Murder - William Hall & Abraham ‘Jack’ Goldenberg

 Bordon, Hampshire, is 5 miles southeast of Alton. Unlike its neighbouring towns, Petersfield, Farnham, and Alton, Bordon isn’t a market town. It was developed as a military area, with many of its facilities found near the A325, the former toll road that connected Farnham to the bypass.

In 1899, the Highland Light Infantry laid out Bordon Camp, directed by the Royal Engineers, following the interruption by the Second Boer War.  By 1903, the first occupants of Quebec Barracks were the Somersetshire Light Infantry, returning from South Africa followed by the Devonshire Regiment, during both World Wars the Canadian Army.

April 1924, Lloyds Banks, Bordon, was the site of a murder.

William Hall

On the afternoon, of 3^rd April, William Hall failed to catch the bus after the close of business that day.  28-year-old William Hall was the manager of the Lloyds Bank.  His friend, who was also a manager of the Midland Bank, returned to Lloyds and peered through the window, where he saw his friend’s body lying in a pool of blood behind the counter.  It appeared that William had been shot. Over £1000 in notes and coins had been stolen.

Abraham ‘Jack’ Goldenberg

Inquiries were made at the nearby camp, St. Lucia Barracks, which was served by the bank.  The 2^nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment was resident at the barracks at that time.  Several interviews were carried out, however, only one name stood out as the likely suspect, 18-year-old Lance Corporal Abraham ‘Jack’ Goldenberg. 

Abraham’s name was given as one soldier who carried out business that afternoon in the bank.  When interviewed by the police, Abraham, admitted that at quarter to two, he cashed a cheque at the bank and that he was the only customer. 

The police knew that Abraham needed the money as three weeks prior he had seen the Camp Commander and asked for a discharge, to marry his girlfriend and take up new employment as a clerk.  He was told that if he could secure £35 for his release from otherwise, he would see the rest of his time out.

8^th April, Abraham left the camp to post a letter to his girlfriend, on his return, he was spotted by the Sergeant Major, who ordered the bandsman to follow Abraham.  Abraham entered the latrine, where he reached up to retrieve a package from the rafters.

The bandsman noticed unnoticed that Abraham pulled out a handful of notes. Slipping out the bandsman reported his findings to the Sergeant Major. Abraham was caught red-handed in possession of stolen money and placed in the guard room. Faced with the evidence Abraham admitted to the killing of the bank manager.

Abraham was tried at Winchester Assizes on the 19^th of June before Mr Justice Bailhache, where he pleaded insanity.  The prosecution's case was that the murder had been deliberate, and he planned to steal the money to marry his girlfriend.

Mr Justice Bailhache

The defence, however, called a Harley Street neurologist, who claimed that Abraham suffered from a mental condition called “Dementia Praecox”, a condition that that person is incapable of judging the nature of what actions he commits.

Abraham ‘Jack’ Goldenberg was found guilty of the murder and was sentenced to death, his execution was carried out at Winchester Prison by Thomas Pierrepoint and William Willis.

So, who were William Hall and Abraham Goldenberg?

William Edward Hall born 1895, was the son of Griffin Jenkin Hall and Mary Elizabeth Lily Jones, who were married at Llanridian, on 3^rd August 1892. 

Griffin Jenkin Hall and Mary Elizabeth Lily Jones
marriage certificate
Llanridian

1901 Census

Griffin Jenkin was American-born where he was born in Illinois.  At the time of the 1901 Census, the family was living at 122 Bryn Road.  Griffin, 30, was “Living Own Means”. Mary, 34, and children, James Griffith, 7; William Edward, 6 and Bernard, 4. Employed by the family was a 20-year-old servant, Rhoda Evelyn Vichot.

1911 Census

A decade later, 1911 Census, 16-year-old William Edward, was a pupil at Queens College, Public School, Trull, Taunton.

William Edward Hall and Letty Gladys Harries
marriage certificate
St. James Church

1920, following the First World War, when William served with the Royal Navy and saw action at the Battle of Jutland, William married Letty Gladys Harries at St. James church.

1921 Census

By the time of the 1921 Census, William and Letty were residing at 38 Castle Street, Farnham, where his occupation is recorded as Bank Clerk, employed by Lloyds Bank Limited. Their daughter, Kathleen Gladys was born that year.

Following his murder numerous newspapers recorded the acts of Abraham ‘Jack’ Goldenberg.

The South Wales Daily Post 

William was buried at Oystermouth Cemetery.

The South Wales Daily Post 

Abraham Goldenberg, The South Wales Daily Post reports in edition 9^th April 1924, had connections with Swansea.  His father had a picture frame business on St. Helens Road, whilst his brother, Woolf, had a similar business in both Swansea and Neath Markets.

Whilst his father, leave for Manchester, Woolf, carried on his business in the area.  Both Abraham and William Hall attended St. Helens school, during different years.

Before the murder, Abraham had enlisted into the army two years earlier.