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John Christie, 10 Rillington Place Notting Hill
To: editor@myvillage.co.uk
Sent: Wed 9/17/03 11:23 AM
Subject: John Reginald Halliday Christie
Dear Editor
I have just come across emails and letters sent to you around 2001 regarding mass murderer John Christie, and one in particular I am interested in is from Steve Delves who is Christie's great nephew. I'm Christie's great niece - and granddaughter of Percy (John's brother) to whom he makes a reference to in the letter/email he sent you. I was extremely interested in what I read. My father (Percy's son-in-law) was a Fleet Street journalist living in Watford at the time of the trial and execution. During this terrible time for the family my grandparents (Percy and Ethel) stayed with my parents in Watford to escape the media attention they were enduring in Halifax. I would very much like to make contact with Steve Delves is who presumably a second cousin (or something similar !!) of mine. There are cousins I can introduce him to who recall the events well, and also to my mother (Margaret nee Christie) who is alive and well at the age of 83 and recalls visiting the Christies at Rillington Place whilst she was living in London before her marriage to my father. Please do pass on my email address allsopcf@aol.com to Steve Delves. Your co-operation would be much appreciated. Christine Allsop
This letter was emailed to MyNottingHill in response to questions asked by John Christie's great-nephew (letter below).
Dear editor:
"On your site MyNottingHill I came across the letter mailed to you on 17 Jan 2001 by Steve Delves (below) (great nephew of the Notting Hill killer John Christie). To this I have some additions (a little belated) which may be of help:
"The pub Steve is decribing must be the Kensington Park ("KPH") located on the corner of Lancaster Road and Ladbroke Grove. Apart from the Notting Hill Police Station and the Notting Hill library, the "KPH" is the only building left in the area which appears almost unchanged from Christie's days, although it was more often frequented by Timothy Evans than by Christie. (Christie seems to have favoured the Elgin Hotel on Ladbroke Grove (does this still exist?).
"The Kensington Park is of interest because it's build in the same style as the mews type of houses that formed Rillington Place. (By the way, it would be nice to have a page on the site listing all Notting Hill pubs, or are there too many?).
"All available information on Christie's family history and background can be found in "Trials of T.J. Evans & J.R.H. Christie" by F. Tennyson Jesse (1957) and more easily in Ludovic Kennedy's famous book "Ten Rillington Place". The exact location of the address 10 Rillington Place can be found on your message board (posted by 'Scrabble' - I tried to contact this sender several times but got no reply).
"There still remains a connection with the street name Bartle Road and Christie: Christie's wife Ethel had a sister who's married name was Lily Bartle! There are still true crime collectors around who circulate personal items, such as letters etc., once owned by Christie and his wife.
"Last year a bath of such items, including several autographed items by Chistie, some postcards and letters, were put for auction on E-bay.
Best wishes and good luck.
It's always nice to visit Notting Hill, and you don't need to bump into Hugh Grant." Robert van Estrik Arnhem - The Netherlands
A gentleman by the name of Steve Delves recently contacted My Village, he had been surfing around the site when he came across our Notting Hill Revealed Series, but more specifically the article about John Christie - The Notting Hill Serial Killer.
Mr Delves is actually Christies great nephew and this is what he had to say...
From: "Steve Delves"
To: editor@myvillage.co.uk
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 12:38 PM
Subject: Halliday-Christie
"Read your pages with interest. Are you able to provide me with details of any local historians or groups who may have documents photographs or other mementos relating to this man? I am Christie's great nephew.
I know little more than is available in the public domain. I am aware that my grandparents (my grandmother being Christie's sister) lived in denial of Christie's crimes, trial and subsequent execution.
I know Christie had a brother, Percy, who was a Lloyd's Bank manager in Leeds and I can vaguely recall seeing him when he visited us when I was a small child. I believe Percy, like his father Ernest (Earnest?) was quite a dominant character and usually got his way. Ernest was involved with the St John's Ambulance and I have his medal which I believe is made of silver and gold. It was seen by Christie's in South Kensington who placed little value upon it. I also have a rose bowl which was presented the Ernest Christie July 14th 1923.
There is actually a Halliday-Christie listed on the voter's roll and this is Christie's niece although she was not actually born Halliday-Christie . I have spoken with her which was very interesting particularly as she was unaware that any family was living. However, she is an elderly lady and it is inappropriate that she should be contacted by anyone other than friends or family.
When I was in London several years ago I did have a wonder round the area where Rillington Place would have stood (Rushton / Rusden Mews?). There is a church with a spire nearby and some flats called Barlow House (?). There I met a lady whom I believe was called Ada Wood and she knew Christie when she, too, was a Rillington Place resident. She said he seemed to be quiet but a gentleman and generous too. She told a story of a child who had died following a fall. A collection was made and whereas most people contributed about sixpence (2.5p) Christie gave half a crown.
Whilst in the area I also called into a pub quite close to the railway station (I seem to remember the line crossing over the road - does that sound right?). I don't know the name of the pub but, as I say, it was quite close to the station and on a corner. It was quite old fashioned with the bar in the middle with the stairs leading up by the side of the bar - it's probably full of plastic plants selling plastic beer now! In this pub I got chatting to an old timer who didn't actually know him but was aware of him. He told me that Christie was quite a good sketch artist and that some of his sketches were hung on local walls.
I believe great uncle Reggie is hanging with some regularity a Mme Tussaud's each day though I haven't seen this - some years ago I did see the old display they had with him pasting wallpaper. I expect that one day I'll get to see it which will be one for the photo album.
If you come up with any information that might be interesting I'd be delighted to hear from you."
S J Delves
From: john eddowes [mailto:john.eddowes@btconnect.com]
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 1:19 PM
To: editor@myvillage.co.uk
Subject: christie
Info for Steve Delves on Christie: Christie was almost certainly innocent of the murders of Beryl and Geraldine Evans. Tim Evans was a violent man diagnosed as a psychopath by the prison doctor, who always thought he was guilty, even after he interviewed Christie. Christie was more the hopeless, sensitive, inadequate, than the psychopathic type. The story of him giving the half-crown is fairly typical. My book The Two Killers of Rillington Place shows the evidence against Evans in hitherto unknown detail. Maybe Mr Delves would like to call me on 0207 223 0251?
From: Marcus Tustin [mailto:marcus.tustin@btopenworld.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 20, 2003 8:18 PM
To: editor@myvillage.co.uk
Subject: 10 Rillington Place
I see that someone mentioned that they tried to contact me... (Scrabble). I can be contacted at Scrabble@btinternet.com, should he still wish to do so.
Thanks! Hans Hoekveld (Scrabble is the name of my dog) Battersea
If anyone has information that they feel will be of interest to Steve please send an e-mail to:
editor@myvillage.co.uk
See the message board for ongoing 'Christie' debates.
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