View
229
Download
3
Category
Preview:
Citation preview
Castleton and Its Old
Inhabitants.
Chapter 2. The Murders at the
Peveril Café 1945.
The Peveril Café stood near the
entrance to Peveril Castle. On the
night of Thursday 4th October 1945,
a soldier was lodging there; he was
completely unaware that a woman
and her little boy were lying dead in
the cellar.
Left, above and below; the Peveril Café was
formerly the Peveril Hotel and before that, the
Ship Inn. The Café was well known to visitors and
also took lodgers. Images reproduced courtesy of
CHS.
Above; Dundee Courier 8th October 1945. Image © D.C.Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of THE
BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19451008/038/0003
Above; signs for the Peveril Café with Castleton Silver Band
in foreground. Image reproduced courtesy of CHS.
At the beginning of October 1945, 20 year old Joyce Bock was looking after the cafe whilst
her mother, Jean Breeze, the proprietress, took a short break in Brighton.
Harry Jarvis, from Sheffield, was an apprentice who also worked at the Peveril Cafe as a
waiter.
Joyce (right) was
looking forward to
joining her husband
Ladislav Bock (left) in
Czechoslovakia with
their little son Peter
Hugo (below) aged 16
months. Ladislav had
served in the Czech
Air Force in Britain
during the war.
When Jean Breeze returned from Brighton on the
evening of Friday 5th October, she found the cafe
deserted. Neighbours thought an accident had
happened in the house the previous day; Joyce had
apparently been seen running to the doctor’s
surgery with Peter, his face covered in blood.
They had not been seen since.
Above left, right and below; Ladislav, Joyce and Peter Bock. Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 12th October 1945 Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/view
er/bl/0000541/19451012/095/0005
After making local enquiries and finding that Joyce had never been to the surgery, Mrs
Breeze called the police and the cafe was searched.
The bodies of Joyce and Peter were found in the cellar just after midnight.
The Crime Scene. Initial reports suggested that both victims had been strangled and the
bodies tied together with flex. This was soon proved to be inaccurate.
Joyce had been shot through the head. Peter had been strangled.
Medical opinion at the scene was that both Joyce and Peter had died around 10 hours
earlier.
A revolver had been found in a bedroom drawer; the chamber had one spent cartridge. This
revolver had been seen in Harry Jarvis’s possession the previous summer. Joyce’s purse was
missing along with jewellery and other valuables.
Left; Lancashire Evening Post – Tuesday 30th October 1945. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/
bl/0000711/19451030/019/0001
Right; Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald - Friday 12th October 1945 Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.
uk/viewer/bl/0000541/19451012/095/0
005
Left; Aberdeen Journal 8th October 1945. Image © DC Thomson & Co. Ltd. Image created courtesy of The British Library Board.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.c
o.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19451008/03
1/0003
Above; Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald – Friday 12th October 1945. Image © Johnston Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000541/19451012/095/0005
Derbyshire police reported that they were looking for a man who could help them with their enquiries. On Sunday 7th October, Harry Jarvis gave himself up to the police in London.
Jarvis, aged 20, of medium height and slight build, appeared at Chapel-en-le-Frith on 30th October charged with both murders.
It was alleged that he had shot Joyce through the back of her head and then hanged her son. He pleaded “Not Guilty” to the charges.
Court Evidence. On Thursday morning, Joyce and Peter had been alone in the house with
Jarvis. Just after midday, neighbour William Holland called to see Thomas Jones, a soldier
who was lodging at the café, but he was out. Mr Holland called again an hour later.
Jarvis had been standing near the fire looking pale and agitated; he had been sweating and
breathing heavily. Jarvis told him that Joyce had taken Peter to the doctors after hurting his
nose falling off his chair.
Above; Derby Daily Telegraph 8th October 1945. Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19451008/057/0008
Around 1.40 pm Jarvis had gone to the Post Office with
a letter addressed overseas in Joyce’s handwriting. By
handing it over at the counter instead of putting it in
the post-box, it was alleged that Jarvis was trying to
provide himself with a witness, the Post Master, to
show that he was away from the café at that time.
Mr Jones returned to the café around this time but found no one there. He slept there
overnight but by morning Joyce had still not returned. He could find no clue to her
whereabouts.
Mrs Breeze returned from Brighton later that day; Mr Jones told her what had happened,
and after making enquiries, she called the police. The café was searched; traces of blood
were found in the pantry. Access to the cellar was gained from here and the bodies
discovered.
Jarvis’s story. Jarvis and Joyce had been discussing the BBC Radio series, “Appointment with
Fear”. He had wanted to have a joke with Joyce and had gone behind her asking, “What
would you do if somebody stuck a gun in your neck like this?” He put the revolver in the
back of her neck; she had moved and the gun had gone off. Joyce had fallen to the floor. He
didn’t remember much after this, but thought Peter was asleep in his pram at this time. The
next thing Jarvis could remember was walking past Hope Church; he claimed he knew
nothing about Peter being dead. On
hearing of the little boy’s death,
Jarvis had given himself up to the
police.
Left; Post Master Mr Richard
Gill; he gave evidence at the
trial. Image reproduced
courtesy of Mr Christopher
Gill.
Left; Yorkshire Post and
Leeds Intelligencer –
Wednesday 31st October
1945. Image © Johnston
Press plc. Image created
courtesy of THE BRITISH
LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnews
paperarchive.co.uk/view
er/bl/0000687/19451031
/164/0006
Left; Yorkshire Post and Leeds
Intelligencer – Wednesday 31st
October 1945. Image © Johnston
Press plc. Image created courtesy
of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchi
ve.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/1945
1031/164/0006
Medical Evidence. A bullet had entered the
back of Joyce’s head and come out from her
forehead. Peter had died from asphyxia due to
hanging. He also had bruises on the back of his
head; it was stated these could have been
caused by someone striking him, his own
struggles, or by someone holding him by his
face and dashing his head against the beam
from which he was hanging.
Motive. Robbery was suggested as the motive for the crime; Jarvis was accused of trying to
sell Joyce’s jewellery and her other valuables. He was short of money and had wanted to go
to London to see a married woman with whom he was on intimate terms; she had formerly
been a waitress at the café. She had withdrawn money from her savings and lent Jarvis £20.
A history of mental illness. Jarvis had been a patient in a Sheffield mental hospital in 1942
and 1943. During this time, the medical superintendent said a patient with a condition such
as Jarvis had been suffering from, would still
know the difference between right and wrong.
His father had thought he should be taken into a
mental hospital after he had been violent
towards his mother. It was agreed that some
forms of insanity began in adolescence and can
sometimes manifest in acts of violence.
However, as the bodies had been hidden in the
cellar, it appeared that the crime was being
covered up; therefore the person had known
they had done wrong.
Right; Western Daily Press –
Wednesday 31st October 1945. Image
© Local World Limited. Image created
courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY
BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.
co.uk/viewer/bl/0000513/19451031/0
45/0004
Left; Derby Daily Telegraph Wednesday 14th
November 1945. Image © Local World Limited.
Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH
LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/vie
wer/bl/0000521/19451114/011/0002
The Verdict. The Defence asked the jury to return a verdict of “Guilty but insane”, on the
grounds that Jarvis was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the crime. The jury
simply found Jarvis guilty; however they added a recommendation of mercy in view of his
young age. He was sentenced to death by Mr Justice Denning. His execution, by hanging,
was fixed for 4th December 1945 at Strangeways Gaol, Manchester.
A medical enquiry ordered by the Home Secretary later
certified Jarvis to be insane. He was to be held under Section
2 (4) of the Criminal Lunatics Act 1884, and he was removed
to Broadmoor Asylum.
Above; Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald – Friday 16th November 1945. Image © Johnston
Press plc. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000541/19451116/013/0001
Right; Derby Daily
Telegraph Wednesday
21st November 1945.
Image © Local World
Limited. Image
created courtesy of
THE BRITISH LIBRARY
BOARD.
http://www.britishne
wspaperarchive.co.uk/
viewer/bl/0000521/19
451121/046/0005
Left; Western Morning News – Saturday 1st December 1945. Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.
http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/000032
9/19451201/053/0003
Joyce and Peter are buried together in St.
Edmund’s Churchyard.
Their grave is located to the right of the side
entrance from Castle Street.
The inscription on their grave reads; In Loving
Memory of my Dearest Wife (Beloved
daughter of J.E. Breeze) Joyce May Bock, aged
20 years and baby son Peter Hugo, who died
together October 4th 1945.
Bibliography.
Aberdeen Journal, Derby Daily Telegraph, Western Daily Press, Dundee Courier Monday 8th October
1945.
Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald Friday 12th October 1945.
Lancashire Evening Post, The Evening Telegraph, Derby Daily Telegraph 30th October 1945.
Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer, Western Daily Press 31st October 1945.
Derby Daily Telegraph and Evening Telegraph, Gloucester Echo November 13th 1945.
Above; Castleton Burial Register entries for Joyce and Peter Bock. Image reproduced
courtesy of Reverends Ian Davis and Josephine Barnes. (Current in-use Register)
Right; Joyce and Peter Bock’s grave.
Derby Daily Telegraph 14th November 1945.
Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald 16th November 1945.
Derby Daily Telegraph 21st November 1945.
Western Morning News, Derby Daily Telegraph 1st December 1945.
All the above newspapers are from The British Newspaper Archive.
Acknowledgements.
Thanks to Guy and Moira Browse for information regarding their former home. Thanks also
to the Castleton Historical Society for permission to reproduce our photographs and the
Reverends Ian Davis and Josephine Barnes for permission to reproduce the image from
Castleton Burial Register. My thanks to Christopher Gill for permission to reproduce his
family photograph of Post Master Richard Gill. Newspaper images are reproduced with the
kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive; www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk
Sometimes the original sources of old images have been lost and cannot be traced; if this is
the case with any used in this history then please contact our Society, so, where
appropriate, correct acknowledgements can be given. Thanks also to Val and Ian Burgess for
their assistance with getting this history onto the CHS website.
Kay Harrison August 2014.
Recommended