I first read about this in Whittington Egans book 'Liverpool Shadows'.

Charles Greeney, 11, was found hanging in his kitchen in Edge Lane, whilst his parents were out.

The strange coincedence was that the house was also burgled that night, but none of the burglars were found guilty.As it didn't seem they had done it.

Any thoughts/ideas anyone?

Rose Heilbron defended the four accused and got them off on two counts - that the hanging was a experiment gone wrong as Charles has been reading a book about knots earlier and there were no signs of a struggle.

I can understand the knots argument but as to the struggle there wouldnt be one if all 4 simultaneously got hold of him to hang him. However, if they killed Charles to silence him over a burglary why go to the bother of constructing a noose? Better to bludgeon him to death surely?

My thoughts are that it was a tragic accident, the burglars had gone into the property knowing his parents were out (wrongly assuming nobody else would be home) and got the fright of their lives when they saw Charles hanging.

Just found a pic on tom slemens forum http://www.slemen.com

of the actual house- 62 Edge Lane

I'm SURE that's the house that I had a mooch around on the outside when I was taking snaps of the Edge Lane area. The side road is Dorothy Street as I parked up there.

I wanted to see if my car attracted any attention before I left it there for a while but as it's an Ex-police car, it wasn't touched :)

It's at the end of the block on the pic below.

I have another pic of the house....on the list to be demolished....

Not if Jona has anything to do with it....:celb (23):

I first read about this in Whittington Egans book 'Liverpool Shadows'.

Charles Greeney, 11, was found hanging in his kitchen in Edge Lane, whilst his parents were out.

The strange coincedence was that the house was also burgled that night, but none of the burglars were found guilty.As it didn't seem they had done it.

Any thoughts/ideas anyone?

A lot of hangings are sexual escapades gone wrong. The person can receive a sexual rush from restricting oxygen to the brain but sometimes the person is unable to get out of the noose before it kills them.

Chris

Is that Egan book the old 60's one?

A lot of hangings are sexual escapades gone wrong. The person can receive a sexual rush from restricting oxygen to the brain but sometimes the person is unable to get out of the noose before it kills them.

Chris

That's true.
Michael Hutchence out of INXS springs to mind, but surely that kind of activity wouldn't be known in those times, and not by an 11 year old.

Is that Egan book the old 60's one?

Hi Max

It sounds to me like a retread of Richard Whittington Egan's old writings but it is nevertheless described as a "new" book of 2002, viz (in a description on ABE books):

The Bluecoat Press. 2002. softcover ISBN: 1904438059, 2002. This book, and its companion volume 'Liverpool Echoes', represent unfinished business - Richard's last literary sojourn to the city he loves so well. In his own words, he 'wanted to scatter a few more feathers of memory.hence this book.' Belonging as he did, to Liverpool's wealthy elite, he enjoyed a perspective which was denied to the majority, and it is all the more fascinating for that. But despite moving in such elevated circles for much of his life, his interest and sympathies are with humanity in all its forms, and this comes across strongly in his work. 'Liverpool Shadows' contains heroes aplenty - from Dr. Duncan, the Plague Doctor, to the valiant escapees from the doomed submarine, 'Thetis' - but they are probably outnumbered by the villains: a veritable rogues' gallery from the vast underbelly of the city, as well as those whose crimes were once cloaked in respectability, such as the slave traders and slum landlords the book is a celebration of Liverpool's wonderful diversity and is a befitting swansong for one of Liverpool's greatest advocates. 190pp.

Chris

That's true.
Michael Hutchence out of INXS springs to mind, but surely that kind of activity wouldn't be known in those times, and not by an 11 year old.

Hello Philip

You might well be right. There is however a book on this phenomenon titled, Autoerotic Asphyxiation: Forensic, Medical, and Social Aspects (http://www.wheatmark.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1587366045&Category_Code=MED&Store_Code=BS) by Sergey Sheleg and Edwin Ehrlich (August 2006). The authors state:

'Adelson (1973) considered autoerotic fatalities 'a unique group of accidental hangings involving young boys between the ages nine and fourteen or fifteen.'"

Possibly we, the society at large, are largely ignorant of what some pre-teen and teenage boys know and do?

Chris

the actual house- 62 Edge Lane

My friend lived here a few years back:eek: Ive been a few parties there

oohhh any pics of the interior gnomie?

No sorry. i will ask him if he has any, he is living in Reading now.

oohhh any pics of the interior gnomie?

If I can find a way in there will be :)

cool!

Hi Max

It sounds to me like a retread of Richard Whittington Egan's old writings but it is nevertheless described as a "new" book of 2002, viz (in a description on ABE books):


Chris

Hi guys
The stories that are included in Liverpool Echoes and Liverpool Shadows are not in any of Whittington Egans 1960's books.
I think, personally, that they are probably stories he maybe had written earlier but only published after he died? just a guess

He's still alive !

IS HE?????????????????

IS HE?????????????????

Yip ! He's about 87 now. Would be nice to get someone like that on here for a webchat but I guess he doesn't have a computer and the mind might be willing but the fingers may not be. Perhaps we could organise a webchat with him via Royal Mail: a 'postchat' :)

Hi AntiPathos & MissInformed

I have corresponded with Mr Whittington Egan but have not met him in person. His upcoming massive book on the Ripper case is sure to be a classic. I don't believe he is on the internet.

Chris

Hi AntiPathos & MissInformed

I have corresponded with Mr Whittington Egan but have not met him in person. His upcoming massive book on the Ripper case is sure to be a classic. I don't believe he is on the internet.

Chris

wow Chris! I am oh soooo jealous.... Mr Whittington Egan is my hero...
Can't wait for his Ripper book Chris!
I can't find much on him on the net at all...

Hi MissInformed

Did you see this URL for another new book of his, SPEAKING VOLUMES: Over Ninety Essays from Forty Years as a Literary Journalist, which seems to be a compendium of his past writings--

http://www.cappella.demon.co.uk/examine/volumes.html

-- there are sample pages from the book that you can access. I understand from Ripperologist Stewart P. Evans who knows RWE that Richard's grandfather was a well known surgeon in Liverpool who dined with the Maybricks.

Chris

Hi MissInformed

Did you see this URL for another new book of his, SPEAKING VOLUMES: Over Ninety Essays from Forty Years as a Literary Journalist, which seems to be a compendium of his past writings--

http://www.cappella.demon.co.uk/examine/volumes.html

-- there are sample pages from the book that you can access. I understand from Ripperologist Stewart P. Evans who knows RWE that Richard's grandfather was a well known surgeon in Liverpool who dined with the Maybricks.

Chris

wow chris, that's a brilliant link, thanks very much for that.
I just think the man is a genius. He, alone, gave me the passion and interest for local history and also mysteries.

I will definitely be getting that book.

I have read somewhere in one of his books about his grandfather having a Maybrick connection. Quite amazing really!:)

I just think the man is a genius. He, alone, gave me the passion and interest for local history and also mysteries.

MissInformed, like you I was inspired to search out local history because of him. I remember when I was about 13 or 14 getting his Liverpool Dosier series of books and was inspired.

I think his books should be compulsory to read at Liverpool schools - would teach that Liverpool history can be exciting and filled with mystery :)

MissInformed, like you I was inspired to search out local history because of him. I remember when I was about 13 or 14 getting his Liverpool Dosier series of books and was inspired.

I think his books should be compulsory to read at Liverpool schools - would teach that Liverpool history can be exciting and filled with mystery :)

I am completely with you there!!
Absolutely brilliant idea!:handclap:

Yes, the others could be used in the 'fiction' section though :)

A lot of hangings are sexual escapades gone wrong. The person can receive a sexual rush from restricting oxygen to the brain but sometimes the person is unable to get out of the noose before it kills them.

Chris

That's true.
Michael Hutchence out of INXS springs to mind, but surely that kind of activity wouldn't be known in those times, and not by an 11 year old.

Hi Philip

We may never get to the bottom of the circumstances under which the 11-year-old boy hanged himself. However, I would point out that if the boy hanged himself while experimenting, even if the act was not overtly a sexual exploit, he could have done it "to see how it feels." There were a number of reports from around the world of children and teenagers who hanged themselves following Saddam Hussein's execution. (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=boys+who+hanged+themselves+following+Saddam+Huss ein%27s+execution) And of course in 1946 when the hanging boy incident occurred, judicial hangings took place on a regular basis in the United Kingdom.

Chris

This indeed is one of those mysteries that I think will go on and on. What makes it more strange is the burglary on the same night.
Also, anything that involves a child being killed is always a little more macabre I think

Is this house to be demolished with the others in Edge Lane?