George Kelly Cameo Cinema Murder

[Lord Dick]

I see we have yet another case of old wives tales being purveyed by the Cameo armchair detectives. So to clarify matters, Hughie Smith from Trowbridge Street off Brownlow Hill was the street entertainer. Ged is correct, his stepson, Jim Elliot, who is a friend of mine has written a book about him entitled Once Upon A Time In Liverpool. The various men in the bag that Hughie used included Johnny "Snowy" Brady and Billy Carlin, who both lived in the same tenement block as Hughie. I am surprised that this particular stigma has now passed onto Charlie Connolly because for years, according to the "experts", it was George Kelly who was supposed to be the man in the bag! Neither man were ever Hughie's stooge. Both proud men, they would never have stooped so low as to make a public exhibition of themselves. Having said that, Hughie was a colourful character and a great personality. He was a docker and an extremely intelligent and well-read man "Off stage". As for Emma Gill, I have it on good authority that she wasn't even born when "Uncle Georgie" was wrongly executed in 1950.

[frankoz]

I see we have yet another case of old wives tales being purveyed by the Cameo armchair detectives. So to clarify matters, Hughie Smith from Trowbridge Street off Brownlow Hill was the street entertainer. Ged is correct, his stepson, Jim Elliot, who is a friend of mine has written a book about him entitled Once Upon A Time In Liverpool. The various men in the bag that Hughie used included Johnny "Snowy" Brady and Billy Carlin, who both lived in the same tenement block as Hughie. I am surprised that this particular stigma has now passed onto Charlie Connolly because for years, according to the "experts", it was George Kelly who was supposed to be the man in the bag! Neither man were ever Hughie's stooge. Both proud men, they would never have stooped so low as to make a public exhibition of themselves. Having said that, Hughie was a colourful character and a great personality. He was a docker and an extremely intelligent and well-read man "Off stage". As for Emma Gill, I have it on good authority that she wasn't even born when "Uncle Georgie" was wrongly executed in 1950.

Your hit makes it #361 surely means there is still an interest in the case. If this Forum corrects just one mistake, such as mine, it is doing a constructive service. Apart from that, thank you for your personal interesting historical facts, that till now I've not been completely aware of. No hard feelings, I hope?

[Lord Dick]

Your hit makes it #361 surely means there is still an interest in the case. If this Forum corrects just one mistake, such as mine, it is doing a constructive service. Apart from that, thank you for your personal interesting historical facts, that till now I've not been completely aware of. No hard feelings, I hope?

I was not attacking you Frank, but the gossip mongers and armchair experts e.g ("A man I know was told by another man, who told him" ...etc) who purvey such rubbish. . There have been far too many fairy stories and fantasies regarding the Cameo case through "Ale House Talk" by these "experts".
Try Reading the book, The Cameo Conspiracy, if you want the real story.

[John Doh]

I was not attacking you Frank, but the gossip mongers and armchair experts e.g ("A man I know was told by another man, who told him" ...etc) who purvey such rubbish. . There have been far too many fairy stories and fantasies regarding the Cameo case through "Ale House Talk" by these "experts".
Try Reading the book, The Cameo Conspiracy, if you want the real story.

Absolutely! There are always too many Chinese whisper-type anecdotal accounts that get in the way of proper research in this kind of case.

[frankoz]

Chris 48

The informtion on Charles Connolly is heresay, because I know that other people described him as a gentle giant.

I totally agree that both these men were set up by the police at that time.

I am absolutely facinated by cases of criminal misjustice, and have spent hours reading judgements on the CCRC website, including GK/CC decision, when the orginal verdict was overturned as it was unsafe.

As I said in my first post the Cameo crime facinates me and it really is a travesty of justice that one man was hanged, whilst the other was in prison for a decade and then spent years trying to clear his name.

when the verdict was overturned, did it imply that George Kelly may have been innocent or categorically state that he was innocent. A simple question from a simple soul. I have been a long time absent from Liverpool and am not up to date with recent events, hence my ignorance .

[frankoz]

I was not attacking you Frank, but the gossip mongers and armchair experts e.g ("A man I know was told by another man, who told him" ...etc) who purvey such rubbish. . There have been far too many fairy stories and fantasies regarding the Cameo case through "Ale House Talk" by these "experts".
Try Reading the book, The Cameo Conspiracy, if you want the real story.

Ta for that Lord Dick, I felt a little miffed after your post but have recovered after reading #363.

[underworld]

Frank here is the appeal judgement

http://www.ccrc.gov.uk/CCRC_Uploads/...-_28_10_03.pdf

The judges said that Balmer lied and that the case was a "miscarraige of justice".

[underworld]

Ta for that Lord Dick, I felt a little miffed after your post but have recovered after reading #363.

He's a pussy cat really Frank.

[frankoz]

Frank here is the appeal judgement

http://www.ccrc.gov.uk/CCRC_Uploads/...-_28_10_03.pdf

The judges said that Balmer lied and that the case was a "miscarraige of justice".

just bookmarked it . I'll get stuck into it later tonight. some heavy reading by the looks of it. Ta for that.

[Lord Dick]

when the verdict was overturned, did it imply that George Kelly may have been innocent or categorically state that he was innocent. A simple question from a simple soul. I have been a long time absent from Liverpool and am not up to date with recent events, hence my ignorance .

Frank, the Law will never unequivically state that any person is innocent - even when their conviction has been quashed . All they can say is that the conviction is unsafe due to irregularities during the trial, and that therefore a miscarriage of justice occurred. And this is what the Judgement in the Cameo Appeal will say. That said, you will not find anyone in Liverpool or England who believes Kelly (and Connolly) were not innocent of the murders. If you read The Cameo Conspiracy you will understand that not only were the two men innocent but also learn how they were framed by the diabolical Inspector Balmer.

[underworld]

Frank, the Law will never unequivically state that any person is innocent - even when their conviction has been quashed . All they can say is that the conviction is unsafe due to irregularities during the trial, and that therefore a miscarriage of justice occurred. And this is what the Judgement in the Cameo Appeal will say. That said, you will not find anyone in Liverpool or England who believes Kelly (and Connolly) were not innocent of the murders. If you read The Cameo Conspiracy you will understand that not only were the two men innocent but also learn how they were framed by the diabolical Inspector Balmer.

He's right Frank. The Cameo Conspiracy is the definitive account. A mighty fine book too.

[Lord Dick]

Of course, if you wish to believe that, by some strange chemistry and logic, Connolly was guilty -even though Kelly (his fellow accused and alleged accomplice) was innocent, then there is another, rather bizarre Cameo book by a Barry Shortall.
However, if you do not wish your credulity to be stretched beyond limit and your intelligence severely insulted, I would advise giving it a miss!!

[underworld]

Of course, if you wish to believe that, by some strange chemistry and logic, Connolly was guilty -even though Kelly (his fellow accused and alleged accomplice) was innocent, then there is another, rather bizarre Cameo book by a Barry Shortall.
However, if you do not wish your credulity to be stretched beyond limit and your intelligence severely insulted, I would advise giving it a miss!!

Yes, a truly dreadful book and factualy wrong.

[frankoz]

Of course, if you wish to believe that, by some strange chemistry and logic, Connolly was guilty -even though Kelly (his fellow accused and alleged accomplice) was innocent, then there is another, rather bizarre Cameo book by a Barry Shortall.
However, if you do not wish your credulity to be stretched beyond limit and your intelligence severely insulted, I would advise giving it a miss!!

lots of thanks to Ged, underworld, Lord Dick and Captain Kong for all your collective informed memories and information. I hope to obtain "The Cameo Conspiracy" locally, if no joy I'll try Amazon. I also must thank Emma Gill. She at least did start me on what is fast becoming a bit of a quest.

[underworld]

Ha ha, good luck on amazon Frank. Hope you've got loads of money!

If you want a copy let me know and I will give you an email address to contact if (if he has any left).

Chris