New letters discovered in the case of George Edalji

Apr 30 2009 by Matt Lloyd

Previously unseen letters relating to the infamous case of George Edalji have emerged over 100 years after he was falsely convicted of mutilating horses in Great Wyrley.

George, a solicitor, was jailed for seven years in 1903 for the animal attacks that shocked the village.

He was the son of an Indian Christian Convert who was parish priest in Wyrley for over 20-years.

He was eventually released in 1906 because of the miscarriage.

Now, 106 years later, letters from his sister Maud have been found at the University of Texas offering an insight into the events surrounding his conviction.

In the letters, to BBC broadcaster and writer Hesketh Pearson, Maud, writing in 1956, says the racial prejudice of the police chief was behind the conviction. And she refuted claims the family were shunned in the village after the horse attacks.

Maud wrote: “My father and mother did very good work in the parish and were very much beloved by the parishioners. I have been to Wyrley many times since my father was vicar there and always get a good welcome from the people.

“I always felt that colour had a great deal to do with the Chief Constable’s attitude.”

Before his conviction, police also accused George of sending threatening letters to locals and even his own father.

Years afterwards a Wednesbury man admitted to sending the letters and was convicted. The uncovered letters argue George had neither the privacy or money to send so many threats.

The correspondence, discovered by Dr Alan Jones, based in Chesterfield, are a big find in the case which has enthralled generations and spawned several books. Even Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was enlisted to help solve the crime.

Dr Jones told The Post: “They have drawn up some information I didn’t know before.”

However Dr Jones says there is more to the case than has been revealed and believes the Edalji family were hiding secrets.

Now he is researching the fate of Horace Edalji, George’s brother.

Horace believed his brother was guilty of the horse attacks and was outcast by the rest of the family.

Maud’s letters and other family documents make no mention of Horace, who married Annie Gertude Magee and changed his name.

Dr Jones hopes by tracking Horace, he will uncover the truth behind the Edalji family.

He said: “My point of view is, it’s a family of secrets, I’m interested in the family as a whole. I think there’s far more to it than has been previously released.

“I’m not saying George was guilty, but it’s a very curious family.”

George Edalji returned to Wyrley several times after his release but lived in London until his death in 1953.

Maud Edalji died in 1961 aged 79.