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The Murder at Petham - Press Reports.
Background: Francis Nayler senior and his wife Edith Eliza Stack, had seven children, of whom two died young.
In January 1911, their mother also died, leaving an inheritance which was used to relocate the family to Sutton farm
on the border of Hastingleigh and Wye. For the 1911 census it was located within Hastingleigh Parish.
Francis Nayler Snr.raised his surviving 5 children there till 1918, when the Farm business failed, and the family
had to relocate to Folkestone.
While in the army, Francis jnr. struck up a relationship with Myrtie Southfield
and on discovering that she was pregnant, they were hastily married at Ashford in late 1916. The first of their three
children was born in 1917 a girl called Myrtle. After his marriage in 1916, Francis was posted to the middle east with
the Army and served to years there, before returning home to Kent. A year later his second daughter was born, and two years
later his son Douglas Hector, who didn't live for very long and died in late 1922.
On 11 Oct 1922 the family set sail for a new life in Brisbane, Australia, but the domestic problems between him and his wife
were not resolved by relocating to the far side of the world and his wife begged to return home to her family.
So a year after they left England they were sailing back again, another 6-7 week journey, which saw them disembarking at London
on Saturday the 3rd November 1923, and taking the train to Canterbury. They arrived at Home Farm, Petham the home of Francis' in-laws.
On Tuesday afternoon an extraordinary murder was committed at the village of Petham, which is about 4miles west of Bishopsbourne, and near Stone Street. Mr Frederick Southfield, bailiff of the Home Farm, Petham was shot dead at the bottom of the loft steps by his son-in-lw, Francis Hector Theodore Nayler. Nayler was a Lieutenant in the Army during the war, and afterwards went to Wye College under the government training scheme. In 1916 he married Miss Southfield. His family are residents of Folkestone. Mr and Mrs Nayler went to Australia, but returned to England on Saturday last, going to the Home Farm with thir family.
MURDER AT PETHAM
MURDERERS DRAMATIC SURRENDER TO THE POLICE
On Wednesday the accused was charged before Mr Charles Hardy J.P., at Canterbury, with the wilful murder , on November 6th, at the Home Farm, Petham, of Frederick Southfield bailiff to Captain Mackay.
P.C. William Overrill, stationed at Petham, stated that about 2.45 the previous day (November 6th), from what he was told, he went to the Home Farm, Broadway, Petham, where he saw the prisoner handling a gun out of a window of a loft.
He said “ It is all right , constable. I am the culprit. I did it. I saw red.”
Witness then saw a man lying dead at the bottom of the loft steps. Prisoner then came down the stairs to witness, and he apprehended him, cautioned him and apprehended him with the wilful murder of one Frederick Southfield.
He replied “ I was driven to it. He ordered me away. Do you think I would come thousands of miles to be ordered away like that.”
Superintendent Ford asked the Magistrate, upon this evidence, to grant a remand until that day week, when the Public Prosecutor would be down to conduct the prosecution.
In reply to the Court, the prisoner shook his head in the negative when asked if he wished to put any questions to th police constable.
The Magistrate remanded the prisoner over for one week.
8th November 1923
INQUEST
The inquest as held at Petham on Thursday afternoon by the East Kent Coroner (Mr. Rutley Mowll). Francis Hector Theodore Nayler, who is under arrest on a charge of murder, was not present at the inquest.
Mrs Edith Matilda Southfield, wife of the deceased, said that at breakfast on Monday Nayler asked his wife to go in to Canterbury with him. He wanted her signature to the transfer of some shares to himself. Her daughter refused to go, saying she wanted the money for her children and did not intend to live with him again.
Witness’ daughter said “ I intended leaving you on reaching England.”
Nayler replied, “Then you must take the consequences, if this is final.” He went out and kept walking round the house, saying “Someone will suffer for this.” She heard him say this more than once.
Nayler kept looking in at the window. Witness went out and found a gun standing by the door of the outbuilding, and at witness request, the gun was removed by a Mr Akehurst to a loft and placed behind some things. Afterwards, Nayler walked back to the back door, evidently looking for the gun. Witness and her daughter began to look for another gun which Nayler had, they believed taken down, and found it in the big oven in an outbuilding. Nayler went away and did not return to the house until 1.30pm the next day.[Tuesday] He went into the bedroom where he slept and fetched down a portmanteau [suitcase] and took it over to an outbuilding. Witness became frightened, as she knew one of the guns was there, and she sent for her husband to come home from the fields.
Her husband came home immediately and she asked him to get the gun, as she was afraid Nayler would obtain more cartridges. The next she heard was the report of a gun, and she ran out. Mrs Butler (her sister) and her daughter Gladys screamed.
She heard Mrs Butler say “Christ, he’s shot dear old Fred.”
Witnss saw Nayler look out afterwards from the window of the loft. She said to him from the backdoor, “Is he dead?” and Mrs Nayler repeated the words twice.
Nayler replied “He’s quite dead, Mertie; I shot him and I mant to do it.”
Her daughter and Nayler had been married seven years. He was a Second Lieutenent in the Buffs, and served about two years in Mesopotamia.
Walter Goldup, a Farmer, of Wye who was visiting Home Farm on Tuesday, said he met Naylor between 2 and 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Nayler asked “ Where is Mertie?”
Gladys Southfield, who was present said “She’s indoors. Do you want her?” Nayler replied that he did. He then went in to the house through the back door. He returned a few minutes later with a portmanteau, and asked witness “Have you seen a gun case anywhere out here?”
Nayler went up the steps into the loft. Later witness heard the report of a shot, accompanied by the sound of someone falling. Witness then heard Nayler tell his wife “I meant to do it, I knew it would come to this. My life is ruined.”
As Nayler was being taken away someone said to him “You villain; you have shot your best friend.” And he replied “I know.”
Edward Akehurst gave evidence as to hiding a gun on Monday.
Mrs Butler, describing the tragedy said that Mr Southfield called up the stairs of the loft, “What are you doing up there?”
Nayler replied “I want my rights.”
Mr Southfield said “What is the use of talking like that. “What are your rights?”
Immediately after the gun was fired the deceased who was standing a few steps up the stairs, fell without a murmur. Afterwards Nayler shouted “Go and fetch the police. That’s the best thing to do.”
P.C.Overrill stated that when he saw Nayler at the farm the latter said “ It’was all right, constable; I’m the culprit. I did it. I saw red.”
After the evidence and the summing up, a verdict was returned by the Jury that Naylor murdered his Father-in-law.
16 November 1923
THE PETHAM MURDER
PRISONER COMMITTED FOR TRIAL TO THE KENT ASSIZESFrancis Hector Theodore Nayler was taken before Mr W.A. Lochee and Mr C. Hardy at the Watling Street Police Court, Canterbury, on Wednesday charged, on remand, with the murder of Frederick Southfield, of Home Farm, Petham.
Mr A Sefton Cowen, barrister, appeared on behalf of the public prcosecutor; and Mr. H.J. Bracher, of Maidstone, represented the prisoner.
The hearing lasted from 10.30am until nearly 4pm. and the evidence was simlar to that given at the inquest.The magistrates committed the prisoner for trial at the next Kent Assizes at Maidstone.
30 November 1923:
PETHAM MUDERER SENTNCED TO DEATH.
The trial took place on Wednesday at the Kent Assizes, of Francis Hector Thodore Naylor, on the charge of wilfully murdering Frederick Southfield, his father-in-law, at the Home Farm, Petham.
It was alleged that the prisoner, who was formerly an officer in the Buffs, shot Southfield with a gun. After the shooting the accused was asked by his sister-in-law whether her father was dead , and he replied “Yes, he is quite dead. His head is blown off. I meant to do it. My life is ruined.” After his arrest he said “All right, constable. A am the culprit. I did it, I saw red.”
Dr. Forwar, theprison doctor, who had had the accused under his observation expressed the opinion that he was of sound mind.
Sir Edward Marshall Hall K.C. who defended, asked the Jury to say that at the time the prisoner committed the offence he was insane. Counsel called evidence to show that an aunt of the prisoner was sent to a lunatic asylum.
Sentence of death was passed.
7 December 1923
THE PETHAM MURDER
The High Sheriff of Kent has provisionally fixed the execution of Francis Hector Theordore Nayler sentenced to death at the Kent Assizes on Wednesday last week for the murder of his father-in-law, Frederick Southfield, at Petham, near Canterbury, on November 6th , for Tuesday December 18th.
EXECUTION PROVISIONALLY FIXED
.14 Dec 1923
A REPRIEVE
Francis Hector Theodore Nayler, ex-Buffs officer who was sentenced to death at the recent Kent Assizes for the murder of his father-in-law at Petham, near Canterbury, has been reprieved, and the sentence sommuted to penal servitude for life.
LIFE SENTENCE FOR PETHAM MURDERER
Francis H.T. Nayler served 15 years and was released just before WW2. He died aged 101 years old.
