S05E04 - Harold Jones (The Murders of Freda Burnell and Florence Little)

In the fourth episode of British Murders Season 5, I tell the story of Welsh child murderer Harold Jones.⁣⁣⁣

In June 1921, 15-year-old Harold was acquitted of murdering 8-year-old schoolgirl Freda Burnell.⁣⁣

Two weeks after being released from custody, Harold murdered 11-year-old schoolgirl Florence Little.⁣⁣

He served 20 years in prison after confessing to both murders and was released in 1941 at the age of 35.⁣⁣

Some believe Harold Jones was responsible for committing the ‘Jack the Stripper' murders in the 1960s.⁣⁣

He died of bone cancer in January 1971.

⁣⁣For all things British Murders, please visit my website:⁣

https://www.britishmurders.com/⁣

Intro music:⁣

David John Brady - 'Throw Down the Gauntlet'⁣

https://linktr.ee/davidjohnbradymusic⁣

My recording equipment:⁣

Shure SM7B Vocal Microphone: https://amzn.to/3F1Jkkj⁣

Cloud Microphone Cloudlifter CL1: https://amzn.to/2XZicC8⁣

Focusrite Scarlett Solo USB Audio Interface: https://amzn.to/3kKCLL2⁣

Rode PSA-1 Professional Studio Boom Arm: https://amzn.to/3zHJOs8⁣

Recorded using:⁣

Audacity⁣

Zoom⁣

Edited in:⁣

Audacity⁣

DaVinci Resolve 17⁣

Mastered in:⁣

Auphonic⁣

You can purchase 'The Serial Killer's Book of Haiku 2' by Rose Bundy here:⁣

https://amzn.to/3Kp7Mig⁣

References:⁣

ABERTILLERY INQUEST VERDICT. (1921, July 23). The Manchester Guardian, 14.

ALL NIGHT QUEUE FOR INQUEST. (1921, July 21). The Evening Standard, 8.

ALLEGATIONS AGAINST A WITNESS. (1921, April 7). The Manchester Guardian, 4.

Bevan, N. (2018, April 26). How a Welsh child murderer may have become one of London’s most notorious serial killers. Wales Online. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.walesonline.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/how-welsh-child-murderer-become-14568644

Bevan, N. (2020, November 6). Groundbreaking DNA test rules out notorious childkiller in unsolved Swansea schoolgirl murder. Wales Online. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/muriel-drinkwater-murder-harold-jones-16207548

Bourne, N. (2018, August 4). Murdered Abertillery girl’s niece learnt about tragedy in book. BBC News. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45044159

BOY ARRESTED AGAIN. (1921, July 11). Birmingham Gazette, 1.

Darby, N. (2018, January 27). The Mysterious Murder of Florrie Little. Criminal Historian. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from http://www.criminalhistorian.com/the-mysterious-murder-of-florrie-little/

Dobbs, G. (2017). Dark Valleys: Foul Deeds Among the South Wales Valleys 1845 - 2016. Pen & Sword Books Ltd.

HAROLD JONES’ TRIAL SENSATIONS. (1921, November 1). The Evening Standard, 1–6.

Lewis, A. (2018, March 19). Town vows to restore graves of two children murdered almost 100 years ago. Wales Online. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/restore-graves-children-murdered-abertillery-14429657

MURDER INQUEST SENSATION. (1921, March 8). Birmingham Gazette, 5.

Rees, G., & Davies, J. (2019, May 1). Muriel Drinkwater murder: Harold Jones link ruled out. BBC News. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-47961404

SECOND CHILD MURDER AT ABERTILLERY. (1921, July 11). The Manchester Guardian, 7.

SLAIN GIRL’S MOTHER IN SCENE. (1921, July 27). The Evening Standard, 8.

WELSH MURDER SENSATION. (1921, July 9). The Evening Standard, 1–2.

WELSH MYSTERY INQUEST. (1921, July 22). The Evening Standard, 8.

WILFUL MURDER AGAINST JONES. (1921, July 23). Birmingham Gazette, 5.