Bio

Cecil Maltby was born in 1875. He grew up in a family that was involved in the tailoring business. When his father passed away, Cecil inherited the family business. He was known to have a talent for gambling and spent his money on entertainment rather than on his tailoring work. Over time, his business began to fail.

Cecil had a troubled personal life. He was married but lost his wife, who left him and took their five children with her. After his wife left, he began to have relationships with other women. One of these women was Alice Hilda Middleton. She was the wife of a marine officer who spent long periods away at sea. Alice moved in with Cecil in the summer of 1922.

During this time, Cecil's habits worsened. He enjoyed drinking and spending time at race tracks and motorcycle events. His business continued to decline as he focused less on work and more on his personal life. In December 1922, Alice's husband returned from the Far East and reported her missing when he could not find her.

Cecil seemed to act oddly when the police visited him. He told them that Alice had left him in August, although she had not been seen since then. The police started to keep an eye on his shop, but Cecil rarely left his flat. As his situation worsened, he ended up barricading himself inside the flat.

By January 1923, the authorities had to break in due to the unsanitary conditions. When they entered, they heard a gunshot. Cecil had shot himself in an attempt to avoid the consequences of his actions. Unfortunately for him, this led to the discovery of Alice's body hidden in the flat.

Murder Story

On August 24, 1922, Cecil Maltby shot his mistress, Alice Hilda Middleton, in a fit of jealousy. He was 47 years old and lived above his tailor shop in London. Alice was married to a marine officer who was away on a long trip. She had moved in with Maltby in the summer of 1922. Their relationship involved heavy drinking and time spent at races and motorcycle outings.

When Alice's husband returned in December 1922 and could not find her, he reported her missing to the police. The police discovered that Alice had not been seen since August. They visited Maltby, who claimed that Alice had left him on August 15. The police kept an eye on Maltby and his shop but he rarely left.

On January 10, 1923, health authorities obtained a warrant to enter Maltby's flat due to its unsanitary condition. When they forcibly entered, they heard a gunshot. Maltby had shot himself in the mouth and died shortly after.

In the kitchen, officers found Alice's body wrapped in a sheet inside a bathtub. A note was pinned to the sheet, claiming she had committed suicide on August 24. Maltby's letters suggested a struggle for a gun during a suicide threat, but the medical examination revealed that Alice had been shot three times from behind.

A Coroner's Jury found Maltby guilty of murder and ruled that he had then committed suicide.