Bio

George Percy Stoner was born in 1917 in Bournemouth, Dorset, England. Growing up, he spent time in the area between his family home and his grandparents' house in Ensbury Park. Stoner was known to be a shy child, often described as a loner without many close friends. Though he was handsome, he did not have serious relationships with girls during his youth.

In September 1934, at the age of 17, Stoner answered a job advertisement in the Bournemouth Daily Echo. The ad sought a "daily willing lad" for housework and driving duties. He was hired by Francis Mawson Rattenbury, a well-known architect, and became the family's chauffeur-handyman. Shortly after Stoner moved into the Rattenburys' home at Villa Madeira, a love affair began between him and Alma Rattenbury, Francis's younger wife. Alma was 39 years old and had a son from a previous marriage.

As the affair progressed, Stoner became increasingly attached to Alma. He exhibited jealousy towards the attention Alma showed to her husband. During this time, the relationship between Francis and Alma deteriorated. Francis, who struggled with depression and personal issues, often drank heavily. He was known to be impotent, which added to the tensions in their marriage.

Murder Story

On March 24, 1935, George Percy Stoner murdered Francis Mawson Rattenbury, a 67-year-old architect, in Bournemouth, England. 

Stoner was the family's chauffeur and had been having an affair with Rattenbury's wife, Alma. That evening, after borrowing a wooden mallet to supposedly work in the garden, Stoner bludgeoned Rattenbury to death while he sat in his drawing room.

Alma was in the house at the time. After the attack, she reportedly took a combination of alcohol and drugs and initially claimed she had harmed her husband. However, three days later, Stoner confessed to a housekeeper that he was the one who killed Rattenbury.

The police were informed, and investigations began. Rattenbury succumbed to his injuries days later, leading to murder charges against both Stoner and Alma. They were tried together at the Old Bailey in May 1935. During the trial, Alma was acquitted, while Stoner was found guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death, but public sympathy led to a petition for his release.

Stoner’s sentence was later commuted to life in prison. He served seven years before being released in 1942 to join the military during World War II. After the war, he lived a quiet life and passed away in 2000 at the age of 83.

Alma, consumed by guilt, died by suicide shortly after Stoner's conviction. She stabbed herself multiple times on the banks of the River Avon. The case had a significant impact and became a notorious scandal in Britain, eventually inspiring plays and studies in legal education.