Bio

George Victor Townley was born in 1838 in England. He came from a respectable upper-middle-class family. Not much is known about his early life and childhood. He grew up in an environment where education and social status were valued. The details of his family life and upbringing are not well-documented.

In his early adulthood, Townley became engaged to a young woman named Elizabeth Caroline Goodwin, who was known to her family as Bessie. Bessie lived with her grandfather at Wigwell Grange in Derbyshire. The couple met while Bessie was visiting Manchester. They decided to get engaged after several meetings. However, during the summer of 1863, Bessie started to have doubts about their relationship and wrote to Townley to break off the engagement.

There were exchanges of letters between them after the engagement was ended. Bessie eventually agreed to meet Townley again at Wigwell Grange. On the day of their meeting, they had a conversation before stepping outside together. It was during this meeting that a serious incident occurred, leading to significant events later in Townley's life.

Following the incident, Townley surrendered to Bessie's grandfather. He was then taken into custody and held at the Old Lock Up in Wirksworth. His life took a dramatic turn from that point on, leading to his trial and eventual sentencing. Townley's case drew attention due to the circumstances surrounding his background and the events that unfolded.

Murder Story

On August 21, 1863, George Victor Townley killed Miss Elizabeth Caroline Goodwin at Wigwell Grange in Derbyshire, England. Elizabeth, who was 22 years old, had recently broken off their engagement. She agreed to meet Townley for a conversation about their relationship. During their meeting, they walked outside, and in a fit of rage, Townley stabbed her in the throat.

After the murder, Townley admitted to the crime and was arrested the same day. He was held at the Old Lock Up in Wirksworth before being tried at Derby Assizes later that year. During his trial, his defense included a plea of insanity. However, the jury found him guilty but not insane. Despite his conviction, there was a considerable public outcry regarding his sentencing.

Townley's family sought to prove he was insane after the trial. They managed to influence the Home Secretary, who granted a hearing about his mental state. A law allowed for prisoners under sentence of death to be moved to an asylum if they were certified insane. Although there was a mistake regarding the certification, Townley was spared from the death penalty and instead sentenced to life imprisonment.

The case attracted media attention because both Townley and Goodwin came from respectable backgrounds. Many believed Townley received special treatment, especially since another man was hanged for a similar crime despite having a stronger case for insanity.

On February 12, 1865, after spending a year in prison, George Victor Townley committed suicide. He jumped over a staircase railing and fell 23 feet onto a stone floor, dying from the impact.