Bio

William Smedley was born in 1909 in England. He grew up in a typical working-class family, but not much is known about his early life or childhood. As he grew older, he faced various challenges common in poor neighborhoods, including limited opportunities for education and work.

Smedley later moved to Sheffield, where he lived in a women's hostel. This hostel was known for housing individuals in difficult situations. During his time in Sheffield, he became known in the area. He had interactions with many local residents and spent time in public houses, where he would socialize.

On March 8, 1947, a significant event took place when an eleven-year-old boy found the body of Edith Simmonite in a bomb-damaged area. She was a well-known local figure and had lived in the same hostel as Smedley. After her death, he became involved in the investigation. Six weeks later, Smedley walked into a police station and claimed to know who the killer was.

What followed was a chain of events that would change his life forever. Smedley initially tried to shift the blame onto someone else but eventually confessed that he was responsible for Edith's death. 

Murder Story

On March 8, 1947, the body of Edith Simmonite was discovered by an eleven-year-old boy named Peter Johnson in a bombed-out building in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Edith was a 27-year-old prostitute who had been living in a women's hostel for several years. She had been out the night before and was last seen in the company of William Smedley. After she did not return, her landlord reported her missing.

After a lengthy investigation, six weeks later, William Smedley entered Doncaster police station. He claimed to know who had killed Edith, stating it was a former resident of his hostel. Smedley went with detectives to Rhyl to find this supposed murderer. However, during the trip, Smedley confessed to killing Edith. He stated they had been drinking together that night, and during their conversation, Edith had taunted him about giving him a venereal disease.

Smedley was arrested and later put on trial for the murder of Edith Simmonite. He argued that he had not intended to harm her and sought a verdict of manslaughter, but the jury found him guilty of murder. He was sentenced to death. On August 14, 1947, William Smedley was executed by hanging at Armley Gaol. He became the last man to be executed for a murder in Sheffield.