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{{Short description|1976 murder in London during a bank robbery}}
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The '''Ham Bank Murder'''. In 1976 Angela Woolliscroft (1956-1976), a teller at the [[Barclays|Barclays Bank]] at [[Ham, London|Ham Parade]], [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames|Richmond]], was fatally wounded by a shotgun during a robbery and died on the way to hospital. After a huge police operation Michael Hart was arrested, put on trial, and in November 1977 sentenced to life imprisonment. Hart was released in 2002.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Dark Secrets of the Black Museum 1835-1985|last=Honeycomb|first=Gordon|publisher=John Blake Publishing Ltd|year=2014|isbn=978-1782199045|location=|pages=|chapter=19 Michael Hart}}</ref>
{{UBE|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}


The '''Ham bank murder''' occurred on 10 November 1976, at a branch of [[Barclays|Barclays Bank]] in the [[Ham, London|Ham area of London]], resulting in the murder of a [[bank teller]] working at the branch. The victim was Angela Mary Woolliscroft, fatally wounded by a shotgun.
Angela Mary Woolliscroft was born in [[Surrey]] in 1956<ref>Birth Registration Index, 1837-2006, England and Wales, (General Register Office, Southport, England), 1956 Sep Surrey N. 5g 385-</ref> and lived in [[Chessington]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=woolliscroft&yearOfDeath=1977&page=1#calendar|title=Find a Will|last=|first=|date=|website=UK Probate Records 1858 to date|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>


==Background==
⚫
In 1976, Woolliscroft, who was born in [[Surrey]] in 1956<ref>Birth Registration Index, 1837–2006, England and Wales (General Register Office, Southport, England), 1956 Sep Surrey N. 5g 385-</ref> and lived in [[Chessington]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=woolliscroft&yearOfDeath=1977&page=1#calendar|title=Find a Will|website=UK Probate Records 1858 to date}}</ref> was working as a teller at the Barclays Bank branch on [[Ham, London|Ham Parade]], Upper Ham Road, [[London Borough of Richmond upon Thames|Richmond]] when she was fatally wounded by a shotgun during a robbery; she died on the way to hospital. After a major police operation, Michael Hart was arrested, put on trial, and in November 1977 sentenced to [[life imprisonment]]. Hart was released on license in 2002.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Dark Secrets of the Black Museum 1835–1985|last=Honeycomb|first=Gordon|publisher=John Blake Publishing Ltd|year=2014|isbn=978-1782199045|chapter=19 Michael Hart}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Killer on run after bank raid |last=Smith|first=Ron |date=12 November 1976|newspaper=Richmond & Twickenham Times|page=1}}</ref>


===The Robbery===
==Robbery==
On 10th November 1976 she was working as a cashier at the Barclays Bank at Upper Ham Road, Richmond. A heavily disguised man threatened her with a sawn-off shotgun and told her to "Give me some money". She passed him some money under the screen. The man then fired the shotgun, destroying the screen and blowing her backwards. She died on the way to hospital. The gunman had made off with about £2000.
On 10 November 1976 at 12:30pm Woolliscroft was working as a cashier at the Barclays Bank at [[Ham, Richmond]]. A heavily disguised man threatened her with a sawn-off shotgun and told her to "Give me some money". She passed him some money under the screen. The man then fired the shotgun, destroying the safety glass screen and blowing her backwards. She died on the way to hospital. The gunman had made off with about £2,500 (£18,402.29 in 2020).<ref>''Real-Life Crimes'' (1992) p=180</ref>


The gunman had left behind a woman's yellow raincoat that had been used to hide the shotgun. The coat had belonged to a Miss Marshall, and it was her car that had been used for the robbery. Her Austin A40 had been taken from the car park of Bentall's in [[Kingston upon Thames|Kingston]] and then returned. Also found was a large pale orange plastic bag that had contained fertiliser that had been taken from Parkleys Estate opposite the bank.
The gunman had left behind a woman's yellow raincoat that had been used to hide the shotgun. The coat had belonged to a Miss Marshall, and it was her car that had been used for the robbery. Her [[Austin A40]] had been taken from the car park of [[Bentalls]] in [[Kingston upon Thames|Kingston]] and then returned. Also found was a large pale orange plastic bag that had contained fertiliser that had been taken from [[Parkleys]] estate opposite the bank.


Barclays Bank offered a reward of £50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the gunman.<ref>''Real-Life Crimes'' (1992) p=180</ref>
⚫
===The Hunt===
⚫
The hunt for the killer was led by Detective Chief Superintendent James Sewell of [[Scotland Yard]]. Hart was interviewed after a tip-off but had an alibi. However on 22 November he was stopped after a traffic accident and police found a Hendal .22 automatic. A search of his house found a box of Eley No 7 trapshooting cartridges. Both the pistol and ammunition had been stolen in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] on 4 November; also stolen was a double-barrelled Reilly shotgun. At first the ammunition appeared to not match that used to kill Angela, which had been gameshot. However they found that the ammunition had been incorrectly labelled.


⚫
==Hunt==
⚫
The hunt for the killer was led by Detective Chief Superintendent [[James Sewell (police officer)|James Sewell]] of [[Scotland Yard]]. Hart was interviewed after a tip-off but had an alibi; he had signed on at the police station in [[Basingstoke]] where he was on bail for other crimes in the morning and again in the afternoon. However, on 22 November he was stopped after a traffic accident and police found a Hendal .22 automatic pistol. A search of his house found a box of [[Eley Limited|Eley]] No 7 [[trap shooting]] cartridges. Both the pistol and ammunition had been stolen in [[Reading, Berkshire|Reading]] on 4 November; also stolen was a double-barrelled Reilly shotgun. At first, the ammunition appeared to not match that used to kill Woolliscroft, which had been [[gameshot]]. However, they found that the ammunition had been incorrectly labelled.


===Trial===
==Trial==
Hart was arrested and charged with murder on 20 January 1977. He was found guilty of murder on 3 November 1977 and sentenced to life imprisonment, with a recommendation that he should serve at least twenty-five years.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJM5|title=Accused man tells how girl hank clerk was shot|last=|first=|date=2 November 1977|work=The Times London|access-date=|page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJN9|title=Man found guilty of girl bank clerk's murder|last=|first=|date=3 November 1977|work=The Times London|access-date=|page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJP7|title=Minimum' of 25 years for killer|last=|first=|date=4 November 1977|work=The Times London|access-date=|page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref>
Hart was arrested and charged with murder on 20 January 1977. Hart (aged 38) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty of manslaughter. He maintained that he cocked the gun only to frighten, and that it went off by accident when he tapped the glass screen. He was found guilty (by [[Hung jury |majority verdict]], 11-1) of murder, and a string of other offences, on 3 November 1977. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice [[Melford Stevenson]], who described him as a wicked and very dangerous criminal, with a recommendation that he should serve at least twenty-five years.<ref name="Times 2 Nov">{{Cite news |url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJM5 |title=Accused man tells how girl bank clerk was shot|date=2 November 1977 |work=The Times|page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref><ref name="Times 3 Nov">{{Cite news|url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJN9 |title=Man found guilty of girl bank clerk's murder|date=3 November 1977 |access-date = 14 March 2021|work=[[The Times]] |page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://tinyurl.galegroup.com/tinyurl/A8LJP7 |title=Minimum of 25 years for killer |date=4 November 1977|work=[[The Times]] |page=2|via=The Times Digital Archive|access-date = 14 March 2021}}</ref> He was released on license in 2002.


While serving his sentence, Hart participated in a program to educate school children about life in prison.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-07-07 |title=Prisoner's inside story helps children stay on the outside |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/prisoner-s-inside-story-helps-children-stay-on-the-outside-1295395.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707065303/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/prisoner-s-inside-story-helps-children-stay-on-the-outside-1295395.html |archive-date=2022-07-07 |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=The Independent}}</ref>
⚫
===Memorials===
Angela was buried at [[Surbiton]] cemetery in March 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingston.gov.uk/directory_record/168642/wooliscroft_angela|title=Burial records - Wooliscroft, Angela|last=|first=|date=|website=The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref>


⚫
==Memorials==
⚫
A memorial plaque was placed in the bank at Ham recording "In fond memory of Angela Woolliscroft who died on 10th November 1976. A member of staff of this branch who will always be remembered by her colleagues." The bank closed in 2014 and the plaque was moved.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/11167133.murdered-chessington-tellers-memory-to-be-honoured-when-bank-moves-out-of-ham-parade/|title=Murdered Chessington teller's memory to be honoured when bank moves out of Ham Parade|last=Dyduch|first=Amy|date=24 April 2014|website=Richmond & Twickenham Times|archive-url=|archive-date=|dead-url=|access-date=}}</ref> There is also a memorial bench outside the bank and three more were placed round Ham Common. A crystal vase was filled with red roses on the anniversary of her death.
[[File:Angela Woolliscroft plaque, Richmond.jpg|thumb|Plaque, now in the Richmond branch]]
Angela Woolliscroft was buried at [[Surbiton]] cemetery on 29 March 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kingston.gov.uk/directory_record/168642/wooliscroft_angela|title=Burial records – Wooliscroft, Angela|website=The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames}}</ref> The funeral service was held at St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Chessington, and was attended by members of the murder squad, the local MP [[Nigel Fisher]], the deputy mayor of Kingston, members of staff from Barclays and pupils from [[Holy Cross School, New Malden|Holy Cross convent, New Malden]]; the coffin was escorted by members of Barclays Bank international hockey team.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Funeral Tributes to Angela|date=1 April 1977|work=[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]]|page=12}}</ref>


[[File:Ham Parade, Angela Woolliscoft memorial seat.jpg|thumb|Memorial seat]]
⚫
A memorial plaque was placed inside the bank building at Ham with the wording "In fond memory of Angela Woolliscroft who died on 10th November 1976. A member of staff of this branch who will always be remembered by her colleagues." The bank closed in 2014 and the plaque was moved to the branch in [[George Street, Richmond]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.richmondandtwickenhamtimes.co.uk/news/11167133.murdered-chessington-tellers-memory-to-be-honoured-when-bank-moves-out-of-ham-parade/|title=Murdered Chessington teller's memory to be honoured when bank moves out of Ham Parade|last=Dyduch|first=Amy|date=24 April 2014|access-date = 30 June 2020|work=[[Richmond and Twickenham Times]]}}</ref> There is also a memorial bench outside the former bank building in Ham (now a [[Sainsbury's]] store) and three more were placed round [[Ham Common, London|Ham Common]]. A crystal vase was filled with red roses on the anniversary of her death.{{Clarify|reason=Where? Every year? Until when?|date=August 2024}}

== In popular culture ==
The murder was the subject of the 1987 ''Indelible Evidence'' episode ''Gunlore''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1991-08-16 |title=BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8b83c28c78204e5b9b8d292630c7c098 |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Duncan |first=Ian |title=Gunlore |date=1987-02-06 |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1239044/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |series=Indelible Evidence |others=Ludovic Kennedy, Kevin Lloyd, Lorna Barton |last2=Morse |first2=Oliver}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{LB Richmond}}


{{coords|51.4313|-0.3073|display=title}}
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[[Category:Murder in London]]

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[[Category:Murder in 1976]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:1976 in London]]
[[Category:1976 murders in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:November 1976 events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1970s murders in London]]
[[Category:Bank robberies]]
[[Category:Barclays]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in London]]
[[Category:Female murder victims]]
[[Category:Female murder victims]]
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[[Category:Ham, London]]
[[Category:History of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames]]
[[Category:History of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames]]
[[Category:London crime history]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in London]]
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[[Category:Murder in London]]
[[Category:Robberies in England]]
[[Category:Violence against women in London]]

Latest revision as of 14:53, 21 October 2024

The Ham bank murder occurred on 10 November 1976, at a branch of Barclays Bank in the Ham area of London, resulting in the murder of a bank teller working at the branch. The victim was Angela Mary Woolliscroft, fatally wounded by a shotgun.

Background

[edit]

In 1976, Woolliscroft, who was born in Surrey in 1956[1] and lived in Chessington,[2] was working as a teller at the Barclays Bank branch on Ham Parade, Upper Ham Road, Richmond when she was fatally wounded by a shotgun during a robbery; she died on the way to hospital. After a major police operation, Michael Hart was arrested, put on trial, and in November 1977 sentenced to life imprisonment. Hart was released on license in 2002.[3][4]

Robbery

[edit]

On 10 November 1976 at 12:30pm Woolliscroft was working as a cashier at the Barclays Bank at Ham, Richmond. A heavily disguised man threatened her with a sawn-off shotgun and told her to "Give me some money". She passed him some money under the screen. The man then fired the shotgun, destroying the safety glass screen and blowing her backwards. She died on the way to hospital. The gunman had made off with about £2,500 (£18,402.29 in 2020).[5]

The gunman had left behind a woman's yellow raincoat that had been used to hide the shotgun. The coat had belonged to a Miss Marshall, and it was her car that had been used for the robbery. Her Austin A40 had been taken from the car park of Bentalls in Kingston and then returned. Also found was a large pale orange plastic bag that had contained fertiliser that had been taken from Parkleys estate opposite the bank.

Barclays Bank offered a reward of £50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the gunman.[6]

Hunt

[edit]

The hunt for the killer was led by Detective Chief Superintendent James Sewell of Scotland Yard. Hart was interviewed after a tip-off but had an alibi; he had signed on at the police station in Basingstoke where he was on bail for other crimes in the morning and again in the afternoon. However, on 22 November he was stopped after a traffic accident and police found a Hendal .22 automatic pistol. A search of his house found a box of Eley No 7 trap shooting cartridges. Both the pistol and ammunition had been stolen in Reading on 4 November; also stolen was a double-barrelled Reilly shotgun. At first, the ammunition appeared to not match that used to kill Woolliscroft, which had been gameshot. However, they found that the ammunition had been incorrectly labelled.

Trial

[edit]

Hart was arrested and charged with murder on 20 January 1977. Hart (aged 38) pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty of manslaughter. He maintained that he cocked the gun only to frighten, and that it went off by accident when he tapped the glass screen. He was found guilty (by majority verdict, 11-1) of murder, and a string of other offences, on 3 November 1977. He was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Melford Stevenson, who described him as a wicked and very dangerous criminal, with a recommendation that he should serve at least twenty-five years.[7][8][9] He was released on license in 2002.

While serving his sentence, Hart participated in a program to educate school children about life in prison.[10]

Memorials

[edit]
Plaque, now in the Richmond branch

Angela Woolliscroft was buried at Surbiton cemetery on 29 March 1977.[11] The funeral service was held at St Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church, Chessington, and was attended by members of the murder squad, the local MP Nigel Fisher, the deputy mayor of Kingston, members of staff from Barclays and pupils from Holy Cross convent, New Malden; the coffin was escorted by members of Barclays Bank international hockey team.[12]

Memorial seat

A memorial plaque was placed inside the bank building at Ham with the wording "In fond memory of Angela Woolliscroft who died on 10th November 1976. A member of staff of this branch who will always be remembered by her colleagues." The bank closed in 2014 and the plaque was moved to the branch in George Street, Richmond.[13] There is also a memorial bench outside the former bank building in Ham (now a Sainsbury's store) and three more were placed round Ham Common. A crystal vase was filled with red roses on the anniversary of her death.[clarification needed]

[edit]

The murder was the subject of the 1987 Indelible Evidence episode Gunlore.[14][15]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Birth Registration Index, 1837–2006, England and Wales (General Register Office, Southport, England), 1956 Sep Surrey N. 5g 385-
  2. ^ "Find a Will". UK Probate Records 1858 to date.
  3. ^ Honeycomb, Gordon (2014). "19 Michael Hart". Dark Secrets of the Black Museum 1835–1985. John Blake Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1782199045.
  4. ^ Smith, Ron (12 November 1976). "Killer on run after bank raid". Richmond & Twickenham Times. p. 1.
  5. ^ Real-Life Crimes (1992) p=180
  6. ^ Real-Life Crimes (1992) p=180
  7. ^ "Accused man tells how girl bank clerk was shot". The Times. 2 November 1977. p. 2 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  8. ^ "Man found guilty of girl bank clerk's murder". The Times. 3 November 1977. p. 2. Retrieved 14 March 2021 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  9. ^ "Minimum of 25 years for killer". The Times. 4 November 1977. p. 2. Retrieved 14 March 2021 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  10. ^ "Prisoner's inside story helps children stay on the outside". The Independent. 7 July 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Burial records – Wooliscroft, Angela". The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
  12. ^ "Funeral Tributes to Angela". Richmond and Twickenham Times. 1 April 1977. p. 12.
  13. ^ Dyduch, Amy (24 April 2014). "Murdered Chessington teller's memory to be honoured when bank moves out of Ham Parade". Richmond and Twickenham Times. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  14. ^ "BBC Programme Index". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk. 16 August 1991. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  15. ^ Duncan, Ian; Morse, Oliver (6 February 1987), Gunlore, Indelible Evidence, Ludovic Kennedy, Kevin Lloyd, Lorna Barton, retrieved 21 October 2024

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