Talk:Kidnapping and murder of Lesley Whittle

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Is there any actual evidence in this?

"Incensed at Selina's treatment, he decided he was going to kidnap either Ronald or Dorothy Whittle and hold them until a £50,000 ransom had been paid".

The guy was a criminal, I doubt he did it for any moral reason. I am removing "Incensed at Selina's treatment". 86.41.149.167 (talk) 00:43, 24 June 2019 (UTC)

Funeral detail (section Aftermath) - citation and clarification needed

The paragraph starts:

Lesley Whittle was laid to rest in the grounds of Highley Parish Church on 14 March 1975.

The statement is not supported by the 40-years retrospective news item put in citation at the end of paragraph, which only shows her coffin being carried in the churchyard in a photo taken on the day of the funeral service. The same report is used also in the information on Resting Place in the infobox."Shropshire Heiress Kidnapped from Her Own Bed 40 Years Ago Today". ITV. 14 January 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2023. To that citation I have raised a 'better source needed' alert in hope someone can find a source that decisively indicates that Highley Churchyard is her actual resting place.

I well recall reading of the events (when 16 year old) that the church service in Highley was "followed by cremation at Bushbury" Crematorium in Wolverhampton. Which begs a question, were her ashes subsequently interred at Highley Churchyard? If a published source can be found which mentions her remains being interred in the churchyard, then this could be mentioned. I recall the funeral being covered in the Shropshire Star newspaper and her death notice which gave the prearranged funeral details - including the cremation. I also recall that a national broadsheet in its report of the funeral (think it was the Daily Telegraph) ended its report by mentioning the cremation at Bushbury after church service. I am also rephrasing the caption to the accompanying picture of Highley Parish Church to simply read her funeral took place there.Cloptonson (talk) 10:15, 23 August 2025 (UTC)

I have found what I can to substantiate the content thus far. Can't see anything regarding a subsequent cremation. This was an intriguing find, though.--Kieronoldham (talk) 22:49, 23 August 2025 (UTC)

Thank you. One can look up Shropshire Star news coverage of the funeral in the microfilmed newspaper files at Shropshire Archives in Shrewsbury, whose opening days are restricted at present due to behind-the-scenes work. The files go back to the newspaper's foundation in the early 1960s.Cloptonson (talk) 06:26, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

I also notice that a citation to an American newspaper has been put at the end of the sentence I questioned in place of my citation need alert, but I am unable to read what it says. Was the funeral about to take place, or had it already taken place, at the time of its going to press?Cloptonson (talk) 06:53, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Hi, Cloptonson. I can confirm the text reads in the 14 January 1975 edition of the Lowell Sun (in pertinent part):

"HIGHLEY, England (Reuter) - The Black Panther, Britain's most wanted criminal, is possessed by the Devil, the priest conducting the funeral of kidnapped 17-year-old heiress Lesley Whittle told the 200 mourners here today." Kieronoldham (talk) 23:54, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Thank you. This brief extract of a syndicated report does nothing though to indicate that she was buried at Highley, nor where she was buried, and omits mention of a cremation. (Weakness of such reports is that they get picked up by journalists who were not themselves at the event.) Clearly the report was wired when the church service had taken place. Many distinguished British people have had funeral services taking place in London at St Paul's Cathedral or Westminster Abbey but it doesn't always follow they are buried on the premises, so I view news of funerals at ordinary churches with the same reserve.Cloptonson (talk) 07:26, 25 August 2025 (UTC)

I have today visited Highley Parish Church (I don't live in its area but nr Shrewsbury). I could see no Whittle gravestones. I also noticed in the church porch that the plaque Dorothy Whittle put up in memory of her husband and Lesley is not now here - wonder if it has been temporarily removed pending an alteration or regrettably fallen victim to metal thieves? Rather than totally delete the relevant paragraph without trace I have moved it to the talk page, pending discovery of any published information to update on the situation, and to prevent readers being misled into making fruitless visits to the church:

Ronald and Dorothy Whittle later dedicated a brass plaque to the memory of Lesley and her father. This plaque is installed within the porch of Highley Parish Church. The inscription upon this plaque reads: "In loving memory George Whittle (1905-1970) and his daughter Lesley Whittle (1957-1975)".

I have emailed the parish administrator enquiring what is known became of the plaque.

Cloptonson (talk) 19:27, 24 August 2025 (UTC)

Good news - the administrator has emailed explaining it is still in the porch - I had not looked at the correct position! (I will leave it for visitors to find out.)Cloptonson (talk) 14:22, 26 August 2025 (UTC)

Further progress - I have managed to find the Shropshire Star stories relating to her funeral and death notice and they confirm what I have said. I will supersede the 'laid to rest in the grounds' sentence and the citation to a US report and replace this with information based on the Star and cites to that paper which being local to Shropshire is a better source.Cloptonson (talk) 15:32, 28 August 2025 (UTC)

References