With the peak of the summer season a few months away, boarding house manager Jessie Brewer was spending her downtime reading the morning paper when she saw an article about the death of an elderly woman who lived in the district. Her eyes widened at the part of the article where it listed April 14th, 1953, as the date of the woman’s death. Jessie was familiar with the deceased named Sarah Ann Ricketts, but she was surprised, as Jessie had been told that Sarah had passed away days before that… (Part 1 of 3).
*** LISTENER CAUTION IS ADVISED ***
This episode was researched and written by Eileen Macfarlane.
Edited by Joel Porter at Dot Dot Dot Productions.
Script editing, additional writing, illustrations and production direction by Rosanna Fitton
Narration, additional audio editing and mixing, and script editing by Benjamin Fitton.
To get early ad-free access, including Season 1, sign up for They Walk Among PLUS, available from Patreon or Apple Podcasts.
More information and episode references can be found on our website https://theywalkamonguspodcast.com
MUSIC:
The Diary by CJ0
Evidence Board by CJ0
Misery Loves Company by CJ0
The Last Straw by CJ Oliver
Altered Fate by Cody Martin
Gravity by Caleb Etheridge
Harboring by Salon Dijon
Stolen Moments by Salon Dijon
Leatherface by Wicked Cinema
No Escape by Wicked Cinema
Shifter by Wicked Cinema
The Lantern by Wicked Cinema
Childlike by WildWonder
SOCIAL MEDIA: https://linktr.ee/TheyWalkAmongUs
REFERENCES:
ARCHIVES
Files from the National Archives
NEWSPAPER ARCHIVE
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch/170210864/
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https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/170211147/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170211156/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170211168/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170211182/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172755176/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172755316/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-wales-argus/170211194/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post/170211201/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-sentinel/170211222/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/170211234/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner/172754809/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-wales-argus/170211245/
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https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170211289/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/170211310/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170211318/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170213351/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/172754890/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/172755542/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/170211330/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/170211342/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/170211356/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury/170211373/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170213359/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170211397/
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https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/170213452/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury/170213463/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170213488/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170213506/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/170213521/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170213542/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch/170213587/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170213606/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170213636/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170213656/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170213670/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170213690/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170213711/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170213728/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/170213771/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/170213818/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172820765/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170213835/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170213847/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch/170213872/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/170213897/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/170213948/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people/170213969/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mercury/170213992/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/170216513/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people/170217059/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-wales-argus/170214012/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170217274/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170217307/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170217326/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/170217346/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-sentinel/170217385/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170217422/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170217444/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170217490/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/170217526/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170217558/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/170217600/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170354075/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170354668/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170355024/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/170356650/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357480/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/170357602/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170357681/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170357694/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170357707/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170357726/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357733/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/170357743/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357762/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357774/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357824/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170358346/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170358885/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170359178/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/170497533/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/170357814/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357837/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/170357851/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch/170357861/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/170357875/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170357894/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170360128/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170360614/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170360869/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard/170360983/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/170361031/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170361062/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170361087/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172823698/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361364/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170361634/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170361650/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361671/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361708/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170363000/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170363407/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170366076/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361743/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170361753/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170361768/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170361785/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170361801/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170367813/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170369052/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170428759/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170361821/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170361889/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170429091/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/172828932/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361910/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170361924/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170361940/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170429254/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170429434/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post/172829290/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170361957/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170429970/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/170497524/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172831214/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/huddersfield-daily-examiner/172831243/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170361985/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170362005/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170362022/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170430674/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/170362052/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/170362075/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170362093/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170431880/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170432229/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/170362119/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170362137/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/170432590/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172889569/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172889774/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post/172889950/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172890062/
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https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172891242/
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https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-despatch/172892339/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172892356/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172892363/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/170497542/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post/172892430/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post/172893192/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172893246/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/172893614/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172893645/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172894508/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172897761/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard/172897779/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/172897806/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/172897861/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincolnshire-echo/172897897/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-news-and-star-sports-special/172897914/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-evening-mail/172897943/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail/172897980/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/172897989/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172902790/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172905719/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172898023/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/172898044/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172898086/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172902820/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172903356/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mirror/172898109/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172898131/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/172898149/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/172898171/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury/172898189/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/172960367/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-news-and-star-late-final-ed/172898211/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/herald-express/172898249/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172898276/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/172898291/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172898426/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/172898452/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-herald/172898490/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172898512/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172898649/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/172898668/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/172898684/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-dispatch/172902838/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph/172903045/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/lincolnshire-echo/170497554/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172899062/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-news-and-star-late-final-ed/172899073/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/172899114/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-herald/172899142/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/172899171/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172903429/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170497546/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172899239/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-bolton-news/172902055/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-gazette/172902090/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-chronicle/172902106/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian/172899255/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard/172902149/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury/172902170/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/truth/172903230/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172903488/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172903525/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172902231/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post/172902248/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/172902884/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172902290/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172903562/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard/172902319/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/south-wales-argus/172903600/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-mirror/172902904/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph/172963596/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail/172903641/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail/172903661/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/western-mail/170497565/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/grimsby-evening-telegraph/172963617/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-standard/172963633/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172963665/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post/172902378/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-news-and-star-late-final-ed/172902404/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-sun/172902431/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/170497563/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-chronicle/172902453/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury/172902483/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post-merseyside-ed/172903739/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172902540/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/lancashire-telegraph/172902556/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/172902575/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-post/172902598/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172902622/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-sunday-people/172902649/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/sunday-mirror/172902672/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-echo/172902685/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news/172902737/
https://www.newspapers.com/article/liverpool-daily-post-merseyside-ed/172902754/
ANCESTRY
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/169464410/person/222557179531/facts?_phsrc=fvw376&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/169464410/person/222557179851/facts
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/169464410/person/222557181280/facts
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/61596/records/43142510?tid=&pid=&queryId=a9e8a269-759a-4bdd-956f-a5c4e8c01616&_phsrc=fvw374&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/61596/records/43142511
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/63150/records/28438467?tid=&pid=&queryId=a9e8a269-759a-4bdd-956f-a5c4e8c01616&_phsrc=fvw374&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/8753/records/48505631?tid=&pid=&queryId=622657ff-9968-4b5a-a942-9f56e167dbf4&_phsrc=fvw376&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1904/records/16452984?tid=&pid=&queryId=622657ff-9968-4b5a-a942-9f56e167dbf4&_phsrc=fvw376&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/1904/records/16452984?tid=&pid=&queryId=622657ff-9968-4b5a-a942-9f56e167dbf4&_phsrc=fvw376&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/7579/records/29990996?tid=&pid=&queryId=622657ff-9968-4b5a-a942-9f56e167dbf4&_phsrc=fvw376&_phstart=successSource
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/8782/records/27935620?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/?name=Montgomery_Ellison&event=_wigan-lancashire-england-united+kingdom_85024&birth=1945&location=3257.3250&name_x=1_1&priority=english&successSource=Search&queryId=25fa128e-c4f2-4c53-b67d-3bfd2a915d8c%27,%27successSource%27)
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/facts?_phcmd=u(%27https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/family-tree/person/tree/17277733/person/312392633578/facts
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/7579/images/ons_d19441az-0323?pId=23150769
ONLINE ARTICLES
https://blackpool.com/heritage-history
https://www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/blackpool-in-the-50s
https://www.personsunknown.net/p/the-strange-case-of-louisa-merrifield
https://www.personsunknown.net/p/the-strange-case-of-louisa-merrifield-9fc
https://edu.rsc.org/download?ac=14223
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/spoonful-jam-rat-poison-story-25417279
https://www.lancs.live/news/lancashire-news/blackpool-poisoner-drunkard-who-murdered-17079890