The Mystery of Georgina Ann Moore’s Disappearance

Taking a small break to post the murder of Georgina Ann Moore. This case was a fascinating if not disturbing one, so buckle up and read about her background, murder, investigation, and conclusion.

The Moore's

In the veiled mist of time, there existed Mr. and Mrs. Moore, souls of humble origin, who had migrated from the depths of Devonshire to the sprawling metropolis of London in the 1870s. They were unassuming and solitary beings, devoid of kin or close companions in this bustling city. Their existence was one of quiet integrity and sobriety; the father, a skilled carpenter, toiled for a firm nestled in the opulent west end of London.

Their modest family comprised of but two offspring: the young Georgina and a younger boy. For the past half-year, they had resided at No. 105, Winchester-street, Pimlico, a dwelling amidst a labyrinth of new streets, each adorned with rows of small stuccoed houses, their pretentious pillared porticoes a stark contrast to the humble lives within.

The Enigma of Her Vanishing

On the fateful morning of Tuesday, December 20th, 1881, Seven-year-old Georgina set forth as was her custom, bound for the girls' school of the United Methodists’ Free Church, situated nearby on Westmoreland-street. Yet, she never graced her home with her return. A fleeting glimpse of her, safe and sound, was caught at midday at No. 7, Westmoreland-street, where her mother chanced to be visiting that day.

Here, Georgina shared a meal with her mother and hostess. At 1:30 PM, she left, intending to return to her school. She ventured alone, but no cause for alarm was anticipated as she did this daily. Georgina was a bright and quick-witted child, known for her punctuality and diligence in her studies. The schoolhouse itself was but a stone's throw away from the dwelling where she had dined, adding another layer of mystery to her disappearance.

Yet, the child never again appeared at the school.

Georgina Moore was tall for her age, her complexion fair and luminous, her hair a cascade of gold framing her face, her eyes a captivating blue. She was last seen clad in a dark blue serge frock, a dark ulster adorned with two rows of black buttons, a white straw hat trimmed with black velvet, dark blue knitted stockings, and button boots.

The police, from the outset, spared no effort in their quest to unravel the mystery of Georgina Moore. Mr. C. E. Howard Vincent and Chief Superintendent Williamson delved deep into the case, their relentless pursuit a testament to their dedication. Yet, the "Pimlico Mystery" remained unsolved.

The Grim Discovery

Imagine the agonizing suspense that gripped Mr. and Mrs. Moore during the week that stretched between that fateful 20th of December and the somber Monday, January 30th, when the lifeless body of their beloved daughter was plucked from the River Medway.

Alfred Pinhorn, of the barge Maidstone, recounted to the Coroner's jury at the Yalding Railway Inn on February 1st the chilling tale of his accidental encounter with the corpse. On that fateful Monday afternoon, as he navigated his barge upriver towards Tonbridge, near Hampstead Lock, he plunged his barge-pole, or "beam," into the riverbed. Upon retrieving it, he was met with a sight that would forever haunt his memory: the lifeless body of a young girl impaled on the iron spike.

His partner, Swain, assisted in retrieving the body. A piece of wire was tightly wrapped around the waist three times, with a brick attached to the end. The brick was stamped with a crown and the letters TYNEE.

The apparent age, the perfect match between the child's clothing and the description on the police flyers offering a ￡40 reward for information leading to Georgina Moore's discovery, and even a faint resemblance in the facial features to those in the photograph, prompted the police to immediately contact the father. Upon his arrival in Yalding the following Tuesday, he tragically confirmed the remains were those of his daughter.

It was undeniable that a brutal murder had taken place. The neck displayed clear, dark marks, indicating the child had been strangled before being disposed of in the river.

ESTHER PAY SUSPECTED

Mrs. Esther Pay was living at Yaldin in Westmoreland-street at the time of Georgina’s disappearance and near the spot where the body was discovered. She was arrested a week later some twenty doors or so only from the school when it was discovered that she was seen with Georgina the day of her disappearance.

However, the Moores never suspected Esther. They had lived at one time, and for as long a period as two years, in the Pay house. It, is alleged that Pay may have been jealous of the Moore's, having no children of her own, but there were also rumors that Mr. Moore and Mrs. Pay had had an affair and murdered the child so Mr. Moore would come to her.

The house in which the Pay’s lived was a quiet two-storied house and was used for lodgers, a perfect place to keep a child prisoner.

Here, moreover, Mrs. Pay continued to live quietly week after week during investigation; and more than once she called upon Mrs. Moore since Georgina's disappearance, professing sympathy and sorrow for her loss.

SHE SKIPS TOWN

About two weeks later, Mrs. Pay suddenly disappeared. She took some of the furniture with her, openly, while her husband, who works the night shift at a nearby wheel manufacturer, was away.

Rumor has it that although this was done without his knowledge or permission, Mr. Pay didn't seem too bothered about his wife's departure, claiming to be happy to be rid of her.

Regardless, it's since been discovered that Mrs. Pay didn't go far; she simply moved to her own place on a nearby street, where it's believed her furniture is still located.

However, she seemed to have vanished for several days until she was found a week later on a Tuesday, staying with friends in the same small, unremarkable Kentish village where the child's body had been identified just days earlier.

Now, let's fast forward to Wednesday, February 1st. 35-year-old Esther Pay, described as an attractive married woman residing at 51 Westmoreland-street, Pimlico, was brought before Mr. Partridge at Westminster Police Court. She was charged with suspicion of causing the death of Georgina Moore.

Inspector Henry Marshall, a proactive and capable officer from the Criminal Investigation Department, testified that he had arrested Mrs. Pay the previous Tuesday in a cottage at Yalding. Inside her bag, he found a copy of the Penny Illustrated Paper, which featured the reprinted portrait of Georgina Moore. He also discovered a piece of paper with what he believed to be bloodstains, along with a rather familiar letter written by Mrs. Pay to Mr. Moore.

Stay tuned for Part Two: The Arrest ...