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Unsolved Crime at Marley Hill
Missing Money Still A Mystery. (from an old article).
Miners' wages to the amount of £12,900 were stolen from Marley Hill Colliery Offices on Thursday, 15th September, 1949. The money, made up into wage packets, was put into the strong room on Thursday night, and when it was opened on the Friday morning at 8.0 a.m. by the cashier, Mr. J. Bell and Mr. D. Dormerhill, head bill clerk, the money was missing. No force was used to gain entry into the colliery office or strongroom itself, and the supposition was that a duplicate key had been used. When Thursday became the day for collecting the money from the bank it was necessary to guard it overnight at the colliery itself. A night watchman's rota was instituted comprising colliery officials. Mr. Ralph Shield, foreman drainer, was the night guard on duty in a room. Thursday was his usual night on duty and during his period on guard he was visited at regular intervals by colliery firemen from a nearby building.
Mr. W. Welsh, N.C.B. area general manager, stated that all 1540 men affected by the robbery would be paid on Saturday. Fourteen men and girls worked (under police prtoection) all over again to remake the miners' wage packets and the paying out proceeded smoothly on the Saturday morning. The money was in soiled pound and ten shilling notes and £1,000 in silver and copper and the thief left nothing. He even struggled away with a hundredweight of copper and silver.
Detectives form Blaydon and Felling pursued inquiries led by Supt W Wilson and Chief Inspector A.S. Thornton. Durham County's Asst. Chief constable, Mr A. Reay and Detective Superintendents R Hall and R Lee are also involved. Firms who offered a key-cutting service were checked on the theory that duplicate keys were used. Pay packets for men at Burnopfield and Byermoor Collieries were taken too.
The N.C.B. offered a reward of £500 for any information which would lead to the arrest of the thieves and the recovery of the stolen money. Now 18 years have passed since the robbery. Not a single clue has been found that would help the police in their investigations and today the North East's perfect crime still remains unsolved.
£12,900 was worth about £330,000 in 2007.
Comments
Thank you,
My father-in-law (sadly now deceased), for years talked about "The Marley Hill Job", after reading your article on the unsolved theft of the wages, I now know what he was talking about.
Unsubstantiated folk-law brought to life.
Thank you again.
Posted by: John Greenwood at August 30, 2008 6:49 PM
Wow great site, Can you tell me If it is true that Burnthouse Lane is haunted? I heard some people have seen a monk walking up there but don't really know the full story as to why?
It would be good to find that out. Could I make a few suggestions to this site. I think Whickham graveyard has a lot more stories to tell and I've took a few ghostly photos in there.
Thanks
Posted by: Louise Duncan at October 6, 2008 9:55 AM
We haven't heard anything about Burnthouse Lane being haunted. thanks for the suggestions about Whickham graveyard. we might do something about the gravestones and people buried there one day.
Posted by: Whickham Web Wanderers at October 8, 2008 8:54 PM