The Illustrated Police News
Thursday 29 January 1920
The unsolved murder of Reuben Mort at Market Street, Little Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancashire. During the early hour's of Monday the 19 January 1920. BLUDGEONED TO DEATH during a robbery.
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Reuben Mort 1841-1920: 4, Reuben Mort, was born James in April 1841 and lived all his life in the village of Little Lever near Bolton in the County of Lancashire. He was baptised Reuben on the 13th June 1841, the son of James Mort a bleacer & finisher and Martha Hampson, who were married on the 2nd November 1834 at Deane in Lancashire.
1841, Lever Lane, Bolton, Lancashire, England James Mort 30 Bleacher Lancashire, England Marthy Mort 25 Lancashire, England John Mort 7 Lancashire, England Alice Mort 3 Lancashire, England James (Reuben) Mort 2 months, Lancashire, England 1851, Nandy Square, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England James Mort Head 37 Bleacher, Lancashire, England Martha Mort Wife 35 Lancashire, England Alice Mort Daughter 13 Scholar, Lancashire, England Reuben Mort Son 11 Scholar, Lancashire, England Eli Mort Son 7 Scholar, Lancashire, England James Mort Son 2 Lancashire, England 1861, Stocks, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England James Mort Head 47 Maker Up At Block Work, Great Lever, Lancashire, Martha Mort Wife 45 Lancashire, England Alice Mort Daughter 23 Servant, Little Lever, Lancashire, England James R Mort Son 20 Blacksmith, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Elizabeth A Mort Daughter 18 Sticher, Little Lever, Lancashire, England James Mort Son 12 Scholar, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Martha Mort Daughter 5 Scholar, Little Lever, Lancashire, England |
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1871, Market Street House and Shop, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire.
James Mort Head 57 Grocer, Lancashire, England Martha Mort Wife 57 Lancashire, England Alice Mort Daughter 35 Servant, Lancashire, England Reuben Mort Son 33 Blacksmith, Lancashire, England James Mort Son 22 Draper, Lancashire, England Martha Mort Daughter 15 Cotton Weaver. 1881, 3, Market Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England Martha Mort Head Widow 68 Grocer, Horwich, Lancashire, England Alice Mort Daughter 40 House Keeper, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Reuben Mort Son 38 Blacksmith, Little Lever, Lancashire. 1891, 3 Market Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England Reuben Mort Head 51 Blacksmith, Lancashire, England Alice Mort Sister 56 Grocer, Little Lever, Lancashire, 1901, 3 Market Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England Alice Mort Head 62 Grocer, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Reuben Mort Brother 59 Blacksmith (Retired), Little Lever, Lancashire. 1911, 3 Market Street Little Lever Bolton, Little Lever, Lancashire. Alice Mort Head 72 Grocer, Little Lever Lancashire Reuben Mort Brother 69 Private Means, Little Lever Lancashire. |
Reuben worked as a blacksmith for over 40 years, in July 1872, he won 1st prize in the throwing a hammer competition weighing 171 pounds, later the same year on the 1st September 1872 his father James died.
He was a Conservative Councillor from 1906 to 1912 and also a smallware dealer, a churchgoer with many friends, “not en enemy in the world” his friends would say. He had several properties in Little Lever and would keep around £2000 in cash in a safe at his home. In the early hours of Monday the 19th January 1920, Reuben was awoken by a noise coming from the kitchen, he went downstairs to investigate and come face to face with unknown assailant wearing a mask, the assailant demanding the key to the safe, but Reuben refused to say where the key was. The unknown assailant hit him several times over the head with a blunt instrument, still Reuben refused to say where the key was, falling in and out of consciousness.The assailant ransack the house looking for the key, he left empty-handed as quietly as could be. Reuben was found by neighbours at about 4 a.m., in the morning, after hearing a tapping sound on the wall. He was taken to the Bolton Infirmary where he died at 6.30 p.m. Inquest; death was due to a fracture of the skull, caused by blows with a blunt instrument (no weapon was ever found) the jury returned a verdict of murder against some person or persons unknown. Reuben left over £16000, in his will to his nephew James William Stringfellow. |
The Children of James and Martha Mort:
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1, John Mort 1834-1896: Baptised 22nd January 1835, a butcher, who married a woman 23-years-older than himself, Mary Heywood on the 21st July 1856 at Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire. Mary died the 12th December 1879. His second marriage was to Ann Butterworth 10-years-younger on the 5th September 1883 at Bolton-le-Moors.
1871, Market Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England John Mort Head 36 Butcher Lancashire, England Mary Mort Wife 60 Lancashire, England 1881, 41, Market Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England John Mort Head Widower 48 Butcher, Little Lever, Lancashire, England 1891, Brackley Terrace, Great Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England John Mort Head 57 Retired Butcher, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Ann Mort Wife 48 Rochdale, Lancashire, England John of 670 Bracklet Terrace, Manchester Road, Great Lever, Lancashire died on the 1st December 1896, leaving over £8000. 2, Thomas Mort: Baptised 6th September 1836 at Little Lever, he died in infancy.
6, Thomas Mort: Baptised 5th December 1845 at Little Lever, he died in infancy.
7, + 8, Mary & Martha Mort Twins: Baptised on the 6th October 1846, Mary died on the 29th October 1846, Martha also died in infancy.
9, James Mort 1849-1872: Baptised on the 24th June 1849 at St Matthew's Church, Little Lever, a draper, died 25th June 1872, aged 23 years', burial 28th June 1872.
10, Martha Mort 1855-1925:
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3, Alice Mort 1838-1912: A spinster, she worked as a servant, until after the death of her mother in 1882, when she took over the grocer's shop at 3 Market Street, living with her brother Reuben, until her death on the 6th August 1912, she left over £6000., her burial was on the 8th August 1912 at St Matthew's Churchyard, Little Lever.
5, Elizabeth Ann Mort 1843-1892: Born in 1843, she worked as a sticher until she married Peter Stringfellow a draper/smallware merchant dealer, on the 29th August 1866 at Bolton-le-Moors. Her husband Peter died 12th April 1912, aged 70. Elizabeth had two sons James and Herbert, she died on the 6th May 1892.
1871, 7 High Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England Peter Stringfellow Head 29 Cotton bleacher, Lancashire, England Elizabeth A Stringfellow Wife 29 Lancashire, England James W Stringfellow Son 3 Lancashire, England Herbert Stringfellow Son 1 Lancashire, England 1881, 86-88 House & Shop, High Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire. Peter Stringfellow Head 39 Smallware Merchant, Lancashire, England Elizabeth A Stringfellow Wife 37 Little Lever, Lancashire, England James W Stringfellow Son 13 Smallware, Little Lever, Lancashire. Herbert Stringfellow Son 11 Scholar, Little Lever, Lancashire, England Thomas Stringfellow Boarder Lodger 32 Hawker of Smallware, Lancashire. Mary E Grimshaw Servant 13 General Domestic, Pendleton, Lancashire. Ingham Isaac Boarder 22 Teacher, Bacup, Lancashire, England. 1891, 86-90, High Street, Little Lever, Bolton, Lancashire, England Peter Stringfellow Head 49 Draper, Abram, Lancashire, England Elizabeth Ann Stringfellow Wife 48 Little Lever, Lancashire, England James William Stringfellow Son 23 Drapers Assistant, Little Lever. Agnes Fletcher Servant 25 Drapers Assistant, Aspull, Lancashire, England Clara Fletcher Boarder 19 Assistant School Mistress, Ince, Lancashire.
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