UK Jean Chalinder, 32, Cardiff, Wales, 20th September 1956

[TootsieFootsie]

The murder of a newly-wed who was picking blackberries in a Cardiff field that remains unsolved decades later

Just three months after friends and family gathered to celebrate Jean Chalinder's wedding, they were back at the same church to bury her.

Just weeks after that joyous occasion, the newly-wed was discovered brutally murdered in a Cardiff field where she had gone to pick blackberries. There was a major police operation that even involved Scotland Yard detectives and made headlines around the country, but today, more than six decades after the 32-year-old's shocking death, the murderer has never been found.

Jean's body was was discovered on September 20, 1956, a few days after she had cycled to a field to pick blackberries. Jean, who had only just married Wellfield Road grocer Tony Chalinder had left their home in Southminster Road, Roath, five days before and never returned.

 

[Stella]

I'm a bit curious about this farm she was found on. Was the owner still alive, still living there? Did people have/need permission to go onto the property to pick blackberries or were they "poaching"? Could be someone didn't want her there or she stumbled onto something she wasn't supposed to see?

 

[TheArtfulDetective]

I'm a bit curious about this farm she was found on. Was the owner still alive, still living there? Did people have/need permission to go onto the property to pick blackberries or were they "poaching"? Could be someone didn't want her there or she stumbled onto something she wasn't supposed to see?

Good question. The article states it was a known berry picking hot spot so assuming people had permission. But yes, did she witness something? And were there people working on the property?

-It appears that she cycled along Llanedeyrn Road and went through the gate into the Peggy Giles fields on the Llwyn-y-Grant farm – a favourite blackberry picking spot at the time.

-Police never found the murder weapon, but it was believed to be a billhook (a cutting tool used widely in agriculture and forestry for cutting woody material such as shrubs)

If it was a popular place to pick berries, was the murderer also there by happenstance picking berries? Or was he working on the farm? It would explain why he would have had a billhook.

- One theory was that she knew her attacker because there was no sign of any struggle, although another theory was that she was attacked from behind.

-Police said at the time that the crime appeared to be a motiveless one.

-It said that more than one of the witnesses had seen a man "cycle wildly" from the murder field about the time Mrs Chalinder had died. A search had found pieces of light brown flecked tweed thought to be similar to that worn by the cyclist. The man was described as being tall, aged between 26 and 32, with fair hair and broad shoulders. He was never found.

There would be motive if she knew her attacker. Although she wasn't sexually assaulted, he most likely attempted to. Maybe she even tried to run away or threatened to report him. When she had her back turned, he blindsided her with blows to the head since she could identify him. Although there was no evidence of a struggle, the pieces of tweed found could implicate a light scuffle.

The possible suspect was seen on a bike. If he wasn't there for berry picking or working, was he out cycling, saw Jean, and followed her to the farm? Doubtful though, as if the murder weapon really was an agricultural tool, then it makes sense the person had a reason for being on the property or in the nearby Birchgrove Wood where she was thought to be attacked.

-It was reported on Thursday 27 September 1956 that a man's bloodstained clothing was found in bushes and fields by police dogs near to the spot where Jean Chalinder's was body was found.

-It was also stated by the police that they also knew the owner of more bloodstained clothing that had been sent to a cleaners and said that all the clothing found was being examined at the Home Office Forensic Science Laboratory at Llanishen.

Why wasn't this stated in more reports? What became of it?

-The police said that they did not think that he was a local man.

Considering what is known about the case, why do the police think he wasn't local? What would bring an outsider to the area? Unless he followed her, how would he know a local favorite berry picking spot? If it was an outsider with no business being there, why would he have a billhook? There doesn't seem to be motive for someone that wasn't local to just randomly attack someone in the woods. For one, it's not the most opportunistic of places to stumble upon someone to attack. It also seems more likely a stranger would have sexually assaulted her before murdering her.

Jean Beatrice Chalinder - Unsolved Murder 1956 - Llwynygrant Farm, Llanedeyrn, Cardiff - Jean Beatrice Chalinder Unsolved Mysteries UK

The unsolved murder of a Welsh newlywed 60 years ago

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Could it be someone, like a secret admirer who was upset that she married someone else.

 

[alb1on]

The area has been largely built on since the murder but Peggy Giles field can be identified as next to what is now Llanedeyrn Primary School. Local council maps clearly show multiple rights of way/public footpaths in the area which will have existed for many years (certainly long before the murder). So, although these paths passed through farmland at the time she would probably have been using them and so not require any permissions. Even today picking blackberries on such paths is popular during season and would not attract any notice.

 

[sonz82]

So this woman is not missing? Just the murder that's unsolved ?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

When I posted originally I put it in a different section but then it got moved.

I got a notice that it was moved but didn't realise that it had been moved to a "missing" section.