UK UK - Claudia Lawrence, 35, Chef, York University, 18 March 2009 #16

[Pinkizzy]

First time poster but a local to this area and very familiar with it.

I’ve never been sure of what the structure was actually for but I’m pretty certain it wasn’t there when Claudia went missing.

it was probably only 2/3 feet high and was a wooden frame covered in black tarp that were weighed down by tyres.

there was building/maintainence work going on by the ponds over the last week or so but no hint of police investigation until Tuesday when it all got cordoned off.

Could the long wooden thingy be a compost container? The field was mowed and grass was left there to turn into mulch. Gardeners use pallets to make their diy composters, don't they?

 

[vekoma]

Could the long wooden thingy be a compost container? The field was mowed and grass was left there to turn into mulch. Gardeners use pallets to make their diy composters, don't they?

Yep I would say that would be a perfectly plausible explaination of what it could have been.

As much as it wasn’t tall it was very long! I would say a good 20 meters…. As I say….I’m pretty sure it wasn’t there when Claudia went missing but it’s a long time to try and think back to pin point when it got put up

 

[Novosti]

Google photographs show it was there in 2011. If it wasn't there (tbc) when CL went missing, then its construction would be within that two year window.

Yep I would say that would be a perfectly plausible explaination of what it could have been.

As much as it wasn’t tall it was very long! I would say a good 20 meters…. As I say….I’m pretty sure it wasn’t there when Claudia went missing but it’s a long time to try and think back to pin point when it got put up

 

[Novosti]

And at least two of the arrested suspects that the police wanted to charge with murder had businesses along this road. One close to the site.

Sand Hutton is a very small village just off A64 in York. It is approx half way between York and Malton. Claudia would have travelled along this road from York to get to Malton.

There are two pubs on opposite side of road to Sand Hutton turn off - Tanglewood (which is now Neptune Home) and Four All’s.

Just before you reach the actual village of Sand Hutton is the huge Science Labs. This used to be called Central Science Laboratory (CSL) and then became FERA (both agencies of DEFRA).

What is interesting to note is that Claudias friend (Suzy Cooper) used to work in Finance at the Science Labs. Quite a few staff are keen runners and often run between the labs and Sand Hutton village and in the woods between the two

 

[Nikynoo]

It looks like the land is now owned by Iona Capital (through a slightly complex company and charge structure). Prior to that I assume it was a neighbouring farmer, and they did a deal with Iona at some point.

I think its this company - look at the directors and then click on one of the directors to see what other companies they are directors of:

Link from Companies House GRAVEL PIT BIOGAS LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)

And link to pic in dm (pic no. 11)Claudia Lawrence detectives must have been led to fishing pond by tip-off, says family friend | Daily Mail Online

And in relation to @Novosti's earlier post re Iona - the link between the two is they have the same registered office at companies house. IONA CAPITAL LIMITED - Personal Appointments (free information from Companies House)

 

[Novosti]

On the location of a silage pit, if I've understood the site correctly, it is on the opposite side of the road from the fields, and largely opposite trees, rather than fields (at least today).

So it wouldn't be the most convenient location for storing material taken from the fields. That doesn't necessarily mean it was erected for suspicious reasons. Possibly it was just the nearest site that the farmer could use - e.g. didn't want to compromise growing space in the field itself, and thought that worth the hassle of moving material across the road.

Quick flyby:

The big blue tent looks like a control centre for briefings and collection /examination of finds from the general search. If a small tent goes up anywhere along the cleared strip where they are now doing the geophysics that would suggest an excavation.

The mystery concrete structure looks to be an optical illusion resulting from the angle of sunlight falling on undergrowth.

Ref the ‘silage pit’ idea - in the April 2011 Streetview the field has been strimmed/mowed. My guess would be that the resulting biomass was being raked across the field into the trough before being covered - hence it ran the full length of the field.

 

[Novosti]

All directors with a 123 Pall Mall address will be officers of Iona Capital.

I think its this company - look at the directors and then click on one of the directors to see what other companies they are directors of:

Link from Companies House GRAVEL PIT BIOGAS LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)

And link to pic in dm (pic no. 11)Claudia Lawrence detectives must have been led to fishing pond by tip-off, says family friend | Daily Mail Online

And in relation to @Novosti's earlier post re Iona - the link between the two is they have the same registered office at companies house.

 

[Nikynoo]

All directors with a 123 Pall Mall address will be officers of Iona Capital.

No, they are not. Look at the directors tab of the first company I posted. non of the directors of that company are directors of Iona Capital.

Iona Capital Limited is the company secretary of Iona Biogas Limited. Non of the directors of Iona Biogas are the same as Gravel Pits Biogas Limited. Are you able to share the information you found please?

ETA - I think this is off topic and not related to CL - so we should not pursue it.

 

[keep-it-real]

Quick flyby:

The big blue tent looks like a control centre for briefings and collection /examination of finds from the general search. If a small tent goes up anywhere along the cleared strip where they are now doing the geophysics that would suggest an excavation.

The mystery concrete structure looks to be an optical illusion resulting from the angle of sunlight falling on undergrowth.

Ref the ‘silage pit’ idea - in the April 2011 Streetview the field has been strimmed/mowed. My guess would be that the resulting biomass was being raked across the field into the trough before being covered - hence it ran the full length of the field.

Whey Carr Plantation
1. #GetOutside: do more in the British Outdoors
2. Whey Carr Plantation © DS Pugh cc-by-sa/2.0.. Ineractive map will give you an aerial view option.
3. File:Sleepers in Whey Carr Plantation - geograph.org.uk - 787214.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
4. https://www.forestryengland.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Sand Hutton Forest Plan.pdf... (2.3 - 2.4 & 2.5)
5. Bed firm springs into action to buy woodland

 

[vekoma]

On the location of a silage pit, if I've understood the site correctly, it is on the opposite side of the road from the fields, and largely opposite trees, rather than fields (at least today).

So it wouldn't be the most convenient location for storing material taken from the fields. That doesn't necessarily mean it was erected for suspicious reasons. Possibly it was just the nearest site that the farmer could use - e.g. didn't want to compromise growing space in the field itself, and thought that worth the hassle of moving material across the road.

That’s correct. It’s on the opposite side of the road to Gravel Pit farm.

the road has hedgerows lining it and the black tarp thing was between that and then the pond and trees are behind it. At the ‘science lab’ end of that structure is a creepy old tin roofed shed

 

[Novosti]

The people with significant control are Iona officers - Davies and Dunn (I think now deceased).

But you are right to correct me that not ALL the Pall Mall listed directors are Iona officers - two, surnames Jones, list their occupation as farmers. I don't know, but these could either be outside farmers brought in by Iona during the takeover. Or might be the local previous owners who maintain a role in the new firm.

No, they are not. Look at the directors tab of the first company I posted. non of the directors of that company are directors of Iona Capital.

Iona Capital Limited is the company secretary of Iona Biogas Limited. Non of the directors of Iona Biogas are the same as Gravel Pits Biogas Limited. Are you able to share the information you found please?

ETA - I think this is off topic and not related to CL - so we should not pursue it.

 

[Pinkizzy]

Someone should ask SC about her work history

 

[shadwell]

On the location of a silage pit, if I've understood the site correctly, it is on the opposite side of the road from the fields, and largely opposite trees, rather than fields (at least today).

So it wouldn't be the most convenient location for storing material taken from the fields. That doesn't necessarily mean it was erected for suspicious reasons. Possibly it was just the nearest site that the farmer could use - e.g. didn't want to compromise growing space in the field itself, and thought that worth the hassle of moving material across the road.

My best guess from the Streetview is that at the time they were harvesting biomass from the field and storing it in the trough. And from the condition of the wood and (small) amount of stuff in the trough I would guess it was a fairly new venture in 2011.

Anyone know any farmers/biogas producers who might have relevant knowledge?

That said, it looks like there was sheet plastic on top and underneath. So if anything was buried there, it almost certainly happened prior to construction of the trough. Which would then lead to the question: if something was buried there in 2009, did the person doing the digging know that something was set to be built over the top of where they were digging? Were they involved in the construction?

 

[shadwell]

FWIW - I don’t want to play “thread cop” but let’s be careful about naming names in connection with this site. Previous experience suggests it’s the kind of thing that gets threads summarily zapped.

 

[Kiranerys]

And at least two of the arrested suspects that the police wanted to charge with murder had businesses along this road. One close to the site.

Which ones?

 

[shadwell]

A few new photos on the Yorkshire Live site this morning, though only one of any real interest, showing a camera and a spade being carried onto the site. Not sure if they are Alecto or another contractor.
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/local-news/claudia-lawrence-case-live-search-21391362

 

[FreddieDogg]

The people with significant control are Iona officers - Davies and Dunn (I think now deceased).

But you are right to correct me that not ALL the Pall Mall listed directors are Iona officers - two, surnames Jones, list their occupation as farmers. I don't know, but these could either be outside farmers brought in by Iona during the takeover. Or might be the local previous owners who maintain a role in the new firm.

The names D & JA Jones are on a signpost outside the entry to gravel pit farm, look like they own it, however JA is no longer listed and C Jones is the new director

 

[Novosti]

I'm going to avoid names. But it's easily done with Internet searches and Companies House data.

Which ones?

 

[Sarahaddison14]

Thank you.

 

[Blonderabbit]

I think if the police find something here it suggest to me it wasn’t a planned attack - it seems like quick let’s get rid of the body as the police will probably be on my doorstep first - a rushed disposal. Let’s face it- if you want to get rid of a body with no trace and you have time - you wouldn’t leave it lying around the countryside.