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

[MrsWatson]

Her house had a downstairs bathroom at the end of the kitchen. Common in terraced houses from the period. She had an electric toothbrush and the bathroom would not have had an electric point (again common in older UK properties) so it was kept on charge on the kitchen worktop. No doubt she would have brushed her teeth in the bathroom.

Duh, I should have figured that out myself! I have the same layout in my two up, two down terrace. One of my big complaints is no electrical outlet in the bathroom.

 

[tigerowl]

For the American posters, it's practically unheard of to have an electrical point in the bathroom in the UK and many old houses have a downstairs room converted into a bathroom. Most people with a downstairs bathroom would charge their toothbrush in the kitchen.

I really don't understand why the police have referred to the pots in the sink as breakfast dishes. They look nothing like breakfast dishes - especially with the wine glass close by. You would have thought this terminology would have been corrected by now.

 

[Grouse]

Her house had a downstairs bathroom at the end of the kitchen. Common in terraced houses from the period. She had an electric toothbrush and the bathroom would not have had an electric point (again common in older UK properties) so it was kept on charge on the kitchen worktop. No doubt she would have brushed her teeth in the bathroom.

Although in the picture I saw it was laid horizontally on the dish draining rack, not upright on its charger. The first thing that struck me when I saw that picture was what an odd place to leave a toothbrush.

Our toothbrushes are normally kept in the bathroom, and charged in another room every couple of weeks or so when they begin to run down.

 

[Grouse]

I really don't understand why the police have referred to the pots in the sink as breakfast dishes. They look nothing like breakfast dishes - especially with the wine glass close by. You would have thought this terminology would have been corrected by now.

RSBM - three glasses, two dishes and a largeish plate seems way too much for a breakfast for one, especially if taken at such an early hour.

 

[Lawly]

Although in the picture I saw it was laid horizontally on the dish draining rack, not upright on its charger. The first thing that struck me when I saw that picture was what an odd place to leave a toothbrush.
Our toothbrushes are normally kept in the bathroom, and charged in another room every couple of weeks or so when they begin to run down.

Likely she's just rinsed it out and is drying it on the draining board.

 

[Blonderabbit]

Does

I believe it was an electric toothbrush. The scenario in my head is that she brushed her teeth in the bathroom then plugged it into the kitchen to charge,with the bathroom being just off the kitchen.
]

her toothbrush look plugged in?

 

[curiosity2]

<quoted post removed>
Did Claudia commute daily from Malton to the Monkbar or was she already living in York. I had always thought she moved to York when she started working at the Uni

 

[ElizaKate]

Re. The 'breakfast' dishes and the belief that this supported NYP's original theory that she left her home unarmed on the morning of the 19th on her way to work.

(Firstly to say - I do agree with others that they don't appear to be breakfast dishes but the police for some reason have stated them as so, so for the purposes of this thought process I going to run with that idea).

I just wanted to note that I know a lot of professional chef's (as I work in the hospitality industry) and many of them, after long days cooking, often can't be bothered to cook for themselves at home. It's quite possible that, she may have had a bowl of cereal/toast before heading out for the evening. Quick bite to eat, quick brush of the teeth, and off out for the evening. This could support the theory that the missing rucksack and chef's whites had actually been taken with CL the night before for an overnight stay elsewhere with the aim to go to work from that location.

(If she was seeing someone she may well have had a toothbrush etc at that location)

MOO and I don't know which theory I support yet as I've only recently delved into this case.

 

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[Lawly]

Does

her toothbrush look plugged in?

Did I say it was? If you read my lastest comment I clarified by saying that in this instance I believe she's rinsed it out and left it to dry on the draining board but as other commenters have said, she lived in a cottage. It's not likely there would be anywhere for her to charge her toothbrush in the bathroom. She would most likely do this in the kitchen. It doesn't seem strange to me that her toothbrush is kept the kitchen. I happen to agree that the dishes are the most unusual thing in the photo as they certainly don't look like breakfast dishes to me.

 

[Trooper147]

<quoted post removed>
Did Claudia commute daily from Malton to the Monkbar or was she already living in York. I had always thought she moved to York when she started working at the Uni

My post was removed as I'm not verified. I believe she lived in york but could be wrong. I wasnt part of her friend group, I just knew her from work.

 

[Blonderabbit]

Did I say it was? If you read my lastest comment I clarified by saying that in this instance I believe she's rinsed it out and left it to dry on the draining board but as other commenters have said, she lived in a cottage. It's not likely there would be anywhere for her to charge her toothbrush in the bathroom. She would most likely do this in the kitchen. It doesn't seem strange to me that her toothbrush is kept the kitchen. I happen to agree that the dishes are the most unusual thing in the photo as they certainly don't look like breakfast dishes to me.

How much wine and beer do you drink for breakfast? It’s very obvious there’s more than an afternoon evenings washing up there.

 

[Blonderabbit]

Did I say it was? If you read my lastest comment I clarified by saying that in this instance I believe she's rinsed it out and left it to dry on the draining board but as other commenters have said, she lived in a cottage. It's not likely there would be anywhere for her to charge her toothbrush in the bathroom. She would most likely do this in the kitchen. It doesn't seem strange to me that her toothbrush is kept the kitchen. I happen to agree that the dishes are the most unusual thing in the photo as they certainly don't look like breakfast dishes to me.

And - why wouldn’t you let it drain and dry in the bathroom?

 

[Blonderabbit]

RSBM - three glasses, two dishes and a largeish plate seems way too much for a breakfast for one, especially if taken at such an early hour.

5 glasses? Two large knives

 

[HongKongPhooey]

And - why wouldn’t you let it drain and dry in the bathroom?

For me, that's probably not relevant.

The only relevance the toothbrush has IMO is whether it factors into when Claudia went missing - evening, or morning after. And even if we knew her routine intimately, it still probably couldnt answer that question.

 

[Trooper147]

Following this case closely and signed up here as it is very local to me, I fished the gravel pits weekly for years, worked at monk bar hotel at the same time as and knew CL, knocked around heworth and the pubs there when I was younger. Its interesting to read both on social media and the news updates and info but there are so many inaccuracies posted about the gravel pits relative to size and layout. I will chip in where I can help with local knowledge and hope the current activity turns up answers to Yorks biggest mystery.

 

[keep-it-real]

For me, that's probably not relevant.

The only relevance the toothbrush has IMO is whether it factors into when Claudia went missing - evening, or morning after. And even if we knew her routine intimately, it still probably couldnt answer that question.

I agree with you it would be hard to answer the question with any certainity.

I wouldnt necessarily limit the use of the toothbrush to morning or evening.
Some people would brush their teeth if they were going out to an important appointment.
Or if they had eaten something spicey or with garlic.

 

[Grouse]

5 glasses? Two large knives

I can see a 4th glass on the left now you mention it but not 5. Maybe she had company the evening before?

I'd post a link but the only thing I'm finding on Google Images links back to a post on this site that seems to have gone.

 

[Lawly]

How much wine and beer do you drink for breakfast? It’s very obvious there’s more than an afternoon evenings washing up there.

I can completely agree on that point. It would be interesting to know what the police are thinking in assuming she ate breakfast that morning. It seems very clear she didn't just by looking at the photo.

 

[Stormtrooper]

Source: ITV News (via an old WS CL thread).

View attachment 310407

Thanks for this. It looks staged (I can't see any food remants) and who eats breakfast in a dish with a fork? Very strange and unusual for a single person to leave crockery like that for someone who was evidently quite tidy.