THE DEEMING MURDERS OF 1891

This talk was presented by Dr Tom Preston on 18th January 2016.

Frederick Bailey Deeming was born in Birkenhead moved to Australia and was found guilty of theft sent to prison which was to be the start of his infamous life.

Came back to live in Rainhill married, had three children – went back to Australia with his family following after more crimes they returned to live in Birkenhead, he left his family and went off to find work in Beverley where he married again left her and went off to Uruguay found guilty once more he was arrested and brought back to England and sent to prison in Hull , on his release he came back to Rainhill  murdered his wife and three children burying their bodies under the hearth.

He once again met and married a girl from Rainhill ( Emily Mather) they returned to Windsor Australia where he murdered her at Christmas and she too was buried under the hearth. He was arrested and convicted of murder in Melbourne and hanged in May 1892 and buried in the prison there.

News of his conviction in Australia resulted in the police searching the house Deeming had lived at in Rainhill and finding the bodies of his first wife and children.

The inquest was conducted by Sir Samuel Brighouse who was coroner for the district for 56 years until his death in 1940.

Deeming’s wife and children were buried at Rainhill Church

There is a huge monument to Emily Mather in Melbourne where Deeming is as notorious as Ned Kelly.

By Pam Nanson