T/Sub Lt Allan Newsome Bushill - A Tragic Tale

[T, Fazzini]

On the ships he served on..any pictures of him as a ships officer?

[T, Fazzini]

First wife is buried at St Peter Church, Formby, England

https://stpetersformby.co.uk/churchyard-records/churchyard-grave-records/churchyard-grave-records-a-to-f/

Edited 9 October , 2020 by T, Fazzini
update information

[headgardener]

8 hours ago, pierssc said:

My nautical grandfather...... swallowed the anchor in 1924... 

 

I've never come across that term before! I assume that it means joined the Royal Navy? 

[pierssc]

5 minutes ago, headgardener said:

 

I've never come across that term before! I assume that it means joined the Royal Navy? 

No, the opposite!  It means he left the sea!

 

https://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/acref/9780199205684.001.0001/acref-9780199205684-e-2406

 

 

[headgardener]

Ah.....! I see! Yes, anchored himself to one place I suppose.

 

It's all double Dutch to a landlubber like myself........ 

[headgardener]

Having read that short report on the inquest, her shooting was clearly a premeditated act and 'murder' was the only plausible verdict. The plea of 'Insanity' appears to have been the only factor that might stand between him and the gallows. Interesting that no mention of it is made in that (albeit short) newspaper report. I wonder if there are any longer reports in other publications? 

 

I note that an 'Alan N Bushill' is recorded as being an insurance rep in Vancouver in the late 1920s. If that is indeed him, then its easy to imagine that he would have appreciated the importance of life insurance in the event of the sudden and otherwise unexpected death of a spouse.......

Edited 9 October , 2020 by headgardener

[KizmeRD]

9 hours ago, pierssc said:

Allan attended a Moravian school in Germany (which is unusual) and then the training ship Conway.  He appears on a list of Conway alumni but with no further information.  http://hmsconway.org/Cadets B.html  .  A training school was not the main route into the Merchant service at that time, where the traditional entry was as an apprentice in one's early teens, but it might have made sense in the context of a middle class family with no connections to the sea looking to find a career for a son.
 

Why a Moravian school, I wonder?  In Germany?

 

Why a Moravian School in Germany? This was a popular choice for a certain section of British society - prosperous middle class (commercial & industrialist) families adhering to non-conformist Protestant religious convictions. Moravians believed in simple, honest to goodness values and it was probably felt that (for those who could afford it) such a schooling provided a more grounded alternative to the often arrogant manners and false sense of entitlement typified by British Public schoolboys.  (Allan’s family were devout Coventry Baptists). Unfortunately young Allan didn’t turn out the way his family hoped for (obviously developing a different character to that of the Prince Albert role-model).

 

Whether he had a boyish adventurous spirit and wanted to pursue a life at sea, or whether his family choose to prepare him for a career outside of the family business is unclear. In any case sending him to the school ship Conway provided an elite entry route to becoming a Mercantile Marine officer. Conway took boys from good families aged 13-16 and in addition to providing an academic syllbus, also taught seamanship, boatwork and navigation. Allan would still have needed to complete a Mercantile Marine apprenticeship before sitting his Mates examinations, and he did so with White Star Line (as we see from the report card written during his time on their  in-house cadet training ship ‘Mersey’. Once he picked up his Mate’s ticket he then worked for Liverpool Shipping Co. (British & American S.N.) owned by Henry Fernie & Co. They operated ships on the trans-Atlantic route and so this would have provided Allan with his first experience of Canada and USA. He served as 3rd Officer on ’Daleazan’’, Second Officer on ‘Benazan’ and First Officer on ‘Martazan’ before obtaining a temporary RNR commission in 1915 and serving on an armed merchant cruiser on the Norther Patrol, a monitor on the Dover Patrol, and ending as a submariner based at Harwich.

 

It was only afterwards that  things took a more bizarre turn....
 

MB

 

[pierssc]

1 hour ago, headgardener said:

Having read that short report on the inquest, her shooting was clearly a premeditated act and 'murder' was the only plausible verdict. The plea of 'Insanity' appears to have been the only factor that might stand between him and the gallows. Interesting that no mention of it is made in that (albeit short) newspaper report. I wonder if there are any longer reports in other publications? 

I must confess that I am not too well versed in Inquests, but they aren't the same thing as a trial, but are rather to discover the cause of death.  Had it found that she had died as a result of an accident, Allan's criminal trial might not have followed.  There was therefore no question of his making any plea at that point as he was not facing any charges in those proceedings.  Once the inquest verdict of wilful murder came in, then the trial necessarily followed.  But the strong likelihood that "wilful murder" would be the Inquest's finding may have prompted Alan's "recollection" of Audrey's final words to him - the very last of which were (he claimed) "You are not yourself".  

 

As you say, we have to remember that at that time there was the death penalty overshadowing all this, and in the circumstances a plea of "Not guilty [of murder] by reason of insanity" was his only escape route.  If successful, it ran the risk that he might be incarcerated in Broadmoor for life - meaning life life.  One can be cynical about this but remember that for most criminal liability (especially at this time) two elements are necessary - the mens rea and the actus reus, meaning that not only had the unlawful act been committed, but the intention to do that act also had to be present (or recklessness as to whether that act occurred or not) in the mind of the person doing it.  If a person was incapable of forming the necessary intention because they were (temporarily) insane then a crucial part of the criteria for murder was missing.  Psychiatric evidence would have to have been shown to back it up. 
 

And in the circumstances the whole story of Audrey's killing is so bizarre that one can well believe that he was deranged at the point he shot her, whether because of what we would now call a form of PTSD or some other reason.  The whole thing - the buying of the ring, pistol, and three bullets, the bungled shooting and suicide attempt - well, it's bonkers, to use a very un-pc term.  But (sensational aspects apart) I don't think it's particularly unusual if you strip it back.  I understand that in many cases the - can't think of the right words, let's call it insane delusions - build up until they come to bursting point. The perpetrator becomes convinced that he and his victim have to die together.  But the act of trying to kill the other person often releases the pressure, with the result that the subsequent suicide attempt fails.  Allan may well have been genuinely distraught afterwards, not just on his own account.  
 

Corisande said, several posts back, that he "was sent to Broadmoor for the rest of his days".  He wasn't - he was sent "at his Majesty's pleasure" which means it could be for the rest of his days, but didn't have to be.  It is a subtle distinction.  He did not spend very long in Broadmoor (though three years isn't exactly a revolving door) because although he may have been insane when he pulled the trigger, he got better afterwards.  And if the doctors were persuaded he was no longer insane, he no longer represented a danger to the public and so could be released.  Whether the doctors were right, and his subsequent series of marriages indicates that he was unlucky and wasn't very good at relationships, or really was a serial killer, we'll probably never know.

 

 

 

Edited 9 October , 2020 by pierssc

[corisande]

11 minutes ago, pierssc said:

Corisande said, several posts back, that he "was sent to Broadmoor for the rest of his days".  He wasn't - he was sent "at his Majesty's pleasure" which means it could be for the rest of his days, but didn't have to be.  He did not spend very long in Broadmoor because although he may have been insane when he pulled the trigger, he got better afterwards.  And if the doctors were persuaded he was no longer insane, he no longer represented a danger to the public and so could be released.  Whether his subsequent series of marriages indicates that he really wasn't very good at relationships, or really was a serial killer, we'll probably never know.

 

I assume that "at his Majesty's pleasure" was the "normal sentence" for Broadmoor, rather than a set period. Anybody?

 

And has anyone come across the figures for Broadmoor releases . In other words was Bushill's release so soon "normal" for Broadmoor

 

We do know though that he ended his days committing suicide

 

What was the reason given for his suicide other than perhaps temporally insane?

[helpjpl]

On 05/10/2020 at 22:03, IPT said:

 

The certificate is here - https://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov/DigitalObject/Download/f29f94ad-5802-4ab6-a0c6-7284790016d9

 

 

Is this Mildred Bushill nee Leigh - married 28 April 1928:

 

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1075&h=19087650&tid=&pid=&queryId=ce9d8b9ae73127ccfeb8f0476b99ec79&usePUB=true&_phsrc=TGp490&_phstart=successSource

 

 

JP

[pierssc]

12 minutes ago, corisande said:

 

I assume that "at his Majesty's pleasure" was the "normal sentence" for Broadmoor, rather than a set period. Anybody?

 

It's normal.  It's a secure mental hospital, not a prison.  
 

See Wiki "at her Majesty's pleasure"  and go down to the "incarceration " paragraph.  Bear in mind that the abolition of the death penalty has affected things considerably. 

Edited 9 October , 2020 by pierssc

[KizmeRD]

I understood that he was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity, hence his stay at Broadmoor until such time as it was safe to return him to society. In other words he never received a fixed prison sentence. 
MB

 

every man is presumed to be sane, and ... that to establish a defence on the ground of insanity, it must be clearly proved that, at the time of the committing of the act, the party accused was labouring under such a defect of reason, from disease of the mind, as not to know the nature and quality of the act he was doing; or if he did know it, that he did not know he was doing what was wrong

Edited 9 October , 2020 by KizmeRD
M’Naughten rule added.

[IPT]

3 hours ago, helpjpl said:

 

Is this Mildred Bushill nee Leigh - married 28 April 1928:

 

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1075&h=19087650&tid=&pid=&queryId=ce9d8b9ae73127ccfeb8f0476b99ec79&usePUB=true&_phsrc=TGp490&_phstart=successSource

 

 

JP

 

That looks very interesting.  I haven't got Ancestry at the moment though.

[corisande]

9 minutes ago, IPT said:

That looks very interesting.  I haven't got Ancestry at the moment though.

 

I looked at that card earlier and concluded that he did not add much

 

1 1928 Apr 13. He crossed from Canada to Washington State  and gave a Seattle address and is "widowed"

2 1928 Apr 28 married Mildred Leigh in Washington State 

3. 1928 May 4. This card shows she crossed into USA. The crossing out makes it impossible to determine whether her second name is "Emmauel" (as transcribed) or not, I am not sure who Mrs J Green is on the card

 

[headgardener]

Looks to my eyes like 'Hammond'.

[headgardener]

Btw, I don't have a sub for Ancestry, so I'm not sure what the various columns on that card are, but the ref to "Mrs J Green" might be someone she's travelling with. It seems to say "Husb[and] Allan N. Bushill - Mrs J Green". Maybe she's on the same manifest? 

Edited 9 October , 2020 by headgardener

[corisande]

4 hours ago, headgardener said:

"Mrs J Green" might be someone she's travelling with. It seems to say "Husb[and] Allan N. Bushill - Mrs J Green".

 

Yes, I think that is what it is. The box for Mildred's Christian name has taken all the space of "Accompanied by" which must be Mrs J Green who has been put on the next line

 

However... if that is the answer then their should be a Border Card for Mrs J Green that day at that border crossing. When I try that just using date and Blaine, - click - I get 6 names, including Mildred, but nobody looking like a Mrs J Green. I may be doing the search incorrectly - feel free to try  a different approach to see who Mildrens companion was

 

I was particularly curious because one of Allan s earlier marriages was to a Miss Green and I was trying to see if his past was catching up with him !

 

[edit] altered the link [/edit]

Edited 9 October , 2020 by corisande

[headgardener]

2 hours ago, corisande said:

I was particularly curious because one of Allan s earlier marriages was to a Miss Green and I was trying to see if his past was catching up with him !

 

Ha! That would have been a particularly interesting twist to the tale.... 

 

I wonder what that annotation on the card could indicate..... 

[IPT]

So there should be a Mildred Leigh, born 1901/2 in Seattle, but I can't find her. 

 

Can anyone decipher her occupation or address on the card?

[PRC]

3 minutes ago, IPT said:

Can anyone decipher her occupation or address on the card?

 

I think occupation is Violinist Musician.

I believe the address is 1700, (or 1400) Boren Avenue, Seattle.

It's been dramatically redeveloped since her time living there looking at Google Streetviews.

 

Cheers,

Peter

[IPT]

4 minutes ago, PRC said:

 

I think occupation is Violinist Musician.

I believe the address is 1700, (or 1400) Boren Avenue, Seattle.

It's been dramatically redeveloped since her time living there looking at Google Streetviews.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

Ah yes, thanks for that.

 

If it's 1400, the Oxford Crest apartments were built in 1925 -  https://web6.seattle.gov/DPD/HistoricalSite/QueryResult.aspx?ID=1179435270

As you say, it could easily be 1700 also.

[corisande]

12 hours ago, PRC said:

Violinist Musician.

 

That too should be a clue for newspaper cuttings, but again I have not been able to get anything in US or Canadian papers. Usually with "artistes" there are publicity articles, but nothing for her as either Leigh or Bushill)

 

Also there is only the one border crossing (I have reached the conclusion that only a small portion of the Border Crossing cars are indexed, as one gets very little for Bushill either, and Allan must have crossed the border many more times)

[helpjpl]

On 05/10/2020 at 20:59, IPT said:

 

The death certificate appears to describe him as divorced from Naomi Bushill?

 

 

She is also described as the informant.

 

 

I haven't got to the bottom of that one yet.

 

 

According to these docs, which may be indexed incorrectly, Naomi's last name is Bushell.

 

1.  California Voter Registrations from ancestry. Note 1940 address - 2000 Miramar Street:

 

2.  1940 US Federal Census from ancestry. Note address - 2000 Miramar Street:

 

JP

 

Edited 10 October , 2020 by helpjpl

[IPT]

Another piece in the jigsaw! I thought i'd tried every search variation. At least she existed.  So she was apparently divorced from him, but kept his name and described herself as widowed.  Patricia also kept his name as late as 1937.

 

I can't find a marriage for Bushill and Naomi and the timeframe is still problematic.  Seems odd that he lived in the Barker Hotel at the time of his death and she lived elsewhere.  Five years later, she's living there herself.

 

I'm surprised that it's not easier to find Mildred and Naomi/Frances on an earlier census, given that we know their year and place of birth.  

 

 

[corisande]

3 minutes ago, IPT said:

Another piece in the jigsaw! I thought i'd tried every search variation

 

It is a bit of an addiction , this one !