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Post by pwm437 on Jan 7, 2008 13:34:30 GMT 1
Although more Lanarkshire than Glasgow, I'm sure the case of Peter Thomas Anthony Manuel qualifies for this board.
Peter Manuel was born in New York City on the 15th of March 1927, his parents having emigrated there. The American dream didn't work out for Manuel's parents so they returned back to Scotland (via Coventry) and settled at Tannochside, to the east of Glasgow in Lanarkshire.
Manuel was a boisterous child and was on probation by the time he was eleven for burglary. He graduated on to the approved schools and borstal, and entered adulthood as a petty criminal.
He was charged with violence and sexual assault on a number of occasions.
The first murder committed by Manuels (although he was later found not proven) was that of Anne Kneilands, who he murdered at East Kilbride in January 1956. Anne was a 17 year old machinist who had been due to meet a boy for a date, but he didn't show up. Instead she encountered Manuel, and her body was found on a local golf course.
Manuel had been working for the gas board in the district where Anne Kneilands was found. He was questioned, and asked about scratches on his face, which he put down to a bar-room brawl. The police were not convinced and searched his house, but no evidence was found.
In September 1956 Manuel murdered three women at a house in Fennsbank Avenue, High Burnside. The women were Margaret Brown, Her sister and lady of the house Marion Watt, and 17 year old Vivienne Watt.
Mr Watt, who had been away on a fishing holiday was arrested for the murder, but later released.
On the 28th December 1957 Manuel murdered Isabelle Cooke from Mount Vernon, burying her body at Burntbroom.
Manuel's last murder spree happened a few days after he had killed Isabelle Cooke, when he brook into the home of the Smart family at Sheepburn Road, Uddingston and killed James Smart, his wife and eleven year old son.
Manuel was questioned and found to have new £5 notes, which were traced to those issued to Mr. Smart by the Commercial Bank at Parkhead Cross, a few days before his death.
Manuel was tried for all the above murders at Glasgow High Court in May 1958. During the course of the trial he sacked his legal team and defended himself.
However the evidence against him was overwhelming and he was found guilty of all the murders except Anne Kneilands.
Peter Manuel was hanged on Friday 11th July 1958 at Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow.
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Post by bettyb on Jan 10, 2008 19:42:03 GMT 1
I remember all that pwm437 i was 16 when Ann Kneilands was murdered it was a scary time,i got the shivers just reading it all again. bettyb
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 10, 2008 20:26:19 GMT 1
Sorry if it spooked you bettyb.
Yes, it must have been quite frightening in Lanarkshire and Glasgow at that time.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2008 21:42:27 GMT 1
Manuels Sister nursed my Wife during her first confinement in Bellshill Maternity.
Lovely Lady.
Good story Peter.
Brought it all back to me .
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 10, 2008 22:00:14 GMT 1
Andymo, I think you might be talking about Teresa Manuel
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2008 12:36:36 GMT 1
Could be Peter.
Was she his Sister.?
She was a Nursing Sister.
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 12, 2008 13:10:15 GMT 1
Yes, she was his sister, and I think a nurse also. A very nice woman by all accounts.
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Post by jeannie on Jan 14, 2008 22:42:50 GMT 1
I was the same age as Betty when all this took place. My John before he met me used to go to the Dancing up in Uddingston and Tannockside and at some time had met Peter Manuel...........bad begger he was. Did you know that Mr Watt had a Bakery Shop in Springfield Road , it was where the Trams turned so quite close to Dalmarnock Road. Mr Watt was arrested and taken to Rutherglen Police Station. Peter where is Burntbroom? I thought that the girl Cooke was found behind a brick work near Baillieston or Broomhouse.
jeannie
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 15, 2008 14:44:15 GMT 1
Burntbroom lies off Mount Vernon Avenue, which runs from Barrachnie Cross to London Road / Hamilton Road.
Isobelle Cooke was buried just behind where the petrol station now sits.
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Post by Waverley on Jan 15, 2008 16:40:13 GMT 1
It seems he used to frequent the Woodend as well in Hamilton Road.
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 15, 2008 19:03:42 GMT 1
When he was arrested he was taken to the police station that stood at the foot of Mount Vernon Avenue, right at the junction of London Road and Hamilton Road. It was demolished a number of years ago.
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Post by pwm437 on Jan 18, 2008 16:42:40 GMT 1
You're right flim. Anne Kneilands was the Not Proven verdict.
Had Manuel been let off on all charges he would have immediately been re-arrested for the murder of Sidney Dunn, a taxi driver from Newcastle.
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Post by daisy on Jul 29, 2008 20:43:42 GMT 1
I never knew untill today that all of the condemned men that had been convicted of murder at Barlinnie after their executions (whuch took took place at 8.00 am). As was the custom, the remains of all executed prisoners were buried in unmarked graves within the walls of the prison. During the prison renovations of 1997, the prison gallows (built into a cell-block) were demolished and the remains of all the executed prisoners were exhumed for reburial elsewhere,wonder where they reburied manuel
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2008 14:00:19 GMT 1
Although ah wis only a wean at the time, ah remember it aw well because wan o ma sisters used tae frighten the crap ooty me by seein a Manuel in every corner. If there wis a coat hinging ower the back o the door, or a shadow oan the windae, she turned it intae Manuel prowlin aboot. The mer she panicked the merr ah panicked.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 25, 2008 18:37:08 GMT 1
Calamity Watts bakery was in London Rd just along from Fielden St
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Post by pwm437 on Dec 13, 2008 21:07:48 GMT 1
Bought a marvellous book today called 'Manuel - Scotland's First Serial Killer' by solicitor A.M.Nicol, foreword by Donald Findlay.
Only just into the first few chapters, bur already it is well written, well researched and looks like a good read.
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Post by brownlee on Jan 8, 2009 19:06:24 GMT 1
Manuel was an evil man.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2009 9:29:30 GMT 1
Hi Mhorag,
Nurse Manuel ( She may have been a Sister ? ) also looked after my Wife in Bellshill , August 1968 , at the birth of our Daughter and she was a lovely caring Lady.
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Post by holywell37 on Jan 9, 2009 19:16:18 GMT 1
well her brother was a little tinker, wasn't he.
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Post by brownlee on Jan 9, 2009 19:18:57 GMT 1
I thought it was a man called Simpson who discovered the body of Anne Kneilands. East Kilbride Golf Course January 1956.
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Post by wildmacrae on Feb 12, 2009 23:15:10 GMT 1
I never knew untill today that all of the condemned men that had been convicted of murder at Barlinnie after their executions (whuch took took place at 8.00 am). As was the custom, the remains of all executed prisoners were buried in unmarked graves within the walls of the prison. During the prison renovations of 1997, the prison gallows (built into a cell-block) were demolished and the remains of all the executed prisoners were exhumed for reburial elsewhere,wonder where they reburied manuel I think they are still buried in the prison as there was a case recently in the last few years . A prisoner in Barlinnie sued the prison service for causing him stress due the fact he was digging in the court yard and they come across coffins and this distressed him errmm he was in for murder i think and he was stressed out at the sight of coffins. Cant recall his name but it was in the papers. Fecking icehole that he is and should be thankful he never got the drop. 1997 seems about right for the renovations as it was about 1996 we got the tour while there on business creepy the cell bit knowing men spent there last moments there and seconds on the drop. Dan
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Post by brownlee on Feb 13, 2009 18:22:01 GMT 1
There are two books out about Manuel currently.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2009 19:32:49 GMT 1
Saw some of his belongings,eg gun he used in Police Museum in Pitt Street recently
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Post by pwm437 on Mar 7, 2009 8:18:31 GMT 1
Thanks for that Sanny. I live about a quarter of a mile from where Isabelle was buried.
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Post by brownlee on Apr 8, 2009 19:10:10 GMT 1
This guy also went out at night and sliced up harmless animals. What a barsteward right enough.
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Post by pwm437 on May 7, 2009 22:37:41 GMT 1
peter how do you know manuel killed the knielands girl if he was found not proven, obviousely they didn,t have enough evidence to convict him, or did he get off on a technicallity? Patrick, yes Peter Manuel was found not proven by the 'bstd' verdict. How do I know he killed her, well clearly I don't. However, no other name was ever in the frame for the death of Anne Knielands, all the evidence I've read over the years, clearly points to him, but ultimately, in law, Peter Manuel was never convicted of her murder. As you are doubtless aware, courts don't always get it right, the guilty go free, and ocassionally the innocent get convicted.
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Post by pwm437 on May 8, 2009 20:24:45 GMT 1
yeah sometimes the law can be an ar.., but Im suprised manuel never owned up to that murder as well, arent you peter?? Hi Patrick, it doesn't surprise me he didn't open up and confess. He was a very arrogant man, who thought he was more clever than anyone around, and he absolutely despised the police, so helping them wasn't in Manuel's mind set. He also showed very little remorse, so even confessing for the sake of the families of those murdered, would not have entered his head.
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Post by thehaegtesse on Jun 24, 2017 22:26:12 GMT 1
Hi guys Im currently researching the case and looking to speak to some people about their experiences around that time, if anyone came in contact with the Manuels or just remembers the general feeling at the time if anyone would like to get in touch about it i can be emailed at thehaegtesse@gmail.com
thanks!
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Post by bisuboju on Sept 23, 2019 20:10:00 GMT 1
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Post by inefizse on Sept 23, 2019 22:25:43 GMT 1
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