Charles Samuel Dyer

Charles Dyer was convicted of the murder of his girlfriend Martha Eliza Simpson 21 and sentenced to death.

He cut her throat at 2 Back 21 Inge Street, Birmingham on 4 February 1904.

Charles Dyer had been an ex-soldier turned hawker who lived with Martha Simpson at 21 Inge Street. He had been very fond of her and had become angry at her having been in the company of another man. They had been drinking freely when Charles Dyer cut Martha Simpson's throat.

Martha Simpson was said to have been constantly in the company of another woman who had lived at 15 Birmingham Place, Bristol Street where two other men also resided.

On the afternoon of 3 February 1904 Martha Simpson called on her friend and they went together to Charles Dyer's house at 21 Inge Street and it was noted that at that time there had been no semblance of a quarrel or a disturbance of any kind.

At 7pm Charles Dyer asked Martha Simpson and her friend to go and pawn something and gave them something and they all met up again later in the evening when Martha Simpson handed Charles Dyer 1s as a result of the pawning.

They then all went back to 21 Inge Street and then later to some public houses, remaining in one in Old Meeting Street until 11pm when Martha Simpson and her friend went away in the company of a man who they took to her friend’s house at 15 Birmingham Place. However, it was said that before the man left the public house that Charles Dyer had come in and that an argument had ensued although the evidence was unclear as Charles Dyer's friend and two other men that had been in the public house at the time said that there was no quarrel between them whilst three women, including the sister of Martha Simpson's friend said that when Martha Simpson had got up out of her armchair that Charles Dyer had knocked her down and although the blow was not a severe one he knocked her down again and pulled out his razor and said, 'I will put this across you tonight'. It was further heard that two of the women said that when they left and crossed the yard that Martha Simpson  exclaimed to her friend, 'Don't let me go home tonight, he will murder me'.

However, about midnight Martha Simpson left her friend’s house to return to 2 back 21 Inge Street, which was about 190 yards away.

However, within a quarter of an hour of that time Charles Dyer rushed back to 15 Birmingham Place with his waistcoat undone and clothing disarranged and said, 'Oh, go and save her! I have done it!'. When Martha Simpson's friend asked, 'Done what?', Charles Dyer replied, 'Done her in'.

The people at 15 Birmingham Place then went to 2 Back 21 Inge Street where they found Martha Simpson lying in a chair, her throat cut almost from ear to ear and with blood running down her clothes. An open blood-stained razor was then seen on a table near her.

When the police arrived, Charles Dyer, who had also arrived, said, 'I have done it. I have cut her head off'. When a police sergeant asked, 'What do you mean?', Charles Dyer replied, 'My wife. I struck her on the head with a poker and then drew the razor across her throat'.

When he was later charged with murder at the police station he said, ''Correct. I plead guilty'.

Charles Dyer was convicted of murder at the Birmingham Assizes on Thursday 17 March 1904 and sentenced to death. He was executed by William Billington at Birmingham on 5 April 1904.

Most of Inge Street has since been developed but several original period dwellings still exist around 51 together with the entrance to the back courts.