George Henry Perry

George Henry Perry was convicted of the murder of his former girlfriend 27-year-old Annie Covell and sentenced to death.

He cut her throat at 1 Florence Terrace in Ealing, London on 10 January 1910.

George Perry had enlisted with the RGA in 1900 and was discharged in November 1907 with a record of very good. He had served his last four years in India and had been corresponding for some time with Annie Covell.

When he returned from India at Christmas 1907 he took up his abode with Annie Covell's parents and Annie Covell who were caretakers at a house in Florence Terrace, Ealing.

George Perry and Annie Covell became engaged and, with short intervals, George Perry lived on her parents, paying nothing for his board and lodging up until the time of the murder.

He had left twice, once in August 1908 and another time in April 1909 when Annie Covell's parents told him that they could not keep him any longer without payment but on both occasions he returned within a few months. During that time, other than a few odd jobs, he did no work and didn't look for any which had vexed Annie Covell.

It was also heard that George Perry would also occasionally get drunk when he had the money.

In January 1910 Annie Covell was invited to a wedding in Hanwell as a bridesmaid on Saturday 8 January 1910, but George Perry wasn't invited, and he became angry and they had a quarrel. After that Annie Covell's parents decided to get rid of George Perry that afternoon and his box was sent off to his home in Essex and the parents told him not to return.

However, George Perry came back to the house that night at 9.30pm. He was drunk and when Annie Covell's father told him that he couldn't stop he threatened to bash his brains in. Annie Covell then told him that she would have no more to do with him, but he was allowed to stay there that night.

The next day, Sunday 9 January 1910 George Perry went out at midday to get some drink, despite the remonstrations of Annie Covell. He then returned at 7pm but no one spoke to him and he left at about 8.30pm. However, he seemed to have returned after the house was locked up and had slept in a bath chair somewhere in the back of the premises.

The next day, Monday, 10 January 1910 no one spoke to George Perry. Then, a scream was heard and when the mother rushed into the room she saw George Perry kneeling over Annie Covell whose throat he had just cut. She said to George Perry, 'You bad man. What are you doing? You have killed my daughter', but George Perry then stabbed Annie Covell twice in the body and then said, 'It is finished'.

After, George Perry left the house and when he was accosted by a police constable he said, 'I'll give myself up to you for stabbing a young girl. I went in the house this morning. They started on me. It's no good being sorry for what one has done. I think I have made a job of it.'. He later said, 'I suppose I had to do it, I could not help myself'.

Later, when he was at the magistrates he said, 'I did it and I am satisfied'.

He had cut Annie Covell's throat with a bread knife that he had purchased at about 6 or 7pm on the previous Saturday evening. She had a great gaping wound to her throat and also had about three or four flesh wounds on her body.

The police report stated that there was no evidence of impulsive insanity and it was said that the fact that he had bought the knife two days before showed that the murder was premeditated.

He was convicted of the murder with no recommendation to mercy and executed at Pentonville on 1 March 1910.