William Allen Butler

William Butler murdered Florence Beatrice Butler 29 who he stabbed to death at 2 Bath Terrace, Chequers Walk, Birmingham on 20 May 1916.

They had been dating but William Butler had started to beat Florence Butler and William Butler who was lodging in the house was asked to leave. When alone with Florence Butler he suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed her in the heart. She ran off to a neighbour’s house but died fifteen minutes later.

Although they had the same surnames they were not married. Florence Butler was pregnant with his child at the time. After he went to the police station and handed himself in saying that he had been jealous of another one of her friends.

William Butler had been living in the house as a lodger for ten months and had been dating Florence Butler for four  months. Florence Butler was already married although separated and had a daughter herself. The daughter witnessed the stabbing.

William Butler had been a caster.

He was executed at the Gaol, Winson Green in Birmingham on the morning of Wednesday 16 August 1916. He was said to have walked firmly to the scaffold.

Chequers Walk has since been demolishe dbut it was roughly where the Maltings is today.