Ronald Griffin

Bang Goes Bury St. Edmunds Ronald Griffin

Bury St. Edmuds a pleasant enough town retaining its Georgian atmosphere and other significent periods including the its historic abbey, and a local natoriety, Willian Cawder. 'Murder of Maria Martin and the Red Barn'. Cawder was hanged for the crime and his skin, a book-binding, displayed in the local museum. On the lighter side, the famous farce ' Charley's Aunt' aired its first perfomance at the Theatre Royal. A modern day offering, the Abbey Choir of which were, Mr Johnnie Parkin as chief chorister. and a younger participant Tom Beck and lodger in Johnnie's large Regency house in Queens Square. Yet all was to change when a police raid intercepted Johnnie's 'Drag Ball', arrests were made to all and saundry except of course Johnnie who dangled a pouch of gold severeigns in front of a greedy-eyed police inspector Living now under a dark cloud and Johnnie's entertainment venues curbed, he decided to sell up lock stock a barrel and try his luck in Perth Australia accomapanied by his young lodger Tom Beck.