National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Kidwelly Poison Trial: Scenes and Incidents at Carmarthen Assizes
Suspicion falls upon Harold Greenwood after the untimely death of his first wife and his indecent haste in marrying a second, leading to a sensational murder trial in Carmarthen.
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Overview
Solicitor Harold Greenwood of Rumsey House, Kidwelly, rids himself of his wife, probably, and marries again, definitely. In fact, he marries again in such indecent haste that suspicions already afoot locally about the cause of his first wife’s death are inflamed and an exhumation and inquest are instigated. As a result, he is put on trial for his life in Carmarthen and is here seen arriving, wearing a cap, to face the music.
Things were never the same again for the dapper, confident, philandering Harold Greenwood after his trial, during which he accepted an offer of over Ј3,000 from a major newspaper for his life story if aquitted. He had escaped with his life, having employed one of the best barrister’s of the day, but he was unable to continue living in Kidwelly, where it was felt that he was actually guilty, and he was to die in reduced circumstances and poor health some 10 years later, in Herefordshire, where he was known as Mr Pilkington. Only in 1930 was the jury’s verdict published in full: the 12 believed Mabel’s death was affected by arsenic but there was not enough evidence to conclude how and by whom it had been administered.
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