This is the true story one of the most famous events in Victorian history – the murder of Emma Ann Whitehead Keyse at Babbacombe, England, by her employee John Lee. Also the alarming failed attempts to hang the murderer and his bizarre life before, during and after a life sentence in prison.

With a vast growing archive of fascinating documents, this website exposes the reality behind a Victorian murder, a world famous botch at the gallows, the ruthless cover-ups, no forensic evidence and the blatant lies in a race to quell panic in the ‘establishment’ – all based on decades of research and hard facts.

The aim of this work is to find out who actually killed a near bankrupt Victorian spinster, why she was murdered and the motive not only of the killer but those responsible for the covers-ups.  The mystery, until recently, wasn’t at the gallows but in the hands of the person (or persons) who ended the life of this 68 year old woman nearly 130 years ago.

left: During the 1990′s (and even right up to today) I have endeavoured to ‘put the record straight’. This is very much an ongoing project as more archive comes to light. I started this work by stripping back and completely re-investigating the case and those behind it. My aim has been to dispell rumour and prove certain facts. A great many researchers, record offices and archives have assisted me with this work. For example the alleged ‘royal connection’ between Emma Keyse and her mother. This letter from ‘The Royal Archives’ at Windsor lays to rest certain fantasies and confirms some truth that built up over the years.

Bill Brown a retired Devonian farm labourer speaking in 1975. His family were closely connected to John Lee and his parents:  “John Lee wasn’t guilty of the murder he was guilty of a cover-up that’s the only thing you can say about it anything like that when everybody was panicking frantically well anything can happen.  Everybody was trying to clear themselves and John was in it and how would anybody react?”

Torbay Historian, the late John Pike, researched and wrote extensively on the case: “I have now reached the conclusion, quite definitely in my mind that the full facts did not reach the court at the time of the case.  I think that Lee was there on the night, I think he was involved but I am quite definite in my opinion that he did not strike the fatal blow.”

On Saturday 15th November 1884, elderly spinster, Emma Keyse (pictured left), was brutally murdered at her burnt out villa at Babbacombe Bay, South Devon, England.

The person accused of this atrocity was her employee, 20 year old John Lee (image right), a young man from nearby Abbotskerswell. Lee was sentenced to hang, but after three attempts he survived and served a life sentence. In an instant, John ‘Babbacombe’ Lee was to become notorious as ‘The Man They Couldn’t Hang’. No property or valuables were stolen on the night so the motive was to silence the victim for some reason.

On the surface, this looks like a relatively straight forward case of murder. There was little sympathy for John Lee and, on execution day, Monday 23rd February 1885, crowds waited in anticipation outside Exeter Prison. The throng though were not to see justice complete. Three times they tried to hang Lee and three times it failed.

In the end he was taken back to his cell while outside confusion ensued.

The story of Emma Keyse and her murder became even bigger news – the person accused of this was swiftly jettisoned into the limelight  as ‘The Man They Couldn’t Hang’. Word reached London of this bungle and eventually the Home Secretary decided that John Lee should serve a life sentence.

“You say you are innocent, I wish I could believe you” (Sir Henry Manisty – Judge at Lee’s trial)

“They have not told six words of truth – that is, the servants and that lovely step-sister, who carries her character with her … ” (John Lee awaiting execution)

Right: John Henry George Lee. Born 1864 at Abbotskerswell, Devon, England.  Found guilty of theft in 1883. Murdered his elderly employer, Emma Ann Whitehead Keyse in 1884. Survived three execution attempts in 1885. Served a life sentence. Married in 1909. Deserted his malnourished pregnant wife and child in the workhouse in 1911. Furtively sailed out of Britain for America with a woman falsely claiming to be his spouse. Died 1945, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. John Lee was the world famous ‘Man They Could Not Hang’ and the subject of this research.

Stories filled the British and overseas press of this truly horrendous killing on a quaint, peaceful Devonshire bay at Babbacombe. This editorial paints a fairly accurate picture of the events just after the Babbacombe Murder – however the story was to take on a whole new twist as the years passed by. This web site tries to unravel the actual facts surrounding the crime, failed execution and aftermath so frequently misreported in books and the press.

Before the Babbacombe murder – Emma Keyse’ home – the delightful ‘Glen’ sitting on the waterfront at Babbacombe Bay.

After the Babbacombe murder – Wrecked by fire and immortalised as the scene of dreadful carnage where employee killed employer. This is where 68 year old Miss Emma Ann Whitehead Keyse was hacked and burnt to death. John Lee was, in 1884, the guilty party – but was he actually the killer?

The almost hidden simple grave stone of Emma Ann Whitehead Keyse at St. Marychurch graveyard. She was buried with her mother, Elizabeth Whitehead, who had died 13 years earlier.

‘The Man They Could Not Hang’, John Henry George Lee, died on the 19 March 1945 at Milwaukee. He is buried at Forest Home Cemetery, 2405 West Forest Home Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53215, USA (image: Kurt Prinz)

Throughout the following twenty odd years, from prison, John Lee pleaded his innocence, claiming another party was involved in the murder.

He petitioned the succession of Home Secretaries until 1907 when he was finally released from Portland Jail. After his discharge, John ‘Babbacombe’ Lee toured the country explaining, in various forms, his story, his innocence, his life in Victorian & Edwardian prison and his experience the day he was due to hang there was even a silent feature film outlining his alleged ‘incredible life’. Later he was to shun the public life he appeared to crave and slipped into obscurity in another country – of which more is revealed on this site.

If you’ve heard about The Man They Could Not Hang and a little about John ‘Babbacombe’ Lee these pages might put you in the picture – if you hear stories of Lee walking the streets of Newton Abbot with rope marks around his neck, take it with a large pinch of salt!