Since the dawn of mankind, the appalling crime of murder has been committed. And throughout the centuries the motives for such a crime have generally remained the same; greed, passion, jealousy, financial gain etc.

However, not all murders fall into one or more of these categories; some appear to be perpetrated without any apparent motive, as was the case in 19th century England when a murder was committed that was so brutal and savage that it shocked an entire nation. The victim was an innocent eight year-old girl whose name is still on the lips of English people today. Her name was Fanny Adams.

In the quiet Hampshire town of Alton nothing out of the ordinary ever happened. Serious crime was virtually unknown, and no-one living in the community could ever remember a murder being committed. But, on Saturday 24th of August 1867, all of that was to change forever!

As Mrs. Harriet Adams waved goodbye to her daughters Fanny and seven year-old Lizzie, and their friend eight year-old Minnie Warner, she had no reason at all to think that they would be in any danger as the three girls began walking the 400 yards up Tan House Lane where they lived, towards Flood Meadow, where they intended to play. It was a day just like any other.

The warm summer day passed leisurely along until about 5 pm, when a neighbour of the Adams’, Mrs. Gardiner, saw Lizzie and Minnie coming back down the lane, but Fanny was nowhere to be seen.

‘Where is Fanny?’ she asked the children.

It was at this point that the awful tale of that fateful afternoon began to unfold.

Through their tears and distress the children told Mrs. Gardiner what had happened.

On their way to play at Flood Meadow they had met a well-dressed man in the lane who had offered them some money to buy sweets, which they both accepted. Fanny was also told by the man that if she went off with him he would give her money too, offering her an extra coin. Fanny took the coin but refused point blank to go off with him. The man, added the children, then picked her up and, entering a nearby field, quickly disappeared.

With a basic description of the man, Mrs. Gardiner rushed to tell Mrs. Adams of the children’s encounter, whereupon the two anxious women wasted no time in setting off along Tan House Lane in the hope of finding Fanny.