Aspire Ryde volunteer, Julie Croydon, be leading a walk around Ryde to inform participants of tales of the founding families as part of the Award-Winning Walking Festival.
At the grave of 5-times Mayor of Ryde, Michael Maybrick, you will hear the tragic story of his sister-in-law, Florence, a young American heiress sentenced to death for poisoning her husband.
Julie, who dresses in Victorian costume, is spearheading a campaign to get Florence’s conviction quashed. Working together with actor, Dave Maybrick and a relative of Florence’s family in the States, applications have been sent to the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
Julie says:
“Florence’s is one of 4 cases that were considered miscarriages of justice. As a result, the Court of Criminal Appeal was established in 1907, yet Florence has never been exonerated. How can that be justice?”
Interestingly – or possibly bizarrely – Michael Maybrick has been named as a prime Jack the Ripper suspect in a book by film director Bruce Robinson.
Places on the walk are limited so must be booked on the Walking Festival website. Search for Lost Crypt. The charge is £5 per person – all goes to the work of community charity Aspire Ryde. The walk, which is suitable for wheelchairs, takes place on 10th, 12th, 13th and 16th May.
A few famous Ryde citizens Reginald Marsh,
Melvin Hayes, Michael Sheard and Anthony Minghella
to name a few.