Will O’Doherty investigates the murderous past of 54 Parkside
By Will O’Doherty
The Pope’s Wimbledon base has a murderous past.
The man to whom millions look to for spiritual guidance stayed at the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican’s official embassy in England, which was the scene of a gruesome killing in November 1917.
While the 54 Parkside address was known as Winkfield Lodge, owned by the Sutton family, Captain Edward Tighe was assaulted with a poker during a burglary.
Though Captain Tighe, a recently retired officer, was to survive, unconscious, for four days. The extent of the attack was chilling – the poker with which he was struck eight times was bloodied and bent crooked while shards of his skull had become detached.
Arthur Victor de Stamier admitted to taking part in the burglary and the jury at the Old Bailey found him guilty of murder.
He was hanged at Wandsworth Prison in February 1918 but had always maintained that an Australian accomplice named Fisher – whose existence was never proved – was the man who carried out the act.
54 Parkside: A fact file
1897 Building completed after being designed by CW Stephens, whose other works include Harrods and Claridges Hotel
1917 While in the hands of the Sutton family, scene of the murder of Captain Edward Tighe
1938 Bought by the Vatican to be its first embassy in England since 1589 and the days of Elizabeth I, renamed the Apostolic Nunciature
1982 Served as base for Pope John Paul II’s visit to Britain, the first reigning Pope to travel to the UK
2010 Served as base for Pope Benedict XVI, the first Pope to make a State visit to the UK
