Isabella Mueller (crime writer)
The 1920s were a difficult time for the city of Sheffield. High unemployment and extreme poverty turned parts of the city into miserable slums, which were soon plagued by gangs. One of the most notorious was the Park Brigade, led by Samuel Garvin. This gang terrorized the East End and Park areas of the city and felt they were above the law. Amidst this chaos lived 25-year-old Lawrence Fowler and his 23-year-old younger brother Wilfred, who were also members of the Park Brigade. The brutality and lawlessness displayed by this gang had far-reaching consequences for the community. However, an incident in April 1925 would decisively change the fate of the brothers and their gang. On April 26, 1925, a gang member named Trimmer Welsh and William Francis Plommer, a 27-year-old ex-boxer, got into a heated argument in a pub. Plommer, who stood up for a barmaid who had been treated unfairly by Welsh, beat him up badly. In doing so, he revived his reputation as a strong and courageous man. But two days later, on April 28, another encounter took place that would end tragically. On that day, Plommer and his friend Jack Clay were attacked by the Park Brigade. Wilfred Fowler was one of the attackers. But once again, Plommer was able to defend himself successfully. This second defeat was a serious blow to the gang’s pride and arrogance. Of course, they could not let this humiliation go unpunished. On April 27, 1925, an angry mob of about a dozen gang members marched to Plommer’s house on Princess Street in Norfolk Bridge. When Plommer came out, he was attacked with clubs, chains, and knives. Plommer was taken to Sheffield Royal Hospital with serious injuries, where he died shortly after arriving. The community was shocked and dismayed by Plommer’s brutal murder. Thousands of people gathered at his funeral, as they revered him as a hero. Meanwhile, the Fowler brothers remained at the scene of the crime and waited for the police. Lawrence initially confessed to hitting Plommer on the head, but later recanted. Despite the gang’s attempts to cover their tracks or establish alibis, the majority of those involved were quickly caught and arrested. The trial of the seven main suspects began on July 28, 1925, before Judge Finlay in Leeds. The Fowler brothers claimed that Plommer had attacked them and that they had acted in self-defense. However, this statement was refuted by an eyewitness who reported that Lawrence had said to Plommer, “You finished off our boy, now it’s our turn.” As a result, Lawrence and Wilfred Fowler were found guilty of murder and sentenced to death by hanging. Other gang members received long prison sentences for manslaughter. The Fowlers appealed their convictions, but the appeal was rejected on April 18, 1926. On September 3, 1925, Wilfred Fowler and Alfred David Bostock, who had murdered his lover, were hanged at Armley Prison. Lawrence Fowler was also executed the following day. The executions were carried out by Thomas Pierrepoint, Britain’s most famous executioner. The unprecedented murder of Plommer and the subsequent rigorous prosecution marked the beginning of the end for the Park Brigade. Just four days after Plommer’s murder, Sheffield Police Chief Colonel John Hall-Dalwood formed the Special Duty Squad, later known as the “Flying Squad.” This special unit consisted of four hard-nosed officers whose mission was to break up the gangs. In addition, the new police chief, Captain Percy Sillitoe, who later became known as the “Gang-Breaker,” brought his methods of fighting crime to Sheffield. Sillitoe’s career eventually took him to the top of MI5. Sheffield in the 1920s is a dark chapter in the city’s history, but it also shows the community’s will and determination to fight fear and crime and to see justice done. With each wave of violence came a concentrated response, which ultimately led to the restoration of order. This remains an impressive testament to the human spirit and its ability to stand up to chaos and overcome it.
