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Robert James Venner

In July 1934, Robert Venner, a tailor from New Cross, was found staggering in his shop after being viciously attacked with a blunt instrument. Despite multiple suspects and ongoing investigations, his murder remains unsolved nearly 90 years later, leaving behind questions about motive, missing money, and unconvincing alibis.

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Victim: Robert James Venner, approx 55​

​​Perpetrator: Unknown

Suspects

  • Joseph Neil (The Racing Tipster) - age unknown

  • Joseph Gibbons (Flash Joe) - age unknown

  • Charles Noah (Charlie the Navvy) - age unknown

  • Alfred Arthur Bailey - age unknown

  • Sammy James - age unknown

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​Date of incident: July 6 1934

​Location: Henry Cohen's tailor shop, 187-189 New Cross Road, Deptford,

​Key facts: 

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  • Robert Venner, a 55-year-old tailor, was discovered staggering in his shop on the evening of July 6, 1934, with severe head wounds caused by a blunt instrument.

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  • A passerby saw Venner through the window and flagged down a nearby policeman, who called for medical assistance.

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  • Venner was rushed to Miller General Hospital in Greenwich but succumbed to his injuries five days later, never regaining consciousness.

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  • The motive for the attack was initially thought to be robbery, as some money was missing from the shop, but the amount was not significant enough to confirm this theory.

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  • The crime scene was chaotic, with blood pooled in two areas, a pair of broken spectacles, and signs of a struggle, but no murder weapon was found.

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  • Witnesses reported seeing suspicious activity around the shop, including three men leaving the premises, one of whom appeared pale, and a light blue saloon car nearby, suspected to be the getaway vehicle.

 

  • Joseph Neil, a local criminal known as ‘The Racing Tipster,’ was one of the prime suspects, after he gave inconsistent and fabricated statements to the press, claiming to have seen blood seeping from the shop door.

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  • Several other suspects emerged, including Joseph Gibbons (Flash Joe) and Charles Noah (Charlie the Navvy), both known criminals and associates of Neil, but no solid evidence linked them to the crime.

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  • Despite multiple police interviews, identity parades, and the gathering of witness testimonies, no arrests were made due to a lack of forensic evidence and credible leads.

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  • False alibis and inconsistent testimonies from informants, coupled with media sensationalism, hindered the investigation, leaving the case unsolved.

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  • The shop where Venner was murdered is now a Londis convenience store on New Cross Road, a chilling reminder of one of South London's most perplexing unsolved murders.

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