Samuel Atherley

A former soldier, Atherley, who was still married to his wife,  had lived with Matilda Lambert and her 3 children in Arnold, Nottingham for 7 years, it is thought that Samuel may have been the father of Annie Lambert and Samuel Lambert.

According to Matilda's sister, the relationship was violent, and Matilda had left Samuel on several occassions. 

9th July 1909, After an argument Matilda told Atherley to leave, Atherley hit Matilda over the head with a hammer, he then took out a razor and cut her throat. He then set about on her three children, after he had cut their throats, he turned the razor on himself but survived.

10th July 1909, The landlady of the house where Matilda and the children were staying, reported seeing Samuel at the bedroom window, he was calling for to comer to him. She got help from a neighbour, when they went to the flat Samuel let them in , he was holding a blood-stained rag to his throat, the doctor was called. 

When the doctor came he examined the bodies and said that Matilda Lambert had a four inch wound to her throat which was gaping widely, when he examined Annie Lambert's body he found that her throat had also been cut and that she too had a wound to the temple that looked like it had been caused by a blunt instrument. He said that she had probably been asleep when she was killed, almost identical injuries wwrere found to Samuel and John.

Atherley was arrested and tried for triple murder, he made no attempt to deny his responsibility for the murders, though he did try to claim insanity. The jury found he was of sound mind at the time of the murders, and foud him guilty on all counts, he was  sentenced him to be hanged.

14th December 1909, Atherley was hanged in Nottingham by Henry Pierrepoint and Thomas Pierrepoint.