# Mary 'Polly' Tyler — 1915

Canonical: https://hessleroad.com/historical-case-mary-polly-tyler.html

The first of the three killings associated with William Burkitt; the final verdict was manslaughter.

Place: Hull; exact address under research

Date: 28 August 1915

Status: Manslaughter verdict

## A name with variations in the sources

Mary is remembered in later accounts as 'Polly' Tyler. Pat Finn's Homicide 1915 records the victim as Mary Jane Tyler, killed in Hull on 28 August 1915. A contemporary Birmingham Daily Post report also uses Mary Jane Tyler, while other secondary accounts use Mary Ann. We retain the familiar name in the heading and flag the discrepancy for checking. [Source](https://www.truecrimeuk.co.uk/true-crime-book.php?keyID=105)

The September newspaper report identifies William Burkitt as a fisherman who had recently been engaged in mine-sweeping, and records a murder charge. A charge at this stage is distinct from the later verdict. [Source](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1915-09-01/1915-09-30?basicsearch=murder&newspapertitle=birmingham%2Bdaily%2Bpost&retrievecountrycounts=false&somesearch=murder)

## The later account of the killing

A secondary narrative describes a relationship between Mary and Burkitt and an argument involving a photograph before she was fatally stabbed. It dates the trial at York Castle to November 1915 and records a manslaughter conviction with a sentence of twelve years' penal servitude. [Source](https://everything2.com/node/e2node/William%20Burkitt)

## Why the location remains open

Burkitt's association with the Hessle Road community makes this a relevant research lead. The sources currently identified do not establish Mary's exact address or the site of the killing. It would be misleading to assign a particular terrace to her on that basis, so the location stays explicitly under research.

## What a fuller account will need

Original inquest, court and civil records are needed to resolve Mary's full name and reconstruct her own life, as well as the criminal proceedings. Later accounts disagree over some dates in Burkitt's prison history; those dates are not used to fill gaps in this account.

## Timeline

- 28 August 1915: Mary was killed in Hull.
- 8 September 1915: Birmingham Daily Post report of the charge.
- November 1915: Secondary narrative records a manslaughter conviction and twelve-year sentence.

## Research still needed

- Resolve Mary Jane / Mary Ann using original records.
- Establish the exact home and incident addresses before assigning a Hessle Road terrace.
- Obtain the inquest and trial reports; verify biographical details.

## Sources

- [Pat Finn, Homicide 1915: Mary Jane Tyler and the manslaughter conviction](https://www.truecrimeuk.co.uk/true-crime-book.php?keyID=105)
- [Birmingham Daily Post, 8 September 1915: charge against a Hull fisherman, via British Newspaper Archive](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results/1915-09-01/1915-09-30?basicsearch=murder&newspapertitle=birmingham%2Bdaily%2Bpost&retrievecountrycounts=false&somesearch=murder)
- [Everything2: William Burkitt; secondary narrative, to be checked against original court reports](https://everything2.com/node/e2node/William%20Burkitt)
- [Murder UK: William Burkitt; secondary account of the three manslaughter convictions](https://www.murderuk.com/serial_william_burkitt.html)

Decorative illustrations are not verified portraits or reconstructions. Collection cutoff: 1960.