2128. A domestic battle © Bruce Goodman 16 May 2021

Mr and Mrs Bishop would frequently be heard by all the neighbours when they were having an argument. Mrs Bishop was the more vociferous of the two, and her strident voice carried the swear words a considerable distance. Mr Bishop was more mousey. He appeared to be a lot more timid, and would often mumble his response. “I wish to goodness he’d take a few lessons in voice projection,” joked neighbour Molly Bendale. “Sometimes it is impossible to pick up what he’s saying.” Even though they argued repeatedly, it was still a great shock to all the neighbours when Mr Bishop died suddenly in his kitchen one Sunday morning. A great silence hung over the street for a while, more from lack of arguing than from grief. And yet, Mrs Bishop was eventually noisy enough in her distress. Perhaps it was shock; perhaps it was sorrow. “I don’t know how she’s going to fill in her time from now on,” joked neighbour Molly Bendale, “now that her nemesis has gone. Still I suppose they loved each other in a way.” Loved each other indeed! At the trial, the Bishop’s kitchen frying pan was the main piece of evidence. Contact Author Back to Index Next Story Previous Story