Rayleigh Bath Chair Murder

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The Rayleigh Bath Chair Murder occurred in England in 1945. The victim was Archibald Brown, aged 47. He and his wife lived in London Hill, Rayleigh and had two sons, Eric and Collin. Due to a motorcycle accident Archibald Brown lost the use of his legs in 1938 and thereafter required the use of a bath chair. As well as this he was cared for by a nurse, Elsie Mitchell.

On Friday 23rd July 1945 Mitchell went to the air-raid shelter where Brown's bath chair was kept. Upon unlocking the door she found Eric Brown, then aged 19, inside. However, this did not deter her, and she took Archibald Brown out of the house. Whilst passing Rayleigh Church the bath chair exploded. Mitchell suffered leg injuries but Brown was killed.

The press initially blamed the explosion on an unexploded bomb or a low flying aircraft, but explosives experts found the cause to be a British anti-tank mine. The device had been placed under the bath chair's cushion and a formal murder investigation was begun.

The blame fell on Eric Brown. He had previously attended lectures on the same mine used in the murder, and, having joined the army some years previously, had access to a weapons store in Spilsby . Eventually Brown gave a confession in which he blamed his actions on Archibald Brown's abusive attitude to both him and his mother. On 4th November Eric Brown was tried at Shire Hall, Chelmsford and declared insane.