Kate Dover poisoner Highfield

[duckweed]

Trying to find where Miss Dover had her shop if possible. It says she had a shop on the London Road. Not sure what kind but possibly a dress shop. She was tried for poisoning her employer (after she left her shop) in February 1882. The crime happened on 6th Dec 1881. Evidence would seem to suggest she left the shop in June 1881. She lived with her parents in Thirwell Terrace, and Oak Street so would suppose shop was near there.   Also if anyone knows about her father Charles Dover wood carver. Wondered what pieces he would carve. Furniture perhaps?

[Edmund]

I can't see any of the newsapaper reports referring to her as working in a shop?  At the time of the poisoning she was the Housekeeper for the victim, Thomas Skinner an etcher (artistic).  Her full name was Felicia Dorothea Kate Dover.

In 1891 she was held at Knaphill Prison, Woking, and the census gives her previous occupation as Housekeeper Domestic.  The 1881 census doesn't identify her occupation.

[HughW]

The trial report in the Independent of 11 Feb 1882 reports the QC opening the case for the prosecution, saying that she "kept a confectioner's shop in London road in 1880".

She and Skinner met in April "of that year". Mr and Mrs Jones left Skinner's house in September, because of the accused's conduct, and she became his housekeeper. At least to begin with she continued to live with her parents and went to the deceased's house during the day. The shop is not mentioned again as far as I can see (I haven't read every word!) This implies that she left the shop no later than September 1880.

 

 

[duckweed]

One witness said that after the Jones left (previous housekeeper) that a niece came and tried it for a  few months before she left and Kate Dover took over.