Person

Book/Story

Cross Refs.

Family

Description

AGNEW, Colonel

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Chief Constable at Hanborough Police Station.

ARTHUR

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as being of the party that attended the Charity Ball at the Albert Hall with Kenneth Vereker and Leslie Rivers.

BEATON, Mrs.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mother of young Beaton, charwoman for Arnold Vereker at River Cottage, Ashleigh Green. She lives in Pennyfarthing Row, just a couple of minutes from the cottage, and keeps things clean there and gets in milk and eggs when he’s coming down.

BEATON, young

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Son of Mrs. Beaton, he looks after the garden and the electric light plant at River Cottage for Arnold Vereker in Ashleigh Green.

Bill

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

One of 3 bull-terriers belonging to Antonia Vereker.

CARRINGTON, Charles

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

See family page

Husband of Janet and father of Giles Carrington, solicitor and senior partner of Carrington, Radclyffe & Carrington, in Adam Street, facing down Adelphi Terrace, and legal advisor to Arnold Vereker’s company, the Shan Hills Mining Company. He is a well-preserved 60, with grizzled and scanty hair, a ruddy complexion, with the same humorous gleam as lurks in Giles’s eyes; short, and of a comfortable habit of body, he appears to be a fussy, rather incompetent old gentleman and his office is in perpetual general disorder, but he has a remarkably acute intellect.

CARRINGTON, Giles

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

See family page

Son of Charles and Janet Carrington, cousin of Arnold and Roger Vereker, cousin once removed [?] of Kenneth and Antonia Vereker, he is a solicitor and junior partner in his father’s law firm and Arnold’s solicitor for private affairs, living in a Temple flat, which is very hard to get. He is tall, lean, loose-limbed, and in his mid-30s, with gray eyes in which lurks the same humorous gleam as in his father’s, and a pleasant, lazy voice and calm manner. He attended Eton.

CARRINGTON, Mrs. Charles (Janet)

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

See family page

Wife of Charles Carrington and mother of Giles Carrington, she is half-mentioned in passing as having an inkling what direction her son’s life is going.

Chekhov

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Playwright. Superintendent Hannasyde remarks to Giles Carrington that they seem to be mixed up in a Chekhov play rather than the Edgar Wallace they expected.

CHOLMONDLEY, Mr. and Mrs.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenants of flat 15 in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

COURTENAY, Phillip

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as one-time secretary to Arnold Vereker, he is a tall, fair man in his early 30’s and is now married to Maud and has a baby.

CRAVEN, Admiral

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenant in the block of flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

CREWE, Frank

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as an acquaintance of Kenneth Vereker off of whom Kenneth bones a couple bottles of champagne to celebrate his coming into his inheritance—and perhaps even the death of Arnold Vereker.

Davis, Inspector

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of Scotland Yard, gives Superintendent Hannasyde the police surgeon’s report on Roger Vereker’s body.

Dawsons, the

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as mutual friends of Giles Carrington and Antonia Vereker; at their dance she spoke to him for the first time since he was such a vile beast about John Fotheringham.

DELAFORD (Mrs)

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenant in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

DICKENSON, Police-Constable

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of Ashleigh Green, finds the body of Arnold Vereker in the stocks when returning home on his bicycle from a night patrol; he lives with his wife, who is expecting their first child, in the rooms above the Ashleigh Green Police Station, and he has never seen a dead body before.

DREW, The Honourable Thomas

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as being off the party that attended the Charity Ball at the Albert Hall with Kenneth Vereker and Leslie Rivers. He lives in Albany.

DUKE, Horace and Mrs

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Residents of a cottage adjacent to the green where the Arnold Vereker’s body is found in the stocks, they are awakened by the police activity at the scene.

FAIRFAX, Harold

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Deputy-manager of the Shan Hills Mining Company, a spare little man of middle atge who seems to be ina perpetual state of worry. He had known Arnold Vereker for years and made allowances for his temper, thinking he understood him.

FAIRFAX, Sir George and Lady

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenants in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

FISHER, Harry

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

The man killed in Cuba who was mistaken for Roger Vereker, so Roger assumed his identity for 7 years.

FLETCHER, Henry George

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Night-porter of the block of 20 service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

Flossie/Florence

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

A London prostitute with whom Roger Vereker spent the night of 17th June.

Fotheringham, John

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Apparently a (proposed?) fiancé of Antonia Vereker’s before Rudolph Mesurier.

HAMLYN, Sergeant

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Station Sergeant at Hanborough Police Station who takes PC Dickenson’s call; a rare one for dogs, he argues with Antonia Vereker about the relative merits of bull-terriers, which she breeds, and Airedales, which he breeds.

HANNASYDE, Detective-Superintendent

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of Scotland Yard, he is a middle-aged man with hair slightly gizzled at the temples, and a square, good-humoured face in which a pair of rather deep-set shrewd, gray eyes show a lurking twinkle behind their gravity, though they can be very stern. He often appears disinterested but is a very keen observer, and he knows his Shakespeare.

HAWKE, Dr

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

The stout olice-Surgeon who first examines Arnold Vereker’s body in the stocks at Ashleigh Green.

HEMMINGWAY

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of Scotland Yard, Superintendent Hannasyde’s subordinate, he is talkative and bird-like, a cheerful person with a bright eye and persuasive manner. His hobby is amateur theatricals, and he has considerable confidence in his sense of people: psychology.

Henna’ed Hannah

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Sergeant Hemingway’s name for the waitress in a tea shope when he can’t attract her eye to get the bill for himself and Inspector Hannasyde.

HERSHAW, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as being of the party that attended the Charity Ball at the Albert Hall with Kenneth Vereker and Leslie Rivers.

HILL

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as driver to Inspector Jerrold, Hanborough.

HOLLIS, Sergeant

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Fingerprint expert for the Hanborough Police.

Holmes, Sherlock

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Superintendent Hannasyde refers to Giles Carrington from time to time as Holmes and himself as Watson, only once ironically.

HUMPHRIES, Mr.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenant of flat 6 in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams for a flat for Roger Vereker.

JACKSON

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Hot-tempered chauffeur to Arnold Vereker, Arnold had just given him notice for bringing the car round 5 minutes late again; his wife supplies his alibi.

JACKSON, Mr.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Manager of the block of 20 service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams finds a flat for Roger Vereker.

JERROLD, Inspector

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of the Hanborough Police, he is brisk, nimble, and always suspicious.

JOHNSON, Cedric Mr.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Of Messrs. Johnson, Hayes & Heverside, he had an appointment with Arnold Vereker immediately after Rudolph Mesurier.

Juno

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

One of 3 bull-terriors belonging to Antonia Vereker; daughter of Bill.

Matthew

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Footman to Arnold Vereker at Eaton Place, London.

MATTHEWS, Miss

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenant in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams for a flat for Roger Vereker.

Maxton

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

A retailer in London who wants Kenneth Vereker to settle his bills.

MESURIER, Rudolph

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Chief Accountant in Arnold Vereker’s firm, the Shan Hills Mining Company, and fiancé of Antonia Vereker, he is dark and a bit flashy, with deep blue eyes fringed by black lashes, sleek, wavy black hair, well-manicured nails, and a rather nasal, metallic, modern voice, and he shows his teeth too much when he smiles and wears the sort of smart clothes one’s own men don’t wear. He lives at Radclyffe Gardens, Earl’s Court, likes betting on the races, has white rages and a tendency to self-pity, and is neither cool nor clever, often not understanding Antonia and Kenneth Vereker when they speak. But he is a good driver.

MILLER, Rose Miss

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Secretary to Arnold Vereker at the Shan Hills Mining Company, she is a business-like looking woman, of an age hard to determine, with cold, competent eyes and a manner of composed, tolerant superiority.

Milton

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

While others are cleaning the flat at 3 Grayling Street, Chelsea, Kenneth Vereker reads aloud snatches from The Oxford Book of Seventeenth Century Verse.

MURGATROYD

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Having been personal maid to the 2nd Mrs. Vereker, she stayed on after her mistress’s death as nurse to Kenneth and Antonia Vereker and is now their devoted, utterly loyal housekeeper, maid, and cook. She is a rosy-cheeked, stout woman in a black frock and a voluminous apron, bossy and curt, but caring, and with a purposeful tread. She has never trusted brown eyes nor the police, and she won’t take Tony’s bull-terriers out, recommending her to get a nice little fox terrier instead.

MUSKETT, Mr. and Mrs.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenants of #9 in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams for a flat for Roger Vereker.

Osric

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

A courtier to the King of Denmark in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Kenneth Vereker addresses Superintendent Hannasyde thus numerous times.

Ottershaw

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

A murder case Sargeant Hemingway refers to as having taken 10 years off his life—too many people with good motives, like the Vereker case.

Paula

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as being of the party that attended the Charity Ball at the Albert Hall with Kenneth Vereker and Leslie Rivers.

Peters, Mr.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Lives farther down the mews from the Verekers in Grayling Street, Chelsea, and owns the lock-up garages where they keep their cars(?).

RIVERS, Leslie (f)

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

A long-time friend of Kenneth and Antonia Vereker, she is their age and fair, with shrewd gray eyes, a rather square chin, and a quiet, serious, matter-of-fact manner, except when it comes to Kenneth.

Shakespeare

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Plays mentioned are Romeo & Juliet, Hamlet (which Kenneth Vereker and Superintendent Hannasyde quote to/at each other several times, and Macbeth.

STONE, Dr

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Police Surgeon in London who does the post mortem on Roger Vereker.

SUMMERTOWN, (Miss)

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Friend of Violet Williams who came to dine with her on the night Roger Vereker died and stayed till 11:00 pm.

TAYLOR

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Butler to Arnold Vereker at Eaton Place, London, he is thin, with a sour expression, and looks as though he suffers from dyspepsia; he has no opinion of policement who walk into well-ordered houses and locked rooms as they please.

THOMPSON

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

One of the Hanborough policemen, possibly the photographer, called to the scene of the murder in the stocks.

Tie-Pin, the

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Antonia Vereker’s name for a fat old man with a pearl tie-pin who approached Violet Williams when she was with Kenneth Vereker and called her Vi, obviously one of her past conquests. Violet maintinas he is a Big Man in the City whom she met by accident while waiting for a friend in a hotel lobby.

TOMLINSON (Mr and Mrs)

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Tenants of #3 in the block of service flats between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road where Violet Williams for a flat for Roger Vereker.

Torquemada

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Writer of crossword puzzles for The Observer. Kenneth Vereker regularly does part of one and swears he’ll never try another.

TRUELOVE, Gordon

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as executer, together with Giles Carrington, of Arnold Vereker’s will.

TURNER, Miss

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned in passing as personal maid to Mrs. Delaford.

VEREKER, Arnold

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

See family page

Eldest son of Geoffrey Vereker by his first wife, brother of Roger and half-brother and guardian of Kenneth and Antonia Vereker, and chairman and managing director of the Shan Hills Mining Company, which he inherited from his father, he lives opulently at Eaton Place in London and owns River Cottage in Ashleigh Green, which he often visits on weekends, sometimes taking women with him. He is a vindictive, suspicious bachelor of 40 with a high complexion, a natural bully who can make himself very pleasant if he chooses and is decent to his women, even kindly. His chief hobbies are women, though he is very wary of marriage, and social-climbing, and he gets rather a kick out of a fat wad of money in his pocket. Despite a streak of appalling vulgarity, he is somehow likeable, though loathed by Kenneth and Antonia.

VEREKER, Geoffrey

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

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Father of Arnold and Roger Vereker by his first wife, Maud, and father of Kenneth and Antonia by his second wife, he founded and was obsessed with the Shan Hills Mining Company, wanting it on no account to pass out of the family and willing it to his oldest son, Arnold. Only after his death did it become profitable—then extremely so.

VEREKER, Roger

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

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Second son of Geoffrey Vereker by his first wife, brother of Arnold, and half-brother of Kenneth and Antonia, he is 38 and the disreputable member of the family, having gone to Eton with his cousin Giles Carrington, then gotten into trouble at Oxford and gone off to South American, where he got mixed up in some revolution or other. He has been presumed dead for about 7 years, but it turns out that he has been living under the name Harry Fisher, which he got very tired of. He is down-at-heel but affable and placid, with a soft voice and a good-humored, if somewhat weak counteance, rather bloodshot eyes of amiable vagueness but occasionally a distinct gleam of intelligence, and a sleepy, apologetic smile. He definitely likes whisky, rather likes cats, and doesn’t like policemen at all. Violet Williams helps him get established in a service flat between Queen’s Gate and Exhibition Road, not 5 minutes from the Albert Hall. He rarely reads the newspapers and believes everyone should do just what they like.

VEREKER, Antonia

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

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Youngest child of Geoffrey Vereker, half-sister to Arnold and Roger, sister to Kenneth, and cousin once removed to Giles Carrington, Tony is not yet 25, hence still Arnold’s ward, with whom she live until a year ago; now she and Kenneth and their former nurse, Murgatroyd, live in a small flat at 3 Grayling Street, Chelsea, above a garage which she has turned into a kennel for the bull-terriers she breeds, including Bill and Juno. She has a head of burnished copper curls and very large and brilliant dark eyes, and her manner is forthright and ingenuous, spontaneous, even mercurial. She is not a wonderful driver. She is engaged to Rudolph Mesurier and has been engaged—or very nearly—once before.

VEREKER, Kenneth

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

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Third son of Geoffrey Vereker, half-brother to Arnold and Roger, and sister to Antonia, he is 25, hence no longer Arnold’s ward but his heir, and lives with Tony and their former nurse, Murgatroyd, in a small flat at 3 Grayling Street, Chelsea, which doubles as his studio. He is a handsome young man, with untidy dark hair and Tony’s brilliant eyes, an impish smile, an evil-looking meerschaum pipe, and a careless way of dressing. Excitable, ingenuous, and spontaneous, he always says just what he thinks and is a bad liar, and he believes in the Rights of the Individual and fervently in himself as an artist. He has been engaged to Violet Williams for 3 months and adores her for her good looks; however, he refuses to alter his habits to suit her. A merciless portraitist, he can be very clever when he likes, and he bandies Shakespeare about with Superintendent Hannasyde.

VEREKER, Maud

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

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First wife of Geoffrey Vereker, mother of Arnold and Roger Vereker, and sister of Giles Carrington’s mother, Janet.

Wallace, Edgar

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Playwright. Inspector Hannasyde remarks to Giles Carrington that they seem to be mixed up in a Chekhov play rather than the Edgar Wallace they expected.

Watson, Dr.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Inspector Hannasyde refers to Giles Carrington from time to time as Holmes and himself as Watson, only once ironically.

WATSON, Sir Henry

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Business acquaintance of Arnold Vereker who had an appointment with him immediately before Rudolph Mesurier.

WESTLEY, Mr. and Mrs.

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Mentioned as being of the party that attended the Charity Ball at the Albert Hall with Kenneth Vereker and Leslie Rivers, the live on Putney Hill and breed Pomeranians.

WILLIAMS, Violet

DEATH IN THE STOCKS

Fiancée of Kennth Vereker for 3 months, she makes a living doing poster-designs and commercial work, though Kenneth maintains she can’t draw. With a low, well-modulated voice and an enchanting smile, she has unfathomable, velvety brown eyes, long, capable, well-manicured hands with silver-lacquered nails, sleek black hair, creamy cheeks, plucked eyebrows, and beautiful lips over small very white teeth and is graceful, cool, and self-possessed. She was born with a taste for nice things, if they’re good, but has never had a penny to spend that she hasn’t worked and slaved for; she makes her own clothes and prefers diamonds to any other stone—pearls are nice, but jade is too common. Living in the lower maisonette in a house in a street leading up to the Embankment in London, she used to pick up men who could trot her round and have a good time. She is astute but not clever, and you can never tell what she’s thinking; she has no use for people who lose their heads in an emergency, and she feels socially superior to Superintendent Hannasyde. Roger Vereker recognizes her immediately as a gold-digger.