The Acid Bath Murderer: 2 More Bizarre Deaths (But Not the Dog)
I’m back with the story of the acid bath murderer: John George Haigh and his horrendous murder spree in 1940s London.
When we left off last time, Haigh had murdered William McSwan and his parents Donald and Amy, and got away with a ton of money and property.
Check out my map here to see all of Acid Bath Murder locations in one place.
The Acid Bath Murderer: John Haigh Hunts His Next Victims
For the next few years (1944-48), John Haigh lived off the estate money he stole from the McSwans. But he was a heavy gambler, and the money ran out rather quickly. So he went back out on the hunt, as he got away with murdering the McSwans without so much as a visit from the police.
John Haigh met Dr. Archibald Henderson and his wife Rosalie when they advertised a handsome property for sale at 22 Ladbroke Square in Notting Hill.
Acid Bath Killer Meets The Hendersons at Ladbroke Square
John Haigh came round, pretending to be interested in purchasing the property and befriended the couple. They eventually sold to someone else who actually had money (good decision), making Haigh draw even closer to them since he knew for sure they had lots of money (bad outcome).
You can imagine the dollar signs flashing in Haigh’s eyes at this point.
The Doll’s Hospital, Fulham
The Hendersons moved south to 16 Dawes Road in Fulham. They lived above, and ran a shop called the Doll’s Hospital on the ground floor. It was a popular shop, with people from all over the country bringing in their dolls to be repaired.
Today it is probably, definitely haunted, because nothing says ghosts like doll hospital.
Haigh was somehow charming to the Hendersons (psychopath narcissist, anyone?) and weaseled his way into their lives while they lived in Fulham.
To be fair, the Hendersons weren’t exactly lovely. Archie was a drunk gold digger and, by all accounts, a terrible doctor whose first wife mysteriously died. Then he married his mistress, Rosie, who was sedated on sleeping pills and booze most of the time. But that doesn’t mean they deserved what Haigh had planned for them.
The Hendersons: Victims of the Acid Bath Murders
By spending time in their Fulham flat, he managed to steal a revolver and a gas mask (probably left over from the war? I’m hoping…), which would come back to haunt the Hendersons in a terribly gruesome way.
In February 1948, Haigh somehow convinced Dr Henderson to come with him to Crawley, a suburb 30 miles outside London, where he had set up a new workshop complete with his favorite barrels of acid.
He shot Henderson with the stolen revolver, put on the stolen gas mask, and put the body in the barrel of acid. But there is no sewer drain at this property in which to dispose of the acid, which will come back to bite Haigh.
The Crawley Workshop: No Sewer Drain
Haigh then went back to collect Rosalie Henderson who was, as per usual, drugged up on pills & booze, so she probably wasn’t super suspicious (and let’s hope not very conscious). He brought her to the Crawley warehouse on the pretense that her husband was ill.
But we all know who is really the sick one, here, Mr Haigh.
You can imagine what happened to Rosie. He took all of their valuables and jewelry, and even took their dog, an elderly red setter named Pat. Their DOG. A senior dog. Named Pat. But somehow, thankfully, he has a heart for the dog. He takes Pat to live with him at his new digs in the Onslow Court Hotel in Kensington.
Pat the Red Setter Survives the Acid Bath Murderer!
Later, he said he gave the dog to a kennel because it had night blindness, which I hope to god is the truth because that poor sweet dog should not have had to live with this human trash for one moment.
Haigh forged the deed to the property at 16 Dawes Road and sold it for an enormous profit. And round and round we go.
Archibald, Rosalie, and sweet Pat, you deserved so much better.
More on The Acid Bath Murders: John George Haigh
Part 4: Catching the Acid Bath Murderer
