Martin lived in
Newbury, Berkshire. He spent most of his life living off
petty crime, though was once employed as the assistant to a butcher. He was dismissed from this role after being convicted of
fraud. He briefly lived in
Woodspeen with a
prostitute, Eliza Shaw, who provided him with sufficient money to avoid working. During the
Michaelmas fair of September 1866, Martin was caught
pickpocketing and was sentenced to a month's imprisonment at
Reading Gaol.
Murder and suicide Martin arriving at Shaw's house armed with a
butcher's cramp. Martin was buried in Enborne on 6 December with no rites. Brett and Shaw's coffins were drawn in a cart to
Speen where they were buried by Reverend H W Magendie. == Footnotes ==