Sun Inn murders memorabilia fails to sell

Jun 7 2009 by Peter Taylor, Sunday Sun

GRISLY mementoes of a triple slaying failed to find a buyer at auction.

Interest in the memorabilia from Bedlington’s Sun Inn murders - one of the North East's most notorious - was keen from the museum and library world.

But when the collection went up for grabs at Louis Johnson auctioneers in Morpeth bids failed to reach the reserve price.

Auctioneer Barbara Turner described the items as “a collection of the memorabilia of the Sun Inn murders at Bedlington in 1913. It’s a collection of documentation, truncheon, cuff links, etc.’’

She asked for the bidding to start at £1000 but there were no takers and it eventually peaked at £500.

As this did not meet the reserve it was not accepted, but negotiations will take place with the highest bidder.

The collection included postcards of the three victims gunned down by innkeeper John Vickers Amos, on April 13 1913.

Two policemen, along with pub owner’s wife Sarah Grice, were shot dead when they responded to an incident at the licensed premises, on Front Street West, after Amos armed himself with a Winchester repeating rifle.

It is believed Amos, known as Jocker, went on a killing spree after he was accused of stealing money from the owner of the Sun Inn and lost his job as the pub’s manager.

Included in the memorabilia is Sgt Barton’s bloodstained notebook.

Pencilled in neat handwriting are the faint details scribbled by the officer, documenting his final steps.

The memorabilia was collected by The Six Townships Community History Group, from Bedlington.

Group secretary John Dawson said: “It’s such an interesting and important part of local history and it shouldn’t be forgotten.”

Letters written by Amos in his prison cell to his family, along with copies of Mrs Grice’s birth and death certificates, old newspaper cuttings, Sgt Barton’s truncheon and steel handcuffs, are also listed as items for sale in the auction.

Auctioneer Louis Johnson said: “There has been interest from a library and one or two museums.”