In 1915, in the second year of the Great War, with the Allied and German armies locked in combat on the Western Front in France, here in Saltash just after midnight on 24th July terrible screams and a female voice crying "I'm murdered, I'm murdered" were heard in the densely populated, close-knit community of Silver Street, in the Waterside area.

Many of the inhabitants had retired for the night, but they rushed out of their houses to find a woman, clad only a chemise, lying on the dimly lit road outside of No 12. When they reached her they were horrified to see blood gushing from a deep gash in her throat, and she soon expired.

Her name was Florence Ethel Saward, aged 22, married to a seaman, with a baby aged 15 months, but this was not her normal place of residence. When her husband was at home they lived in Pembroke Street in Devonport.

Two rooms in No 12 were occupied by Alfred George Redman, aged 40, a widower, and two of his children. His wife had died four years earlier in 1911, and one child had gone to a relative. A tailor by trade, he had become crippled, had contracted tuberculosis, and been forced to give up his tailoring. But in recent months, with some money left to him by relatives, he had managed to start a greengrocery business in nearby Tamar Street.

When her husband was away, but with his full knowledge, Florence assisted Redman in the shop, and instead of returning home to Devonport at the end of each day, she and her baby and one of Redman's daughters occupied one of the rooms at No 12, while he and the other daughter slept in the second room.

After finding Mrs Saward, the neighbours went to the door of No 12, and just inside, in a pool of blood they found Alfred Redman. His throat too had been cut from ear to ear. They discovered Florence's child on a bed and both of Redman's daughters were unharmed. A bloodstained cutthroat razor was also found.

The police had been called and a local medical man, Dr Wool Lewis appeared on the scene and officially pronounced both parties to be dead. Their bodies were removed to the mortuary at Waterloo Road.

Inquests were held on both of the deceased by the County Coroner at Saltash Guildhall. Evidence was given that Redman and Florence's husband were great friends, but Florence's mother, Mrs Crapp, who lived close by, said she had also previously worked in Redman's shop but had left because she thought her daughter and Redman were becoming too friendly, as she put it. As a consequence she and Florence had been estranged for a while. Mr Saward was due home the next day and the witness thought that Redman was unhappy that Florence was leaving.

The jury returned the obvious verdicts that Florence had been murdered by Redman, and he had committed suicide.

Florence was buried here at St Stephens, as was Redman. In later years, many people, observing that the so-called 'murderer's plot' is outside the churchyard wall assumed that the vicar would not allow him to be buried in consecrated ground.

This is not the case. When Redman was buried the site was part of the churchyard. His resting-place was situated well away from other graves at that time, and is now outside because the lane was diverted to its present route two years later in 1917.

This is not quite the end of the story. The inscription on Redman's wife's grave also commemorates him. It is not known who made this addition.