The Acid Bath Murders
On a dry, sunny day in August 1949, the Wandsworth prison gallows opened for John George Haigh. With his sentencing unanimous, this saw the end of the Acid Bath Murderer and supposed vampire, but how did he end up there?
John George Haigh was born on the 24th July 1909 in Stamford, Lincolnshire. His parents were John, an engineer, and Emily. The family moved to Outwood, West Riding of Yorkshire when John was younger, and were members of the Protestant church, Plymouth Brethren.
Haigh was a fan of classical music and played the piano. He was a good student who won scholarships to Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and Wakefield Cathedral, where he became a choirboy.
Haigh had an odd sense of humour and was bullied at school. He would pull the stool out from under the elderly organist when she sat down to play. He also chased a pig around its sty until it died from exhaustion. For this, he was beaten.
When he finished school, Haigh worked as an apprentice engineer at a firm. He was subsequently fired for adding sugar to his boss’ petrol tank. He held other jobs in insurance and advertising but was once again fired after he was accused of stealing from the cash box.
