By Ed Chatterton and Daniel Walton via SWNS
A shop owner was left shocked to discover police cells hidden in the basement of her new store – which once housed one of Britain’s most notorious Victorian killers.
Claire Meeson purchased the derelict store in Rugeley, Staffs., having no idea about its history apart from that it used to be a hardware store.
She knew it came with a cellar but was stunned to find what looked like police cells when she explored deeper beneath her recently acquired business premises.
After doing some research, Claire discovered the historic site had once been Rugeley’s old police station between 1845-1879.
She also found it had once housed one of the Victorian era’s most prolific killers, William Palmer – known as the ‘Prince of Poisoners’.
Palmer, also known as the ‘Rugeley Poisoner’, was an English doctor found guilty of murder in one of the most notorious cases of the 19th century.
Charles Dickens called Palmer “the greatest villain that ever stood in the Old Bailey” after he murdered his friend John Cook using Strychnine in 1855.
He was also suspected of killing several other people, including his brother, mother-in-law and four of his children who suddenly died of ‘convulsions’.
Claire’s business has now became an unlikely attraction for historians, school trips and even paranormal explorers.
Claire, who opened Clair’s Emporium last January, said: “When we purchased the building the first thing we did was clean up the place.
“When we cleaned up we also noticed a cellar, part of that was the cells.
“The only history we knew about the place was that it was an old hardware shop from the 60s up until it closed when Covid happened.
“But we didn’t know it was a police building, we thought the cells were actually a cellar, but when we emptied we realised that it was something much more.”
The building, which is known to have been used as the old Rugeley Police Station, was used to house criminals between the years of 1845 and 1879.
Claire, who has since converted the shop into a vintage, used and multi-goods store, added: “We actually asked the local history society.
“They had pictures showing that it was also housing at one point.
“We talked to one old lady who remembered the building had a signpost that had the words ‘to the prison cells’ on it, that is what tipped us off.
“If you look at William’s history, he was executed in 1956, and there are records from when he was convicted in 1955 showing that he was placed in Rugeley Police Station, which at the time was this building.
“It’s an amazing bit of history.”
Pamler’s name can also can be seen on a document that charts the known prisoners of the year and their alleged crimes
Claire said: “We have a framed picture of the records, people ask us all the time, ‘Why is this up?’.
“And when we tell them, they always say ‘We didn’t know it was a police station’.
“We actually have schools who say they’d love to come and visit and the Stafford and Paranormal Group came to stay a night.
“We don’t mind people coming in to talk about the history of the place.
“Everyone is more than welcome to come in and have a look around and experience a fantastic bit of almost forgotten history.”
Palmer also made large sums of money from the deaths of his wife and brother after setting them up with life insurance.
He additionally profited from defrauding his wealthy mother out of thousands of pounds, which he then lost through gambling on horses.
Around 30,000 people were at Stafford Prison on June 14, 1856, to see Palmer’s public execution by hanging at the hands of George ‘Throttler Smith.
As he stepped onto the gallows, Palmer is said to have looked at the trapdoor, saying: “Are you sure it’s safe?”
Following his death, a wax figure of Palmer was displayed in the Chamber of Horrors at Madame Tussaud’s waxwork museum from 1857 until 1979.
He is currently buried at The Old Chancel in Rugeley.
