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Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? An Unsolved Mystery. 5 | 228




The Unsolved Mystery of Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? 

April 18, 1943. A group of four boys make a gruesome discovery in Hagley Wood, Worcestershire, England. One of them climbs inside a hollow tree, looking for a bird's nest and eggs. What they discover is a skull and the remains of a mysterious woman. After 81 years, authorities still don't know who she is. This case if full of mystery, war spies, witchcraft, and even a cabaret singer. This is the 81 year old myster of Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?

The Discovery in Hagley Wood

On that spring day in 1943, four young boys—Bob Farmer, Thomas Willetts, Bob Hart, and Fred Payne—were out exploring the dense woodland of Hagley Wood, searching for bird nests. As they wandered deeper into the woods, they stumbled upon an old, hollow wych elm tree. Curious, Bob Farmer peeked inside, and to his horror, he saw a skull staring back at him. The boys, shaken and frightened, swore to keep their discovery a secret. However, fear and guilt got the best of them, and they soon reported the macabre finding to the police.

The Investigation Begins

When investigators arrived at the scene, they unearthed a nearly complete human skeleton inside the tree. The skull still had some hair and a few crooked teeth, and a piece of taffeta was found stuffed into its mouth, suggesting foul play. Authorities also discovered a shoe and fragments of clothing near the skeleton. Forensic experts determined that the body was that of a woman who had been dead for approximately 18 months to 3 years. She was estimated to be around 35-40 years old, and her cause of death was believed to be asphyxiation.

The Strange Graffiti and the Name "Bella"

The case grew even more mysterious when strange graffiti began appearing on walls around the area, asking, "Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?" The first piece of graffiti appeared in 1944, a year after the discovery, in nearby Birmingham. As more graffiti appeared over the years, the name "Bella" became synonymous with the unidentified woman in the tree. But who was Bella, and why was her body placed in such a bizarre location?

Theories and Speculations

  1. Witchcraft and the Occult

  2. Espionage and World War II Spies

  3. A Cabaret Singer/Nazi Spy

  4. A Case of Violence Against a Woman

Conclusion

The enigma of "Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?" is an 81-year-old mystery that refuses to fade away. It serves as a testament to the power of storytelling, the enduring fascination with the unknown, and the desire to uncover the truth. Whether Bella was a spy, a victim of ritualistic killing, or something else entirely, her story remains one of the most haunting cold cases in history.

If you’re captivated by mysteries like this, tune in to the Hitched 2 Homicide podcast, where we unravel true crime tales with a southern twist, blending suspense and intrigue with a touch of humor.


sources used for this podcast:


ABC News. (2023, April 7). When four boys found a woman inside a wych elm, it sparked a series of wild theories. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-07/mystery-over-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm-/102171844

 

Birmingham Mail. (2018, January 18). Revealed after 75 years: The face of Bella in the Wych Elm. Birmingham Mail. https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/revealed-after-75-years-face-14329271

 

BBC. (2014, August 22). Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? [Audio podcast episode]. BBC Sounds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b04c9dfn

 

Reddit. (2018, July 17). Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? [Online forum post]. r/UnsolvedMysteries. https://www.reddit.com/r/UnsolvedMysteries/comments/8zkll9/who_put_bella_in_the_wych_elm/

 

The Independent. (2013, March 22). Is this the Bella in the Wych Elm? Unravelling the mystery of the skull found in a tree trunk. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/is-this-the-bella-in-the-wych-elm-unravelling-the-mystery-of-the-skull-found-in-a-tree-trunk-8546497.html

 

The Independent. (2007, March 18). Mystery, murder and half a century of suspense. The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/mystery-murder-and-half-a-century-of-suspense-745330.html

 

 

Museums Association. (2023, May 11). BBC investigator asks museums for help tracing remains of murder victim. Museums Association. https://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/2023/05/bbc-investigator-asks-museums-for-help-tracing-remains-of-murder-victim/

 

Stourbridge News. (2020, December 9). Iconic 'Bella' graffiti on Hagley monument mysteriously changed. Stourbridge News. https://www.stourbridgenews.co.uk/news/18909712.iconic-bella-graffiti-hagley-monument-mysteriously-changed/

 

Atlas Obscura. (n.d.). 31 Days of Halloween: Who Put Bella Down the Wych Elm? Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/31-days-of-halloween-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm

 

History and Imagination. (2022, October 30). Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? History and Imagination

 

Curious Archive. (n.d.). Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? Espionage & Witchcraft. Curious Archive. . https://www.curiousarchive.com/who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm-espionage-witchcraft/

 

 

Josef Jakobs. (2018, March 18). Bella in Wych Elm - The Story of Jack Mossop. Josef Jakobs Info. https://josefjakobs.info/2018/03/bella-in-wych-elm-story-of-jack-mossop.html

 

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Hand of Glory. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_of_Glory

 

Unexplained Mysteries Blog. (2018, September 20). Bella in the Wych Elm & The Hand of Glory. Unexplained Mysteries Blog. https://unexplainedmysteriesblog.wordpress.com/2018/09/20/bella-in-the-wych-elm-the-hand-of-glory/

 

 

Villains Wiki. (n.d.). Hand of Glory. Fandom. https://evil.fandom.com/wiki/Hand_of_Glory

 

Citations:


PHOTOS AND VIDEO CLIPS

Young Frankenstein | 1974 |  20th Century Studios

Stand By Me | 1986 | Columbia Pictures

Little Giants |  1994 | Warner Bros., Warner Bros. Pictures

Bridgerton | 2020 | S2 E2 | Off to the Races | Netflix

Curb Your Enthusiasm | S9E2 | The Pickle Gambit | HBO

Glee | S5E7 |Puppet Master | Fox


❤️Bless your Heart Sources






DISCLAIMER OF LIABILITY

All information contained in this video presentation is provided for entertainment purposes only. The authors leave any and all conclusions to individual members of the audience. The author offers no statements of fact beyond those available through diligent private research or through information freely available in the public record. To the extent that pending or settled criminal matters or crime or possible crimes, are discussed in this video presentation. All parties or defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. To the extent that any pending or settle civil matters are discussed in this video presentation, all parties or defendants are presumed not liable unless proven liable in a court of law. Copyright for material incorporated and presented under Fair Use is retained by the original author or copyright holder where applicable. Our cases are researched using open source and archive materials, and the subjects are real crimes and people. We strive to produce each episode with respect to the victims, their families and loved ones. At Hitched 2 Homicide we are committed to always discussing how victims lived, and not just how they died. All podcast information is gleaned from sources given. All opinions in the podcast are solely of Hitched 2 Homicide.

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