Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888 - 1954), Thursday 18 June 1953, page 12


FATHER PUTS POSY

^^^.^^^ COFFIN OF DAUGHTER

' . London, Wednesday : A Methodist minister prayed at the graveside of 16years-old barbara Songhurst today that the man who raped, murdered, and stabbed her on the lonely Thames-side towpath 16 days ago might be brought to penitence.

. Rain lashed down on a small cluster of neighbors and friends, who had gathered to witness her burial at a cemetery in Teddington, a west London beauty spot, where she and her 18-years-old- friend Christine Reed, . were mur-

dered.

As the minister prayed the coffin was -lowered and Barbara's elderly father placed on it a posy of four white roses:

"Wreaths at the graveside included one from the "boys and girls of the Blue Angel Cafe, in Teddington", where Barbara was a fre-quent visitor.

Christine Reed, who was also raped, stabbed, and dropped into the, River Thames, will be buried . at

Hampton Cemeterjr to-

morrow.

While the funeral service was being held, the hunt for the 'killer p/oceeded. No piece of information is being ignored in the 17-days-old investigation and a mass- of red-herring clues has already

been sifted.

Vital clues still missing are the murder weapon, which the police believe to be a double->dged stilettotype knife, and the Maroon cycle belonging to Barbara.