History of Kilburn and West Hampstead

In October 1958 Beryl Price was sentenced at the Old Bailey to nine months in Holloway Jail. She and her husband Kenneth Price, lived at 15 Lyncroft Gardens, a house in West Hampstead, where they rented out rooms. They were in severe financial difficulties in March when she received a letter containing a £75 cheque. It had been delivered in error and was in fact a royalty payment intended for Dudley Pope, a successful author of naval stories who lived next door at No.13. The temptation was too great for Beryl, and without telling her husband, she opened a Post Office account in the fictious name of Gwen Dudley Pope, and then made three withdrawals of £10 each. When Dudley Pope failed to receive his cheque, the police were informed, and Beryl was arrested. Beryl’s family and early career Born in 1909 as Beryl Katie King, she was the daughter of estate agent Cecil Arthur King and in 1911, was living with her parents in Barnes. After studying at the Royal College of Music she became an op...