Lives in Cricket No 18 - FR Foster

Chapter Nine The shambolic 1930s It is uncertain how long Foster remained in Bournemouth, but what is undeniable is that in 1931 he was living in a luxury flat in Ryder Street, St. James in the heart of London gentlemen’s club land. It seems likely he was residing in London, at least temporarily, in late 1929, as the following sad story would seem to suggest. Early on 2 October 1931 the body of Annie Louise Norah Upchurch, a twenty-year-old prostitute, was found strangled in an empty shop on the corner of Shaftesbury Avenue and Old Compton Street, in Soho, around the corner from where she lived and plied her trade. A cheque was found in her flat, signed by Foster. In the ensuing coroner’s court case, Foster told the court that he first met Miss Upchurch two years earlier in Pimlico and, taking pity on her hungry and frightened appearance, he accompanied her, at her request, to her home. She refused to tell him why she was frightened and when he went to leave she begged him to stay. She stated she owed £10: there is no evidence Foster gave her money in this instance, but perhaps one can surmise. Foster said that she had dozed and he sat quietly in a chair in the dark. He then heard a ‘curious’ noise. He stated that a street lamp outside lit up both the window and the door. He swore no-one had entered the room by window or door yet suddenly a man appeared as if from nowhere at the girl’s bedside. Foster reckoned there must have been a secret panel or hidden door. ‘I am certain that if this man can be found he would be able to throw a good deal of light on the death of Nora Upchurch,’ Foster reckoned. He said that when he asked Norah Upchurch about the man she told him nothing. This unlikely sounding story now moves on to 28 September 1931. Foster met the girl, known to him as Norah Laverick, outside Piccadilly Circus tube station (clearly by prior arrangement) at 8 pm and after they had dined at the Garrick Grill Room he took her by taxi to his flat. There he picked up a bottle of whisky, a hundred cigarettes and some playing cards, part payment he claimed for the night of ‘entertainment’, since, as he explained to the prostitute, he had little ready money. They then went to her place in Warwick Street and he claimed he spent the night sleeping in an arm-chair. He also gave her a cheque for £10 after she told him she had urgent debts. ‘I tried to help her you see.’ The coroner, Mr Ingleby Oddie, then commented ‘You did not help her very much by giving her a “dud” cheque.’ Foster replied that he had been expecting money. Foster left the following morning. That evening, however, Foster was listening to a ‘religious 99