Fred and Rosemary West, the infamous couple whose crimes were centered at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester.
25 Cromwell Street, Gloucester, became synonymous with unimaginable horror when it was revealed as the location where serial killers Fred and Rosemary West buried the bodies of many of their victims. Described as the “house of horror,” this ordinary-looking terraced house concealed the gruesome truth of years of torture, rape, and murder. While Fred West was labeled the “epitome of evil,” preying on vulnerable young girls and women, the unassuming facade of 25 Cromwell Street became a chilling backdrop to their heinous crimes that spanned two decades.
Initially charged with 10 murders jointly, with Fred West facing an additional two counts, the true number of victims may never be known. It was within the walls and garden of 25 Cromwell Street that police unearthed the remains of nine young women and girls, a discovery that sent shockwaves across the nation and etched the address into the annals of criminal history. The ongoing investigation, including the recent excavation of a cafe in Gloucester in search of Mary Bastholm, a suspected victim, serves as a stark reminder of the Wests’ depravity and the enduring shadow cast by 25 Cromwell Street.
The confirmed victims, each with their own story tragically cut short, are inextricably linked to the address 25 Cromwell Street. Their lives, marked by vulnerability and misfortune, ended within or near this house of horrors, forever associating their memory with its grim legacy. Presented in the order of their disappearance, these are the twelve confirmed victims of Fred and Rosemary West, forever bound to the chilling address of 25 Cromwell Street.
The Victims of 25 Cromwell Street
Ann McFall
Ann McFall, Fred West’s first victim, whose remains were discovered not at 25 Cromwell Street but in a field near his childhood home.
Ann McFall, just 18 years old, is believed to be Fred West’s first victim, though her remains were not found at 25 Cromwell Street itself. Originally from Scotland, Ann worked as a nanny for Fred West’s children from his first marriage. In 1966, she relocated to Gloucester and became entangled with West, reportedly becoming his lover while his wife was away. Pregnant with West’s child, the “naive” young woman disappeared in May 1967. Her remains, along with those of her unborn baby, were discovered not at 25 Cromwell Street, but in a field at Kempley, near Fred West’s childhood village, marking the beginning of his reign of terror that would later center on the Gloucester address.
Catherine ‘Rena’ Costello
PA Media Catherine
Catherine Costello, also Scottish-born, was Fred West’s first wife and second victim. Their marriage occurred in Ledbury in 1962, and she already carried another man’s child. She gave birth to Charmaine in 1963 and subsequently had another child, Anne Marie, with West. Described as having a “strong personality” and being “more than a match for Fred,” Catherine left West in 1969 amidst allegations of violence and sexual abuse. Contact with friends and family ceased in 1971. Like Ann McFall, Catherine’s remains were not found at 25 Cromwell Street, but in a field in Kempley, close to Ann McFall’s burial site, indicating that West’s initial murders were committed and concealed away from what would later become his infamous Cromwell Street residence.
Charmaine West
PA Media Charmaine West
Charmaine West, Fred’s eight-year-old daughter from his marriage to Catherine Costello, met her tragic end before the family even resided at 25 Cromwell Street. In 1971, while Fred was imprisoned, Rosemary West murdered Charmaine at their Midland Road home. Charmaine, known to dislike Rosemary intensely and described as a “rebellious little girl,” became a victim of Rosemary’s cruelty. Upon his release, Fred buried Charmaine’s body not at 25 Cromwell Street, but beneath the kitchen window of their Midland Road residence, marking a grim prelude to the horrors that would later unfold at Cromwell Street.
Lynda Gough
PA Media Lynda Gough
Lynda Gough’s disappearance in April 1973 marked the beginning of the horrors concealed within 25 Cromwell Street. Living locally in Gloucester and known to be “naive,” 19-year-old Lynda frequented the West’s home due to her friendship with lodgers. Her remains were among the first discovered at 25 Cromwell Street, specifically in a former car inspection pit in the garage, which had been converted into a bathroom. Lynda’s body, found within the very structure of 25 Cromwell Street, solidified the house’s reputation as a burial ground.
Carole Ann Cooper
Carole Ann Cooper
Carole Ann Cooper, known as Caz, became another victim whose life ended at 25 Cromwell Street. In November 1973, while staying at The Pine Children’s Home, Carole Ann disappeared after a night out with her grandmother. Detectives believe the Wests abducted her while she was hitch-hiking. Her body was discovered buried in the cellar of 25 Cromwell Street, further establishing the cellar as a primary location for concealing bodies within the house.
Lucy Partington
PA Media Lucy Partington
Lucy Partington, a 21-year-old university student, disappeared in December 1973 after visiting a friend. It is believed the Wests preyed on her as she waited for a bus. Described as “clever and much-liked,” Lucy’s case is noted as particularly poignant. Her remains were also found beneath the floor of the cellar at 25 Cromwell Street, highlighting the cellar’s role as a mass grave within the house of horrors.
Therese Siegenthaler
Police Therese Siegenthaler
Therese Siegenthaler, a 21-year-old student from Switzerland, disappeared in Easter 1974 while hitch-hiking to Ireland. Despite being described as confident and believing she could “look after herself,” she became another victim of the Wests. Her remains, too, were discovered under the floor of the cellar at 25 Cromwell Street, demonstrating the house’s grim capacity to conceal victims from various backgrounds and locations.
Shirley Hubbard
PA Media Shirley Hubbard
Shirley Hubbard, only 15 years old, was the youngest victim found at 25 Cromwell Street. Described as “pretty, spirited and vulnerable,” Shirley disappeared in November 1974 after leaving her work experience placement. Her remains were eventually found under the cellar floor at Cromwell Street, emphasizing the tragic vulnerability of the young girls who became targets and whose final resting place was within the confines of 25 Cromwell Street.
Juanita Mott
Juanita Mott, who vanished on the eve of a friend’s wedding, further illustrating the Wests’ predatory actions within the Gloucester area surrounding 25 Cromwell Street.
Juanita Mott, 18 years old, disappeared in April 1975 while traveling to Gloucester. Described as “rebellious, difficult and strong-willed, but attractive and outgoing,” Juanita vanished the day before a friend’s wedding. Her disappearance was not immediately reported to the police. Her remains were also found in the cellar of 25 Cromwell Street, adding to the growing list of victims concealed within the house.
Shirley Anne Robinson
Shirley Anne Robinson, Fred West’s lover, murdered and buried in the garden of 25 Cromwell Street, extending the burial sites beyond the house’s interior.
Shirley Anne Robinson became Fred West’s lover while lodging with the couple at 25 Cromwell Street. Conceiving a child with Fred, the “outward looking and rather worldly” Shirley was about eight months pregnant when she disappeared in May 1978. Her body and that of her unborn child were found buried not within 25 Cromwell Street itself, but in the garden, indicating that the burial sites extended beyond the interior of the house.
Alison Chambers
Alison Chambers, a frequent visitor to 25 Cromwell Street, found buried in the garden, reinforcing the garden as another burial site associated with the address.
Alison Chambers, 16, was a “rebellious teenager” living in a children’s home in Gloucester and was known to frequently visit 25 Cromwell Street. Friends described her as someone who “wanted constant attention.” Alison disappeared in August 1979 shortly before her 17th birthday. Her remains were also found in the garden at 25 Cromwell Street, further confirming the garden as another area of the property used to conceal the Wests’ crimes.
Heather West
Heather West, the Wests’ own daughter and last known victim, buried under the patio at 25 Cromwell Street, highlighting the ultimate betrayal and horror within the family home.
Heather West, the 16-year-old daughter of Fred and Rosemary West, is believed to be their final victim and the first body discovered at 25 Cromwell Street itself. Murdered in 1987, Heather’s death demonstrated the extreme depths of the couple’s depravity. Described as “rebellious, difficult, and refused to collaborate with her father’s plans,” Heather may have threatened to report her father to the police. Her remains were found buried under the garden patio at 25 Cromwell Street, marking a chilling culmination of the horrors associated with the address and a tragic betrayal within the family home itself.
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