The History Podcast – The Magnificent O'Connors

Episode 2: The Murder of Donk Ambridge

BBC Radio 4 – October 3, 2025
Host/Narrator: Ragnar O’Connor
Episode focus: Retracing the 1941 murder of George “Donk” Ambridge, the police investigation, and the controversial conviction of small-time criminal Jimmy O’Connor — Ragnar’s father.

OVERVIEW

This episode dives deep into the notorious 1941 Kilburn murder of George "Donk" Ambridge and the subsequent arrest, trial, and death sentence of Jimmy O’Connor. Host Ragnar O’Connor, son of Jimmy, pieces together police reports, witness testimonies, and family recollections to expose what he and his family believe was a miscarriage of justice. With the help of his brother Milo and 93-year-old mother Nemone, Ragnar explores Jimmy’s early life, turbulent war years, criminal exploits, and the deeply flawed investigation that changed their family's history.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Setting the Scene: Kilburn, 1941 [01:08–03:56]

• It’s the Blitz, but on April 13th, 1941, all is unusually quiet on Denmark Road.
• Donk Ambridge, a coal merchant, is found murdered in his flat following a party nearby attended by Jimmy O’Connor.
• First-person narrative immerses listeners in the crime’s atmosphere: “Sometime earlier that evening, he was hit several times with a blunt instrument… This is George Ambridge, but most people call him Donk.” (Ragnar O’Connor, 01:40)

2. Who Was Jimmy O’Connor? Early Life and Survival [03:57–09:37]

• Jimmy’s colorful character: sharp-witted, deeply charismatic, and “no angel.”
  • Legendary family tape:

    “Well, I think the pubs are open.” (Jimmy O'Connor, 04:03)

• Raised in poverty, heavily influenced by a tough father who instilled a code:

  “If you’re going to be a thief, be a good one. Never plead guilty and never sign no statement.” (Ragnar O’Connor recounts family wisdom, 05:00)

• “Straightening” – Jimmy’s manipulative charm, twisting situations to his advantage, often for criminal gain.

  “If there was something Dad wanted, he would work out who could get it for him… charming them [so] whatever it was he was after… was actually the thing they’d wanted to give him all along.” (Ragnar O’Connor, 05:51)

• Early marriage, then wartime: Jimmy profiteers off army ration black market before escaping death during the bombing of the Lancastria.
  • He loses his ill-gotten fortune to the sea but survives traumatic shipwreck:

    “A bomb came down the funnel of the ship and blew the bottom out. Well, my first thought was for my money.” (Jimmy O’Connor, 07:53)
    “The oil also caught fire. People were either shot or burned, but very few survived.” (Mum, 09:08)

3. Crime in Wartime London [09:38–10:35]

• London’s blackout: a haven for petty crime.

  “The blackout was the pickpocket’s friend… the actual crime rate during the war went up, I think by 57%.” (Duncan Campbell, crime reporter, 09:55)

4. Donk’s Murder & Flimsy Evidence [10:36–14:58]

• Body found after three days; death by blunt force, forcibly entered residence.
• Lacking evidence: no murder weapon, no fingerprints, only autopsy timing based on undigested fish and chips.
• Chief Inspector Nat Thorpe targets local criminals, including Jimmy, through circumstantial links and informants.

5. The Accusation & Chain of Events [13:05–15:38]

• A known receiver of stolen goods, George Sewell, emerges as star informant, alleging Jimmy confessed and handed him a “gold watch” from the crime scene.

  “It was a big breakthrough in the case.” (Ragnar, 13:08)

• Police theory: Jimmy, Redhead (known criminal), and Freddy Andrews (violent reputation) acted together.

  • All are pulled in; Redhead and Jimmy accuse each other, both maintain innocence.
  • Freddie Andrews refuses to talk and is never charged due to lack of evidence.

6. Trial at the Old Bailey – A Miscarriage of Justice? [15:39–21:16]

• Jimmy’s first and only meeting with his barrister is the morning of the trial.

  “He only met his counsel on the morning of the trial.” (Mum, 15:38)

• Advised not to testify:

  “He said, if the jury know that you’d been a burglar, you’d be dead.” (Mum, 15:57)

• Case for the prosecution rests on unreliable, criminal witnesses.
  • No murder weapon presented (presumed to be a missing tire lever).

  “These prosecution witnesses were not people of good character — one was a convicted fraudster… one was a deserter from the army.” (Ragnar, 17:57–18:17)

• Alibi undercut by timing: guests at the party disagree on when Jimmy arrived vs. estimated time of murder.
• George Sewell reaffirms damning testimony about the gold watch.

7. Verdict, Sentencing, and Aftermath [21:17–25:58]

• Only two concrete verdicts:

  “We find William [Redhead] not guilty of murder, my lord. … We find James O’ Connor guilty of murder.” (Milo O’Connor reports verdict, 22:37–22:44)

• Jimmy’s words under sentence:

  “I told the judge, I’m not afraid to die, but I don’t want to die for a murder I did not commit.” (Jimmy O’Connor, Milo reading, 22:54)

• Reflections on capital punishment, wartime moral numbness, and a family forever scarred:

  “There’s no witnesses, there’s no forensic, there’s no nothing… There’s no desire for justice. None.” (Mum and Ragnar, 24:03–24:07)

• Jimmy’s transfer to Pentonville; three clear Sundays to execution.

  “So he was going to be hung on his birthday and… would have been his 24th birthday.” (Milo & Ragnar, 26:22)

8. Waiting on Death Row [26:38–28:39]

• Jimmy reflects on mortality:

  “You think about afterlife, school days… life hereafter, and where are we going to?” (Jimmy O’Connor, 26:38)

• Describes last days, appeal effort (ultimately unsuccessful), and preparations for the gallows.
• Albert Fairpoint, legendary hangman, provides a chilling procedural account of executions:

  “While my assistant is fastening up his legs, I draw a white cap over his head and place a nose around his neck… I pull the lever and the prisoner falls through it. And it is all over in an instant.” (Albert Fairpoint, 27:51)

9. Cliffhanger and Next Steps [29:32–30:01]

• The family’s fight to clear Jimmy’s name begins; Nemone reflects on her relationship with him:

  “I somehow felt that if I married him… it would have shown that somebody convicted of murder could still be a good human being.” (Mum/Nemone, 29:40)

NOTABLE QUOTES & MOMENTS

• Jimmy’s Wry Humour and Charisma:
  • “Well, I think the pubs are open.” (Jimmy O’Connor, 04:03)
• On Living by His Own Code:
  • “If you’re going to be a thief, be a good one. Never plead guilty and never sign no statement.” (Ragnar O'Connor, 05:00)
• On Facing Death:
  • “I’m not afraid to die, but I don’t want to die for a murder I did not commit.” (Jimmy O’Connor via Milo, 22:54)
• Reflections on Justice:
  • “There’s no witnesses, there’s no forensic, there’s no nothing… There’s no desire for justice. None.” (Mum & Ragnar, 24:03–24:07)
• Execution Procedure Laid Bare:
  • “As soon as I see that everything is ready, I pull the lever and the prisoner falls through it. And it is all over in an instant.” (Albert Fairpoint, 28:26)

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• [01:08] Scene set: Kilburn, 1941, murder of Donk Ambridge
• [03:57–05:57] Jimmy’s background, criminal code, family recall
• [09:38–10:35] Wartime London as a breeding ground for crime
• [13:05–14:58] First police theories and accusations against Jimmy
• [15:38–17:11] Trial preparations, flawed legal support
• [17:57–19:28] Unreliable witnesses, questionable prosecution
• [22:37–22:48] Jury delivers verdicts
• [22:54–23:13] Jimmy’s courtroom statement
• [24:03–24:07] Family’s frustration and despair
• [26:38–27:08] Jimmy’s reflections awaiting execution
• [27:44–28:39] Hangman’s execution process
• [29:32–30:02] Tease for next episode, family’s fight for justice

TONE & STYLE

The episode is intimate, often raw, blending investigative rigor with deeply personal narrative. Ragnar’s narration is direct and wry, echoing his father’s resilience and the family’s dogged pursuit of justice. Interjections from family (notably Jimmy’s widow, a tough-minded barrister), lend both gravitas and warmth. The use of archival audio and darkly humorous asides keeps the story engaging, even as it ventures into troubling territory.

CONCLUSION

Listeners are left with a sharp sense of both injustice and intrigue—Jimmy’s larger-than-life character, the chaos of wartime London, inept policing, and the family’s decades-long quest for vindication. The episode sets up the next chapter: the family’s modern crusade to overturn a conviction that, to them, has always felt deeply wrong.

For further listening: Future episodes will detail Nemone’s legal quest and the family’s contemporary fight to clear Jimmy O’Connor’s name.