A tragic tale unfolds as a young woman’s murder leads to ghostly legends in St Annes
St Annes: Back in 1919, a local man stumbled upon the body of Kitty Breaks, known as the prettiest girl in Bradford. It was Christmas Eve, and she was found on the sand dunes, dressed for a night out but with four bullet holes in her. Next to her were a pair of men’s gloves and a revolver, sparking rumors that her ghost still roams the dunes.
Identifying Kitty was quick, thanks to her bank book found in her coat. She had cash on her, untouched. As the investigation unfolded, it revealed Kitty led a double life. She had married young, but by 25, she was living half her life on a farm near Bradford and the other half in Blackpool, where she was the glamorous companion of Frederick Rothwell Holt.
Holt was a man of status, educated and a war veteran. But the war had left him with deep scars, known then as shell shock. He returned to a lively post-war life, enjoying jazz and sports, but he was also a notorious ladies’ man. Despite his affair with Kitty, he was expected to marry someone else.
On December 23, Kitty left her job and headed to Blackpool, claiming she needed a break. She checked into a hotel and later met Holt, but that was the last time anyone saw her alive. Detectives quickly identified Holt as the prime suspect when they found the murder weapon and bloody gloves at the scene.
Footprints led them to Holt’s home, where they found sand-clogged boots. A letter signed by Holt was also found on Kitty. He was charged with her murder, but his calm demeanor during the trial raised eyebrows. He seemed detached, possibly due to his past trauma.
Despite his lawyer’s defense of insanity, the evidence against him was strong. Holt had tried to take out a life insurance policy on Kitty, and she had changed her will to benefit him. Her ex-husband testified that they had amicably discussed divorce, painting Holt as the one with motive.
As the trial unfolded, Holt’s lack of remorse contrasted sharply with the genuine grief of Kitty’s ex-husband. The jury ultimately found Holt guilty, rejecting the insanity plea. He was sentenced to hang, and on April 13, 1920, a crowd gathered to witness his execution, where he continued to claim his innocence.
To this day, locals say they’ve seen Kitty’s ghost in the dunes, perhaps searching for her lost love or fleeing from him. Her tragic story remains a haunting reminder of a beautiful life cut short by cold-blooded murder.
