Police
Interview Transcript
17/11/65
Interviewee:
George Harrison
Of:
Kinfauns
Esher
Surrey
DC
DAVID MYLES: This is record number one of an interview on the 17th
of November, 1965 at 11.21am, with Mr. George Harrison. Present are Mr.
Harrison, DC John Dennis and myself, DC David Myles. Mr. Harrison has declined
the presence of a solicitor at this time, isnŐt that correct Mr. Harrison?
GEORGE
HARRISON: Yes.
MYLES:
Well, as you have already been informed, Miss Grace Alice Burgess was found
murdered in the early hours of this morning byÉ her neighbour, Mrs. Constantine
Doyle. You were acquainted with Miss Burgess?
HARRISON:
Yes.
MYLES:
How long had you known her?
HARRISON:
Not long, a few months.
MYLES:
Would you say you knew her well?
HARRISON:
I suppose so.
MYLES:
Very well?
HARRISON:
I donŐt know. Quite well, I guess. How well do you ever know anyone?
MYLES:
She was your girlfriend?
HARRISON:
No.
MYLES:
No?
HARRISON:
No, she wasnŐt my girlfriend.
DC
JOHN DENNIS: But you were sleeping together?
MYLES:
For the benefit of the record, sir.
HARRISON:
YesÉ I mean, we had been, in the past.
DENNIS:
And previous to that relationship you had been living withÉ Miss Patricia Anne
Boyd?
HARRISON:
WhatŐs Pattie got to do with this?
DENNIS:
You tell us, Mr. Harrison.
HARRISON:
Yes, I was living with Pattie. But IŐm not now.
MYLES:
Would you say your relationship with Miss Boyd ended badly?
HARRISON:
I really donŐt see what this has to do with her.
MYLES:
At this stage, Mr Harrison, we donŐt know what might be relevant.
HARRISON:
Well itŐs nothing to do with Pattie. I havenŐt seen her in weeks.
MYLES:
But you were living with Miss Boyd prior to you meeting Miss Burgess?
HARRISON:
Yes, IŐve already said so.
MYLES:
And Miss Burgess was instrumental in your break up?
HARRISON:
No, she had nothing to do with it.
MYLES:
Oh?
DENNIS:
We were under the belief you had left Miss Boyd to be with Miss Burgess?
HARRISON:
No. Well, not exactly. Pattie wasÉ seeing someone else.
DENNIS:
So the split was acrimonious.
HARRISON:
I didnŐt leave her for Grace.
MYLES:
Yes sir. Well, lets go back to last night. You were the last person to see Miss
Burgess alive atÉ
HARRISON:
No.
MYLES:
Sir?
HARRISON:
Who ever killed her was the last to see her alive.
MYLES:
Ah, yes, well, apart for that. What time did you leave Miss Burgess?
HARRISON:
I donŐt know. Elevenish probably.
MYLES:
And that was at The Commodore Club in EC2.
DENNIS:
For the benefit of the record, Mr Harrison has confirmed this.
MYLES:
You had an argument?
HARRISON:
What?
MYLES:
Several people have said they saw you and Miss Burgess engaged in a Ôheated
discussionŐ? The manager of the club said he asked you to leave.
HARRISON:
IÉ I canŐt believe sheŐs really dead.
MYLES:
What was the argument about, Mr. Harrison?
HARRISON:
She was only nineteen.
MYLES:
You were arguing about her age?
HARRISON:
What? Oh, no. It was just aboutÉ thingsÉ
MYLES:
What things?
HARRISON:
Just things. Things that donŐt matter.
DENNIS:
Sir, seeming as these were the last ÔthingsŐ you ever said to Miss Burgess, I
would say they matter very much.
HARRISON:
I mean they were things not worth arguing about. I had had a bad day; I wasnŐt
in the best frame of mind.
DENNIS:
Very well, Sir. What were the Ôthings not worth arguing aboutŐ that you clearly
were
arguing about?
HARRISON: Me and her, the band, Paul. I donŐt know.
Nothing in particular.
DENNIS:
You were heard to call Miss Burgess Ôa bitchŐ, and to say you Ôwish you had
never met herŐ. Is that true?
HARRISON:
I donŐt know. Maybe. I canŐt remember.
MYLES:
You canŐt remember?
HARRISON:
Not exactly. I hadÉ had a bit to drink.
MYLES:
So what did you do when you left Miss Burgess?
HARRISON:
I went home.
MYLES:
Anywhere else?
HARRISON:
No. I left Grace at the Commodore and went home.
MYLES:
Can anyone confirm that?
HARRISON:
John and Ringo. They came round.
MYLES:
That would be John Lennon and Ringo Starr? What time did they arrive?
HARRISON:
Early this morning. Sevenish, I guess.
DENNIS:
So no one saw or spoke to you between you leaving the club at eleven last night
and seven this morning? É For the record, please.
HARRISON:
NoÉ I shouldnŐt have left her, should I?
MYLES:
Mr. Harrison?
HARRISON:
I should have taken her home. I should have made sure she was okayÉ I just left
her.
MYLES:
Miss Burgess was murdered at her home in Chelsea, Mr Harrison. There was no
sign of forced entry so we think she must have known the murderer and let him
in herselfÉ
DENNIS:
Or he was waiting for her when she arrived home.
HARRISON:
GodÉ
MYLES:
The staff at the club says she left not long after you, and the coroner
estimates the time of death to be three or four in the morning. We need to find
out what she did in between those times.
DENNIS:
You have a key to Miss BurgessŐ flat, donŐt you, Mr Harrison?
MYLES:
She was apparently killed by a heavy blow to the head, but obviously we are
still waiting for the full post mortem report.
DENNIS:
Where were you between, say, half two and four am, Mr Harrison?
HARRISON:
I told you, at home. In Esher.
DENNIS:
At home.
HARRISON:
Yes. Look, I didnŐt kill her, if thatŐs what you think. I wouldnŐtÉ I wouldnŐt
hurt herÉ
DENNIS:
No?
HARRISON:
Of course not!
DENNIS:
What about the hospital treatment she had recently?
HARRISON:
What?
DENNIS:
The specialist Miss Burgess was seeing for her back?
HARRISON:
SheŐd finished with that. She was fineÉ
DENNIS:
But you were the causeÉ
HARRISON:
It was an accident! I didnŐt even know her then.
DENNIS:
Yes, of course Mr Harrison.
HARRISON:
What are you getting at? It was a car accident.
DENNIS:
Yes I understand that Mr Harrison. But it cost you a lot of money didnŐt it?
After Miss Burgess insisted on going private at your expense?
HARRISON:
Well, yes, but I wanted to pay. It was my fault. I didnŐtÉ
DENNIS:
Yes, how considerate of you, sir.
HARRISON:
LookÉ
DENNIS:
Please sit down, Mr. Harrison.
MYLES:
Perhaps we should take a short break here. Would you like a drink, Mr Harrison?
