Australia Australia - Robert Hiscock, 56, Sydney, 16 Nov 1966

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

This is a bit of a strange one.. thanks to welkin for bringing it to my attention, I'd somehow never heard of it.

Mutilated body on beach identified

SYDNEY. Sunday. ''Police have identified the badly mutilated body of a man washed up on Sydney's Curl Curl beach last Thursday.

He was Robert David Hiscock, 53. formerly of Tamworth, married, with an adult family.

Police said last night that Mr Hiscock had been a patient at a private hospital in Sydney's western suburbs until he disappeared last Wednesday morning.

Mr Hiscock was last seen alive by a taxidriver. who drove him to Strathfield station at 10am on Wednesday. A surfboard rider found his body washed up on Curl Curl beach on Thursday afternoon.

His throat had been cut, his tongue cut out and his ears cut off.

Police are trying to trace his movements between 10 a.m on Wednesday and 3.30 p.m on Thursday, when the body was found.

It is known that he frequented the Manly area and had been employed as a cleaner at the North Head Army barracks and the Balgowlah telephone exchange.

When last seen. Mr Hiscock was wearing black trousers, white shirt, dark jerkin with over-check, and possibly a dark coat.

He was carrying a large briefcase.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/106947398

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

Tongue cut out "at the root" and ear cut off - it's like something from the Godfather, isn't it?

Why would somebody do that to 53-yo year old saddler from Tamworth, in Sydney for a hospital stay?

There has to be a ton more to this story. Msm reports seem few that I can find so far, which a bit odd considering how shocking it must have been, especially for Australia in 1966.

Mutilation murder clues

SYDNEY, Monday. — Police have uncovered two new leads in the mutilation murder of Tamworth saddler, Robert David Hiscock.

Police said tonight they had received information about the 53-year-old murdered man's whereabouts only hours before his murder.

They said Hiscock had met and spoken with relatives at Circular Quay late Wednesday afternoon.

Soon after, he took a ferry to Manly where he again met his relatives.

Police interviewed the relatives for several hours today.

Police have also located Hiscock's suitcase.

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article106947674

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

Apparently, the coroner speculated that Hiscock may have mutilated himself, as he had a history of alcohol use and depression. Though there were also five stab wounds to his neck.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2GopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EuUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3079,23869

This article has more details of the coroner's opinion re self-mutilation, and also quotes Hiscock's son as saying that his drinking habits had broken up his marriage, and that Robert had not lived in the family home for six months or so. The son also called his father "mentally disturbed".

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hxZVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YJMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5048,38056

Three women living near Harbord Beach heard a man screaming at 2am on the Thursday morning that his body was later found washed up on Curl Curl beach.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YIFWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3484,7213952

His hat, coat, watch and wallet had not been found at the time of this report.

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

According to this book on Australian crimes, his belongings were found "in the sea off Fairy Bower", and police discounted robbery as a motive.

https://books.google.com.au/books?i...T344#v=onepage&q=Robert David Hiscock&f=false

So he was last seen at Strathfield station, having been dropped off there by a relative. His belongings were found in the sea off Fairy Bower, he's thought to have been mutilated on Harbord Beach and his body washed up in Curl Curl.

Map to the various locations. I left Curl Curl off as he washed up there, it's just north of Harbord Beach.

https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/...1!1s0x6b12ab1011ab4103:0x1e9b622e3a6bd285!3e0

I don't think he did this to himself, somehow. Even if he was inclined to cut his own tongue out (think about how incredibly difficult and painful this would be), why are his belongings all the way down in Fairy Bower, when it's thought he died in Harbord?

EDIT: It seems police were not so hasty to write his death off as suicide, as in Dec 1966 they were still for looking for evidence, and calling it a murder. A knife covered in blood was found jammed deep into a resident's front lawn in Fairy Bower:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JKEpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2858,7711214

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

Eight months later, in June 1967, another body was found wedged in a small cave at Fairy Bower. It was badly decomposed and appeared to have been in the water for "several weeks". The body was later said to be that of a woman of 40-50, with her dentures missing and no visible sign of foul play.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=G5wpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=suYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3497,3733111

It seems a LOT of bodies have been turning up in Fairy Bower, for many years - a popular suicide spot or dumping ground? Both?

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=bY8pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uuYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4329,169063

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

A Jan. 1967 article mentions Robert Hiscock among 9 other unsolved murders in Sydney at the time:

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VKpWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=--cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3210,7869098

It also mentions that he'd been drinking in various hotels on the last day he was seen alive.

I wonder what he was in hospital for.

StarrChance · May 2, 2015

Hi Ausgirl, haven't read all the links yet but will do, the title states he was 56, the first article says 53 and I think I have found him as 51?

http://www.thetreeofus.net/7/197834.htm

Do you think this is the same person? The locations seem to match?

If him he had a daughter Pam Hiscock

Also do you know if it was a psychiatric hospital ?

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

StarrChance said:
Hi Ausgirl, haven't read all the links yet but will do, the title states he was 56, the first article says 53 and I think I have found him as 51?

http://www.thetreeofus.net/7/197834.htm

Do you think this is the same person? The locations seem to match?

If him he had a daughter Pam Hiscock

Also do you know if it was a psychiatric hospital ?

Dunno about the various ages.. He was born in 1914-15, so that's make him 51-52 in 1966. Yup, he does appear to be to the same man you mention above.

I just now found an article concerning comments made at the inquest by a staff member at a mental health facility in Ryde, where Hiscock had been an inpatient in '63-'64, and was an outpatient after that. The staff member, a welfare officer, describes him as "extremely unstable".

But check out the weird comment he reports Hiscock making in 1964 re the secrets of the "Masons" and having one's tongue cut out and being thrown in the sea for breaking the oath of secrecy .. That gave me a chill!

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2WopAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EuUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4568,171395

Snoop Dog · May 2, 2015

I'm thinking you're probably right Starr about it being a psychiatric hospital, or maybe he'd been in rehab for his alcoholism?

I think he didn't do this to himself.

Thanks for the map Ausgirl, I'm not from that area so that is helpful.

Didn't see your last post Ausgirl until after I posted. Thanks for that update

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

Np, I keep finding articles with little bits and pieces of info..

This one has comments from his sister in law, who apparently he'd been staying with, and who'd had him hospitalised for a "nervous condition" she said he'd suffered for 12 months prior. His SIL is the one who'd flown with him to Sydney from Wagga, and she'd stayed there a few days to make sure he didn't leave the hospital.

It seems he went missing from the hospital the day the SIL left to go home -- was it her who gave him a lift to Strathfield station? She doesn't mention doing so here.... in fact she says he "must have left" the hospital the same day she went home, like she had no clue and was just guessing. The article says he was "taken" from the hospital on the Wed, and dropped at the station at 10.30 am - other articles cite the person driving him as a "relative" -- her, or a different relative? Did they not mention removing him from the hospital to anyone else? Weird.

She also mentions that Hiscock had just inherited a large sum of money.

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X4FWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4414,6922357

WT Gator · May 2, 2015

I can't see that this has been posted in this thread before but there is a reference to this case (and an interesting photograph of the Sydney Opera House mid Construction on Page 19) in the list of murders investigated starting on Page 26. He is Case #8 on that page.

https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/viewer/0f9d11bd0d6d56c8dca5a4d496ec400c.pdf

StarrChance · May 2, 2015

Ok found out that the hospital was Hydebrae Private Hospital

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=EuUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3079,23869&hl=en

The first Australian hospital for alcoholism
One article stated he also suffered depression, still so baffling has anyone heard of someone doing this to themselves while inebriated? The knife found in the grass though points to murder, very brutal and seems like a hit of some kind, although an earlier article says police don't believe so arghhh!!!

https://m.facebook.com/notes/shescribes/hyde-brae-life-as-a-house/401285526602227/

Snoop Dog · May 2, 2015

Yes the 12 inch knife shoved into the ground is dodgy..

Weird that he was overheard talking about the Freemasons and what would happen if one were to discuss their business.

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

There were also needle marks on his body, that the SIL suggests were from the hospital.

I'm finding the whole question of who picked him up & took him to the station very puzzling.

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

StarrChance said:
Ok found out that the hospital was Hydebrae Private Hospital

https://news.google.com/newspapers?...AAAIBAJ&sjid=EuUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3079,23869&hl=en

The first Australian hospital for alcoholism

Good find, Starr!

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

WT Gator said:
I can't see that this has been posted in this thread before but there is a reference to this case (and an interesting photograph of the Sydney Opera House mid Construction on Page 19) in the list of murders investigated starting on Page 26. He is Case #8 on that page.

https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/viewer/0f9d11bd0d6d56c8dca5a4d496ec400c.pdf

Cheers for that, Gator. My compy doesn't seem to want to open the pdf, tho.

I'll try it on another puter later..

Ausgirl · May 2, 2015

I have to wonder if this is a rellie? The name and occupation, plus location..

https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qQxiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6604,6665193

also this -

ONE of Wagga’s most iconic family businesses is set to close its doors for the last time, after more than 100 years of trading, at the end of this month.

Hiscocks Saddlery was established by Bob Hiscock in 1904 and has been serving the horse people of southern NSW ever since.

http://www.mathewmurray.com.au/?p=78

Snoop Dog · May 2, 2015

I wonder if he was welcome to go back to his SIL's place or not, he'd been staying with them for the last 6 weeks (as stated in this link Ausgirl posted)
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X4FWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4414,6922357
I wonder if he felt like he had nowhere to go once he'd left the hospital? Sounds like he was estranged from most of his family. Just trying to imagine his state of mind.

Ausgirl · May 3, 2015

Snoop Dog said:
I wonder if he was welcome to go back to his SIL's place or not, he'd been staying with them for the last 6 weeks (as stated in this link Ausgirl posted)
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X4FWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4414,6922357
I wonder if he felt like he had nowhere to go once he'd left the hospital? Sounds like he was estranged from most of his family. Just trying to imagine his state of mind.

His SIL made it pretty plain he didn't want to be in the hospital, and it seems he hit the pubs the day he got out (or, rather, was "taken from") the hospital - he was last seen alive at 4.30 at a pub in Manly that same day but had also been seen drinking in other hotels.. looks like he went on a bit of a bender.

Edit Oh DUH, I'm silly. He ws "taken" to Strathfield by a taxi driver ----- it says this in the article I posted in the first post. And here am I madly searching for who took him..

This is what I get from trying to quit caffeine. :facepalm:

Snoop Dog · May 3, 2015

Easy mistake to make, I was wondering who had taken him too.

I agree about the likelihood of Adrian and Joan being relatives. I hope she didn't have to pay all those hospital costs for her husband. There's a bit more about their story on page 104 of this link:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.c.../$file/462LA039.PDF+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au
(I had to use the cached version, error message otherwise.)

Btw, I couldn't even imagine what I'd be like if I quit my coke zero and coffee :notgood: :blushing:

Australia Australia - Robert Hiscock, 56, Sydney, 16 Nov 1966

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