Found Deceased UK - Gaynor Lord was last seen in Norwich city centre on London Street heading towards Norwich Cathedral, 2:35 pm, 8 December 2023

[Officer Dibble]

Jarrolds is a sort of upmarket department store, the basement isn’t actually a basement, it’s a lower ground floor and it’s warm there, I’ve been in there today (I’m local to this)

thanks

 

[MollyHarps]

Police in Norwich said they have been in contact with Lancashire Police, which worked on the widely-criticised case of Nicola Bulley, who went missing for three weeks and then was found dead, to ensure they leave "no stone unturned".

Ms Bulley, 45, a mother-of-two, was found in the River Wyre on February 19, about a mile from where she vanished, while walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, on January 27.

Asked about the parallels between Ms Lord’s disappearance and Nicola Bulley’s, Norwich Policing Commander Superintendent Wes Hornigold told LBC: “We will absolutely, and have been, linking in with Lancashire Constabulary to understand any of the lessons learned from that inquiry.

“We’ve already had meetings with the National Crime Agency in terms of understanding any specific skills and knowledge in respect to water searching.

“We’re cognisant of the recent College of Policing report into the Lancashire inquiry, so we’re leaving no stone unturned and making sure we’re doing everything within our power to find Gaynor as quickly as possible.”

Detectives searching for missing Gaynor Lord contact Lancashire Police over Nicola Bulley 'lessons' | LBC

Police searching for missing mother Gaynor Lord have been in contact with the force who worked on the Nicola Bulley case to 'understand any of the lessons learned'.

www.lbc.co.uk

Im guessing this suggests the main working hypothesis for the police is that she’s in the river - Lancashire police hardly came out positively in the Nicola case so I’m not sure this is the best advice to take and Unfortunately, the lead officer in NB’s case died this week from natural causes.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Im guessing this suggests the main working hypothesis for the police is that she’s in the river - Lancashire police hardly came out positively in the Nicola case so I’m not sure this is the best advice to take and Unfortunately, the lead officer in NB’s case died this week from natural causes.

And that is one reason (the NB case) why they may not be divulging in the public domain certain personal facts, even if they may be salient.

 

[Dpdan]

I wonder if she was on a tea break at that time and thought she had enough time to run an errand, hence the hurry if she had a 15 min break for example? That might explain why no one knows why she left work early.

 

[PoirotPink]

Just heard about this. It appears that she left work early in such a rush that she just grabbed her coat and belongings, is seen running, and crosses a road so hastily that a car has to stop (notably, she also stops, so is clearly mindful of her own safety). At the end of the clip, she appears to be close to or has reached her intended destination (?) and slows down to put her coat on. Nothing up to this point would suggest she was suicidal.

Her belongings being found in the way they were, after the above, is so confusing. Perhaps she received some bad news? You don't rush like that unless you're running late for something (and lateness would only be noticed by another person, which suggests she interacted wth someone after the CCTV clips and before entering the park).

 

[Normal Norm]

Also edited to mention in the CCTV footage at first she seems to he holding something light coloured as well as her coat on the same side. A scarf? a small closed (ish) umbrella? However, in the park (?) later on she puts her coat on but I can't see the light coloured thing anymore. JMO MOO.

Edited by me for focus.

It definitely looks like a small closed (ish) umbrella to me. I'd say it was probably inside her bag at the time of the last CCTV footage.

 

[Shashasha]

2.44pm: Ms Lord is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store;

2.45-2.46pm: She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street;

2.47pm: Walks on to London Street past the Cosy Club restaurant;

2.48pm: Ms Lord makes her way onto Queens Street and walks towards Norwich Cathedral;

3.22pm: Ms Lord is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance – shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on;

3.23pm: She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queens Street. The coat she was wearing is clearly visible.

3.49pm: The last sighting of Ms Lord on CCTV near the Playhouse on St George’s Street;

3.53pm: She walks along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street;

4.01pm: Ms Lord walks up St Augustines Street – her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing.

Sunset 4.12pm

Google map walking says st Augustine street to wensum park 8 minutes

This would put her in park circa 4.09pm

Witness says someone matching description doing yoga in park around 4pm

Belongings found 8pm in park



IMO

would she walk north to wensum park for 4pm, do yoga then walk home south for 43 minutes (1.9 miles) (if she still resides at address a few years ago) . If she got to park 4.09, did yoga say to make worth while, 15 minutes, leave 4.24, getting dark, home for 5.07 in dark I’m assuming this is a yes, this was her plan.
Her phone will have steps. To confirm if she arrived at park at time.

Witness may say what clothing she had on, maybe stripped to fewer items for yoga, put phone down, bag down, took off jewellery/rings x2 , shoes. Etc - all items that are found in park.

Then something happened.

3rd party or accident with water
I don’t believe you do all this, bit of yoga then jump in on own accord.

I do find it odd how rushed she was on cctv tho/traffic light near misses and leaving work earlier than should she did seem on a mission at first.

 

[MollyHarps]

Just to give some background info-
Where she works is the (I think) oldest largest most well known department store in Norwich. It’s not a cheap place, has all top brands of things. Is a real place to go for Xmas shopping.
Their window displays are always beautiful. She works on the Bullard Gin desk. This is a local gin company.

The cctv looks like she almost gets taken out by a car crossing the road, not using the pedestrian crossing. Must have been in a hurry.

Wensum Park is not great tbh. During the day there are often undesirables hanging about. (I often cut through it to get to local Aldi) it’s ok, just a typical city park I guess. There are so many Swans and nearly always see rats :/.

I wouldn’t choose to walk through it at night. It’s not really dodgy but I would feel a bit creeped out in the dark.

There is often a small ‘camp’ you can see over other side of the river, tent, empty beer cans.

There’s a LOT of water. As well as the river wensum there are a few ponds/small tributary’s. I reckon it could be deep in places and we’ve had loads of rain.

@Kassanddra thank you for your expert local knowledge - whilst from the UK I am not familiar with this area so it is great fully appreciated.

 

[PoirotPink]

2.44pm: Ms Lord is working at the Bullards Gin counter in the basement at Jarrold department store;

2.45-2.46pm: She leaves the store via the loading bay on Bedford Street;

2.47pm: Walks on to London Street past the Cosy Club restaurant;

2.48pm: Ms Lord makes her way onto Queens Street and walks towards Norwich Cathedral;

3.22pm: Ms Lord is seen on The Close at the cathedral entrance – shortly before exiting through the archway she puts her coat on;

3.23pm: She is seen to walk away from the cathedral on Queens Street. The coat she was wearing is clearly visible.

3.49pm: The last sighting of Ms Lord on CCTV near the Playhouse on St George’s Street;

3.53pm: She walks along St Crispins Road towards Pitt Street;

4.01pm: Ms Lord walks up St Augustines Street – her final movements captured in CCTV before going missing.

Sunset 4.12pm

Google map walking says st Augustine street to wensum park 8 minutes

This would put her in park circa 4.09pm

Witness says someone matching description doing yoga in park around 4pm

Belongings found 8pm in park



IMO

would she walk north to wensum park for 4pm, do yoga then walk home south for 43 minutes (1.9 miles) (if she still resides at address a few years ago) . If she got to park 4.09, did yoga say to make worth while, 15 minutes, leave 4.24, getting dark, home for 5.07 in dark I’m assuming this is a yes, this was her plan.
Her phone will have steps. To confirm if she arrived at park at *advertiser censored* time.

Witness may say what clothing she had on, maybe stripped to fewer items for yoga, put phone down, bag down, took off jewellery/rings x2 , shoes. Etc - all items that are found in park.

Then something happened.

3rd party or accident with water
I don’t believe you do all this, bit of yoga then jump in on own accord.

I do find it odd how rushed she was on cctv tho/traffic light near misses and leaving work earlier than should she did seem on a mission at first.

Thanks for the timeline. IMO, it would be a little strange for an impromtu yoga session when she's AWOL from her workplace and not suitably dressed for it. If something made you leave work without telling anyone, would yoga be on your mind?

 

[PoirotPink]

I wonder if she was on a tea break at that time and thought she had enough time to run an errand, hence the hurry if she had a 15 min break for example? That might explain why no one knows why she left work early.

From the timeline someone posted, she was captured on CCTV at a time that would be the end of her shift. Also, it was 3:22pm when she was seen putting on her coat (still seems to be heading for her destination) so would never make it back in time. IMO, when she left work that day she was not expecting to make it back in time for the end of her shift.

 

[MollyHarps]

with her job being in local alcohol gin sales within a department store I can’t help but wonder had she lost somebody recently IE a parent - and seeing families having a lovely Christmas shop was just too much for her. All MOO of course - but that possibly explains the trip to the cathedral to pray for whomever she had lost and then to the park.

I know when I lost my mum near Christmas I hated seeing the ‘world still turning’ and Christmas going ahead as normal’ my husband booked booked myself and him a flight to South Africa in order to escape as he was worried for me.

I might be way off the mark but that’s the only logical option I can see.

 

[missqwerty]

‘Doing yoga’ is a bit subjective IMO. I think all the witness said was that she saw her in a yoga pose. To me, as someone who doesn’t actually do yoga I’d describe that cross legged sit as a yoga pose so she might have been doing something as simple as mindfulness and gathering her thoughts rather than full on stretching

 

[Officer Dibble]

I wonder if she was on a tea break at that time and thought she had enough time to run an errand, hence the hurry if she had a 15 min break for example? That might explain why no one knows why she left work early.

good point. Never thought of that.

 

[supersleuth123]

It's really sad - but seems to me like there's no story or investigation here. Speculating on anything is completely pointless. Chances of this being foul play are close to zero, chances of her not being in the water are close to zero. Whether it was deliberate or accidental only really matters to her family, but aside from that there's nothing to say really is there? Poor woman, poor family, but this isn't one for sleuthing IMO.

 

[cocomod]

I have a really hard time looking at the CCTV images and video and seeing someone in distress. I see someone hurrying, yes. But the picture of her leaving her work she looks very happy. She seems with purpose - to me like she is hurrying to meet someone. I too cannot imagine her jumping in the river without clothing. I lean more towards nefarious... Either way, it doesn't seem too promising that she will be found in good condition. JMHO

 

[MollyHarps]

It's really sad - but seems to me like there's no story or investigation here. Speculating on anything is completely pointless. Chances of this being foul play are close to zero, chances of her not being in the water are close to zero. Whether it was deliberate or accidental only really matters to her family, but aside from that there's nothing to say really is there? Poor woman, poor family, but this isn't one for sleuthing IMO.

Unfortunately, I agree with you.

I don’t see any possibility of a positive outcome here - the only possible outcome IMO is that she’s sadly completed suicide in the river.

I’m not sure why the UK mainstream media have picked up on this case when I’m 99.9% certain there’s only one outcome here

 

[MollyHarps]

<modsnip - The Sun is not an approved source>
Phone companies are not always forthcoming with this information under GDPR guidelines.

This is Gaynors personal information - she has not committed any crime so it will be very hard to retrieve it.

 

[charminglane]

She left her place of work via the loading bay.
When I worked retail in a department store, it was mandatory for all staff to always use the staff entrance and exit for security purposes. And that was 40 years ago.
Did she leave the job informally/unauthorized by loading bay?

 

[armchairdetective123]

Looks like a straightforward mental health episode/suicide to me, but we will see.

 

[Anonymousey]

Not read the whole thread so apologies if has already been said but I wondered two hypothetical things:

1) was there a service on or something at the cathedral she was rushing to make? That might explain why a specific person hasn’t come forward as maybe she was rushing to something which wasn’t a meeting or appt/something involving interaction with another person but just something she wanted to be at?

2) did she wander in the park for hours and become so cold that she took her clothes off to enter the water due to paradoxical undressing as this has been known in other disappearances?

I hope she is is found safe soon