UK UK - Ruth Wilson, 16, Dorking, 27 Nov 1995

[Konstantin]

The Tree is not exactly derelict but has been closed and on the market since 2023. As for the bus, the service and operator has changed since 1995. Even today the buses only run every 2 hours and the last one is circa 6pm. I cannot imagine any good reason to go up there to catch a bus when there are (and would have been then) much easier alternatives.

Since Ruth planned her disappearance in quite some detail, I think she also planned that it would become known she had taken a taxi up box hill. I believe it is likely she staged a suicide there intending perhaps that the notes and the empty packets of paracetamol were found first and then the flowers delivered to her stepmother. After all, Ruth's stepmother had "replaced" her mother who died of suicide and Ruth was distressed about finding out the truth about her birth mum. All of this is my opinion only.

In reality, and this is the sort of information that, without the internet, it would be very hard for Ruth to know, taking an OD of paracetamol won't really kill you straight away but would make you very sick. I think this was staged to lash out at her parents. She was angry, distressed, disturbed -- we know that from Catherine. I think it is possible Ruth set a trail to Box Hill and she stood near the bridle path as the taxi drove away deliberately so the driver would notice that detail and report it just like he did. Then, she went somewhere else, probably in another car, that was also pre-planned. JMO.

I think it is unlikely that an adult helped Ruth do this or if an adult helped her they were not aware of
all this. But in my opinion it is likely she must have had help.

The only thing that I can't understand is if Ruth intended her running away to be permanent. I can't see she did -- I can grasp her leaving her dad, with whom she was very angry and upset, and her stepmum, who was not her biological parent -- but not her sister. That would mean putting her sister through the agony of ambiguous loss, not knowing if Ruth was alive or dead or even murdered, for all these years. Her friends too. It is quite drastic. All just my opinion.

 

[TheRockingRev]

Since Ruth planned her disappearance in quite some detail, I think she also planned that it would become known she had taken a taxi up box hill. I believe it is likely she staged a suicide there intending perhaps that the notes and the empty packets of paracetamol were found first and then the flowers delivered to her stepmother. After all, Ruth's stepmother had "replaced" her mother who died of suicide and Ruth was distressed about finding out the truth about her birth mum. All of this is my opinion only.

I agree. I'm not convinced about staging a suicide as such, I think the alcohol and pills were more symbolic, although pointing a suicide. The true meaning is probably in those notes that were left.
If anything it was just another layer, along with the taxi, to divert attention to Box Hill and away from whichever escape route she used.

In reality, and this is the sort of information that, without the internet, it would be very hard for Ruth to know, taking an OD of paracetamol won't really kill you straight away but would make you very sick. I think this was staged to lash out at her parents. She was angry, distressed, disturbed -- we know that from Catherine. I think it is possible Ruth set a trail to Box Hill and she stood near the bridle path as the taxi drove away deliberately so the driver would notice that detail and report it just like he did. Then, she went somewhere else, probably in another car, that was also pre-planned. JMO.

Exactly my thoughts. Certainly there were drivers amongst her friendship group.

I think it is unlikely that an adult helped Ruth do this or if an adult helped her they were not aware of
all this. But in my opinion it is likely she must have had help.

I think it was definitely one of her friends in the same age group as her.

The only thing that I can't understand is if Ruth intended her running away to be permanent. I can't see she did -- I can grasp her leaving her dad, with whom she was very angry and upset, and her stepmum, who was not her biological parent -- but not her sister. That would mean putting her sister through the agony of ambiguous loss, not knowing if Ruth was alive or dead or even murdered, for all these years. Her friends too. It is quite drastic. All just my opinion.

Depending though if her sister did know the truth. As far as I'm aware, she has never made any statement or appeal. Her friends could quite easily know too (at least some of them) and are still hiding the facts. IMO it explains why despite her parents stating that it was Ruth in the shop, her friends denied it - almost if they were keeping the secret they were sworn too.
What is also interesting is the one chap who allegedly had money thrown at him by the father to reveal the truth of where Ruth went.

 

[Konstantin]

What is also interesting is the one chap who allegedly had money thrown at him by the father to reveal the truth of where Ruth went.

Yes, that wasn't her ex boyfriend but the person whose home she had run away to before. I think he mentioned this in a very old facebook group. That her dad thought she had gone there again and in desperation offered him money to tell him.

Ruth worked in a music shop which was not a place that sold records but sold sheet music and instruments so she would have come into contact with others there and possibly made friends including with older people. An older person helping a teenage girl run away and pull a stunt like a fake suicide would ring alarm bells to me as someone really potentially taking advantage of a vulnerable child. The whole thing does seem very adolescent to me, the flowers, the note, the packets of pills (if that was even Ruth). It is a cry for attention and help. But then she never came back. She must have had somewhere to go to, then. And even if not initially, someONE to go to.

 

[TheRockingRev]

Yes, that wasn't her ex boyfriend but the person whose home she had run away to before. I think he mentioned this in a very old facebook group. That her dad thought she had gone there again and in desperation offered him money to tell him.

Ruth worked in a music shop which was not a place that sold records but sold sheet music and instruments so she would have come into contact with others there and possibly made friends including with older people. An older person helping a teenage girl run away and pull a stunt like a fake suicide would ring alarm bells to me as someone really potentially taking advantage of a vulnerable child. The whole thing does seem very adolescent to me, the flowers, the note, the packets of pills (if that was even Ruth). It is a cry for attention and help. But then she never came back. She must have had somewhere to go to, then. And even if not initially, someONE to go to.

I don't think there was an adult involved - certainly her friendship group seemed close knit and have said that there wasn't anyone like that in Ruth's life (even if they were aware of the plan and were covering up for her, I think alarm bells would've been raised by them).

Fully agree about it being very adolescent in it's nature (in a previous post I've also said about the lyrics to the song 'Flowers of Romance' almost telling the story - an angsty teen getting her inspiration from a gloomy proto-emo song all ties in IMO), but that doesn't take away the fact that Ruth was an intelligent and determined girl.

I've talked about it before, but back in 1995 London, and the outskirts, was an easy time for young people to get accommodation. Time Out, Loot and loads of the other magazines (pre-internet explosion) were full of ads for shared accommodation. There were lots and lots of house shares. Lots of London wasn't as gentrified as it is now, and there were loads of private rentals. It wasn't unusual for a bunch of young people to lodge together, and remember the bills weren't as high then.
I can recall that you pretty much answered an ad, turned up and if your face fit and you had the required cash you were in.
Ruth could've quite easily have used the weeks leading up to her disappearance securing a place in London.
At that time cash in hand work was pretty plentiful back then too - particularly in pubs and cafes of which in 1995 London was full of. It wouldn't have been hard for her to start a new life - not one full of luxury, but certainly one that was safe and reasonably comfortable. From what's been said she wasn't a girl who loved a party lifestyle or was interested in the latest fashions anyway.

There is the question about Ruth and her being featured in the news after running away. But we don't have a full-on face shot of Ruth at the time she vanished. She also had the easy get-out - cut her hair short (just like the person who was in that newsagents video) and pop some contacts in.

And of course throughout this she could've been helped by her friends, they could've been lending her money and even going to visit her too.

JMO, but I think she pulled off the perfect get-away through many months of planning.

 

[Konstantin]

There is the question about Ruth and her being featured in the news after running away. But we don't have a full-on face shot of Ruth at the time she vanished. She also had the easy get-out - cut her hair short (just like the person who was in that newsagents video) and pop some contacts in.

I don't think a couple of news stories about Ruth going missing and a photo of her in her school uniform would really bother her -- it wasn't a high profile case and Ruth looks different in all those photos of her. She looks like an ordinary young woman. No one really studies missing persons photos and scrutinises everyone they see. With shorter hair she would not look like the schoolgirl in the photo anyway.

I think it's very possible Ruth did this but not without help and it's still surprising she never went back or contacted her family. Unless she contacted her sister on the sly, who knows. But her sister was living at home for quite a while after Ruth left and it would be quite a secret to keep.

Ruth's friends or one of them did say she was a drama queen so that fits with the flowers and the angsty elements of this.

 

[Konstantin]

JMO, but I think she pulled off the perfect get-away through many months of planning.

A couple more thoughts.

It's very rare for people to cut all ties and move away from friends and family and just never contact them again. Is that what Ruth did? Did she intend for her disappearance to be temporary, to make a statement to her parents about hiding her mother's suicide from her? And then something happened to her?

Ruth's sister was also lied to by her parents. Did Ruth really just willfully never contact her again and leave her in doubt over whether she was alive or dead? That seems quite drastic.

It was dark when Ruth was dropped off and not nice weather. She was not dressed to be outside let alone walk up a muddy (I assume) bridal path with no lights. Even if she brought a torch that would be a challenging and unpleasant walk. The area was searched to no avail. It is not remote and has heavy footfall because it is a popular beauty spot. I really don't think she went up there that evening and I can't see how she could have left the notes there that evening. That points to her setting that scene before. How did the notes stay in situ and not get soggy and blown about in the rain and high winds?

 

[SteveH]

A case that was "solved" late last year in the UK involved a 16 year old girl who went missing in 1972 and was "found" 52 years later. Wonder if there are any parallels to the Ruth Wilson case, although that has been investigated far more thoroughly, especially in recent years, and so is not comparable in many ways.

From the Mirror 1 January 2025:

"One of Britain’s longest-running missing person cases has been solved - after a woman was found alive and well over half a century later.

Sheila Fox was just 16-years-old when she vanished without trace from Coventry city centre in 1972. She was living with her parents at the time of her disappearance but was reportedly in a relationship with an older man.

<modsnip: copyright> MORE AT LINK...

Dramatic development as missing teen turns up safe and well after 52 years

Police had long given up searching for 16-year-old Sheila Fox, but the discovery of an old black and white photo led to a remarkable breakthrough in the hunt for the teenager

www.mirror.co.uk

However it wasn't as simple as that! According to this LBC article from 12 Jan:

"The family of Sheila Fox, who went missing in 1972, spoke out last week after police announced they had discovered her whereabouts.

Ms Fox had been missing for 52 years, and has been sought by police ever since she ran away just days after her 16th birthday.

<modsnip: copyright> MORE AT LINK...

Revealed: true story behind missing woman found alive and well more than 50 years later | LBC

The shocking true story of a woman who went missing more than 50 years ago and ‘found’ alive and well last week has been revealed.

www.lbc.co.uk

One would have thought the West Midlands Police would have been more active in contacting family members before they made their "discovery" and announcement. Doesn't seem that they tried very hard.

 

[alb1on]

A case that was "solved" late last year in the UK involved a 16 year old girl who went missing in 1972 and was "found" 52 years later. Wonder if there are any parallels to the Ruth Wilson case, although that has been investigated far more thoroughly, especially in recent years, and so is not comparable in many ways.

From the Mirror 1 January 2025:

"One of Britain’s longest-running missing person cases has been solved - after a woman was found alive and well over half a century later.

Sheila Fox was just 16-years-old when she vanished without trace from Coventry city centre in 1972. She was living with her parents at the time of her disappearance but was reportedly in a relationship with an older man.

<modsnip: copyright> MORE AT LINK...

Dramatic development as missing teen turns up safe and well after 52 years

Police had long given up searching for 16-year-old Sheila Fox, but the discovery of an old black and white photo led to a remarkable breakthrough in the hunt for the teenager

www.mirror.co.uk

However it wasn't as simple as that! According to this LBC article from 12 Jan:

"The family of Sheila Fox, who went missing in 1972, spoke out last week after police announced they had discovered her whereabouts.

Ms Fox had been missing for 52 years, and has been sought by police ever since she ran away just days after her 16th birthday.

<modsnip: copyright> MORE AT LINK...

Revealed: true story behind missing woman found alive and well more than 50 years later | LBC

The shocking true story of a woman who went missing more than 50 years ago and ‘found’ alive and well last week has been revealed.

www.lbc.co.uk

One would have thought the West Midlands Police would have been more active in contacting family members before they made their "discovery" and announcement. Doesn't seem that they tried very hard.

It is funny but I would not blame the current West Midlands police. I was raised in Birmingham and was a teenager when she went missing. At that time the local police were known for their incompetence and corruption and I guess the current force had little to help them. To give a flavour of how bad they were in the early 70s;
- the local joke was that the West Midlands Serious Crime Squad was named after its own activities
- and on a Friday night the traffic used to be held up on the Pershore Road as cadets were used to allow senior officers who were completely drunk to exit the Police College (and bar) in their cars.

I now live in Surrey and whilst Surrey Police are not perfect they are a lot better than those days.

 

[SteveH]

In the Mail article of 10 February this year by Kathryn Knight which was discussed here back at the time it was published there were a couple of interesting points about the case which stuck out to me.

Ruth's friend Catherine Mair ("now a 46 year old mother and carer") is quoted as saying "I know she was unhappy at home...her mind was in turmoil and she really wanted to get away." She also mentioned that "Sadly Ruth seemed convinced that she was responsible for her mother's death. She believed it was one of her toys her mother tripped over."

The article also confirms that Ruth travelled to London in early October 1995 with her "boyfriend" Will Kennedy to get a copy of her mother's death certificate. It later mentions him when they went for the meal on the weekend before Ruth disappeared as "by this time her ex-boyfriend". Had they split up between early October and late November?

Catherine said "Ruth was distressed and confused and started asking some dark questions. She became fixated on getting to the heart of exactly what had happened."

She also recalls that Ruth repeatedly asked "to stay over rather than return home". " I remember once she didn't want to tell her dad where she was, and my mum said she could only stay if she called him. She was saying over and over again, "I don't want him to know." On that occasion, she called her dad and he did persuade her to go home."

She also says that the parents have "never once got in touch with me, or my mother, despite the fact that Ruth stayed at my home frequently in the time before she left. "I am sure they have their reasons, but both Mum and I have always thought it odd - wouldn't it be one of the first things you would do?""

It is also mentioned that in Martin Bright's 2018 documentary 'Vanished: The Surrey Schoolgirl' a school friend of Ruth's called Ben Anderton "claims Ruth ran away from home a month before her disappearance and 'hid out' at his house in Betchworth..."She wasn't happy at home and wanted to escape", Ben said."

"Ben Anderton" is fairly active on the 'Vanished' FB page.

On 14 July 2024 he wrote a comment:

"Unpopular opinion but she might have just disappeared to start a new life and doesn't want to be found
Her dad and step mum obviously think the same from their lack of action and concern
The police obviously think she gone off to start a new life as well or they would be all over it
They would of [sic] searched box hill and investigated all avenues
There's no dead body up box hill ,it's quite a small place"

And on the same day he wrote:

" She's not on that hill, she wasn't suicidal when she disappeared, positive and planning something was the impression I got."

On 31 December 2024 he replied to another commenter who said Will might be gay:

"The boyfriend was quite well known for cracking onto any girl there was, with mixed success
Ruth certainly fancied boys, I think one of the letters was to a boy she had a crush on."

On 12 February this year he wrote:

"He [Ruth's father] came to see me shortly after and questioned me a lot
He even offered me money to tell him where she was
I think he was actively looking for her in the beginning."

An Anonymous participant wrote in reply "it does make me think even more those letters hold the answer that she ran away, rather than her taking her life." And Ben replied "Yes I think so too" and also "I'd imagine she would of [sic] spoken to someone by now if she was going to Maybe she has but not to me It's a long time ago now, she'd be a different person"

Another Anonymous participant who claims she knew Ruth from school (and says she was mentioned in the 2018 'Vanished' doc) posted on 14 July 2024:

"I saw her speed walking with a cross face from Brockham to Dorking along the main road on that Monday she was carrying a big bag or suitcase type thing..I will never forget this I tried to tell people but because they say she got a taxi nobody really interested but I know what I saw I went to school with her she was a few years older than me I was telling my dad who was driving me about how horrid people were to her at school I know I was off school that day and my dad was taking me somewhere I can’t remember if it was late morning or afternoon as it was such a long time ago"

And also on the same day:

"...on the documentary that was made I was mentioned at the end as someone that should be spoken to I reach out to all involved over this nothing came of it!! She was a lovely girl very sweet terribly bullied at school and did have a temper on her so started to stand up for herself I feel she had a really hard time and added with what happened to her mum and possibly finding out I’ve always said I thought she disappeared on purpose but how can someone keep that up for this long you wouldn't be able to make way in life with no bank account I’d etc."

Make of it what you will.

The Mail article:

https://archive.ph/Ukm0k

Also interesting to see PiL's 'Flowers of Romance' mentioned. That song sprung to my mind as well with the ref to Box Hill etc. The commenter talked about "an angsty teen getting her inspiration from a gloomy proto-emo song." Owks! I love that song and indeed saw PiL back in the '80s, as well as other "gloomy proto-emo" bands around the same time such as The Cure and Joy Division (on the same bill in 1979), Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and the Cramps. I didn't even have the excuse of being a teen when I saw any of those bands whose music I still listen to on occasion!

 

[Konstantin]

The article also confirms that Ruth travelled to London in early October 1995 with her "boyfriend" Will Kennedy to get a copy of her mother's death certificate. It later mentions him when they went for the meal on the weekend before Ruth disappeared as "by this time her ex-boyfriend". Had they split up between early October and late November?

It's the Daily Mail so it might not be terribly accurate.

But also Ruth and Will were teenagers so might have gone out for a bit and then stopped, but clearly were good mates. "Boyfriend" here clearly did not mean a committed relationship! I don't think it means much other than that they were close friends.

Yes, Ruth had run away before although not very far or for long and her dad clearly thought that is what happened on this occasion as well.

 

[BarnabyBear]

Interesting snippet in this article, PC Williams Thomas quoted as saying Ruth had been seen the day after her disappearance:

 

[Konstantin]

Interesting snippet in this article, PC Williams Thomas quoted as saying Ruth had been seen the day after her disappearance:
View attachment 605899

What is the date the article was published?

Thanks for posting this, very interesting. Shows the police thinking that RW was helped by someone in the area, as she was spotted the next day. The police also knew she was "unstable" which they must have been told by her parents, though we don't know what made them think that. RW's parents have stated that they were not aware she had found out the truth about her mum's cause of death when she left. But RW had ran away before albeit for a short time.

If the police believe someone put her up that night, then they must also believe she didn't take her life on Box Hill though they cannot know for sure (that does seem very unlikely though, as where then is she?)

Did she intend to leave for good this time? Or did something happen to her?

The flowers she sent to her step mum suggest her running away this time was intended to provoke some sort of emotional response in her parents. What and why?

Someone knows where she is or at least where she was on the night she left.

"Unstable" is very unclear here.

 

[alb1on]

Interesting snippet in this article, PC Williams Thomas quoted as saying Ruth had been seen the day after her disappearance:
View attachment 605899

I had not seen this previously. It does raise even more questions about PC Williams Thomas, now better known as the media personality and author Mark Williams Thomas. He has previously veered from saying he thought she was on Box Hill (her body that is) to saying he did not believe that. However, if he was aware of a credible sighting the next day it just reinforces my view that he will say anything for publicity. I think the sighting reported must be 2 days after she left, which was the Monday. An obvious question is where this sighting occurred, in the area she was dropped or elsewhere in the Dorking area? And, of course, how credible was the sighting? Children can be mistaken or attention seeking and it seems odd that this sighting has received little attention.

 

[mrC]

if that sighting is genune it would beg the ustion why did she go to boxhill

 

[TheRockingRev]

if that sighting is genune it would beg the ustion why did she go to boxhill

I think to play out the pretence of a fake suicide - and to divert attention away from the town. She would know that a large scale police search, plus plenty of locals being involved to, would take place on Boxhill. If she did stay the night with someone before making her escape the next day (which could make sense if she was driven somewhere as if the friend did it the night before, they could've been gone for quite a few hours and may be had to explain to their parents where they had been) then having as many eyes away from the main part of Dorking would've helped.

One question - does anyone know if any of her friends were home alone that night? Could that have had anything to do with the date she chose to leave if she knew she had somewhere to go for a night or two?

 

[Konstantin]

I think to play out the pretence of a fake suicide

One of Ruth's friends did say she was a drama queen!

If she wanted to fake a suicide, that fits with the flowers sent to her stepmum to be delivered a few days later. She had run away before. This was more elaborate. She would have been very vulnerable because of her age and mental state. But if someone did help her, what happened next? Why did Ruth stay away?

This all does fit with the young woman distressed in the newsagents a year later, if that was Ruth looking to see if there was any reaction to the anniversary of her disappearance.

 

[mrC]

its a pretty complicated for a 16-year-old to be able to carry out successfully im mean i know ruth was fairy intelligent but that shows Guinness-level planning

 

[mrC]

and if she was still in dorking the net day were did she spend the night

 

[Plod]

I can't see if i have commented before, but i have followed this case since she disappeared. I know the area. I know Boxhill - it's a National Trust area of beauty, people are there in their droves in all weather - cyclists, hill walkers. If she had committed suicide on BH, then the body would have been found. Plus, it underwent extensive improvement, as it was used for events in the 2012 Olympics, like cycling. My theory? she planned it all, potentially with one or two very close friends. Someone who could drive picked her up on BH and got her out of the area. Potentially a parent of those close friend(S) may have helped. Why? would a grown adult/friend agree and not come forward at some point since then? Well maybe Ruth wasn't happy at home, I guess much of the reason why has been discussed. Maybe the person/people who helped felt she really needed to be out of that home life. And maybe Ruth is still alive somewhere, hopefully. If the helper came forward and told what happened, would they not be guilty of some crime, and face imprisonment, or have their life changed (like job loss etc). I think of teenagers I know today. It was easier to disappear back then - no phones, trackers, digital footprint etc. IMO only, someone helped her back then to get out of the area, and she was able to start a new life elsewhere.

 

[Konstantin]

I can't see if i have commented before, but i have followed this case since she disappeared. I know the area. I know Boxhill - it's a National Trust area of beauty, people are there in their droves in all weather - cyclists, hill walkers. If she had committed suicide on BH, then the body would have been found. Plus, it underwent extensive improvement, as it was used for events in the 2012 Olympics, like cycling. My theory? she planned it all, potentially with one or two very close friends. Someone who could drive picked her up on BH and got her out of the area. Potentially a parent of those close friend(S) may have helped. Why? would a grown adult/friend agree and not come forward at some point since then? Well maybe Ruth wasn't happy at home, I guess much of the reason why has been discussed. Maybe the person/people who helped felt she really needed to be out of that home life. And maybe Ruth is still alive somewhere, hopefully. If the helper came forward and told what happened, would they not be guilty of some crime, and face imprisonment, or have their life changed (like job loss etc). I think of teenagers I know today. It was easier to disappear back then - no phones, trackers, digital footprint etc. IMO only, someone helped her back then to get out of the area, and she was able to start a new life elsewhere.

I agree. I think Ruth laid plans to make her parents believe she had committed suicide -- the flowers, the notes. She went to Box Hill as part of laying the trail. Left the notes there with the empty bottle of booze etc, to be found. Took the taxi to leave a trail to that location otherwise who would know to look there. Let the taxi driver see her near the bridle path. Then got into another car shortly after. No CCTV then so no trail of where she went after. I don't think laying a false trail like this is a genius level plan at all. Ruth was smart enough, and she must have had help. You want to run away and punish your dad for not telling you about your mum's suicide so you make him think you did the same. All my opinion only.

Of course no one who helped her ever came forward because they would not want to get into trouble and they did not want Ruth to be found. That is not hard to understand.

Much easier to disappear back then as you say. Cash in hand work, no ID needed, no digital footprint to follow. We can only hope whoever helped her didn't exploit her if they were an adult.

Perhaps even the story about Ruth buying a meal "to remember her by" was part of the false trail.

All my opinion only.