Changeling Movie

Changeling Movie True Story

2011-08-18T19:49:00.000-07:00

Changeling is based on the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders also known as the Wineville Chicken Murders. However you will find other names associated with the case as well, such as Winehouse Chicken Coop Murders and Winecoop Murders.The real events in the case took place in California in 1928. The murders were committed by Gordan Stewart Northcott and his grandmother (there is a discrepancy regarding wether or not it was his actual grandmother or his mother) Louise Northcott. They were responsible for kidnapping and murdering boys along Valley Boulevard.The mother that is depicted in the movie whose son was kidnapped, played by Angelina Jolie, is Christine Collins. Her son was Walter Collins. Christine Collins died around 1935. She never found her son. (will post more info later)

Tidbits

According to trial testimony Louise Northcott is actually Gordon's grandmother and not his mother. Even some newspaper articles at the time called her the mother. Still checking out this detail....

Background on Gordon Stewart Northcott

2011-08-16T09:22:00.000-07:00

Background Info on Gordon Stewart
by Traciy Curry-Reyes

It's been interesting going through some documents of Gordon Stewart Northcott's family. I had the chance to read the two books that were suggested to me, and I was able to find some extra info that was not listed in the books. The information is listed below. I spelled all of the names exactly as they were listed in the documents. I was not able to find any listing at all for Gordon's birth either. However, I am not convinced that he was really Sarah Louisa's child. First, because I have seen this a lot when examining genealogical documents. Many families in an attempt to cover over a birth will say that the person is the sibling instead of the mother. This was the family's way of hiding events that they did not want to be made public. They often changed the spelling of their names, lied about their ages, etc. I am not stating that this is what definitely happened with the Northcott's, but it is likely. My question is why is there no record? There are records for the family members, but not Gordon? He has to be listed under another name or there was no listing made for it at all. Also, if it is indeed true that there was an incestuous relationship or rape, then it is not something that the family would likely admit to (when it first occurred) It is possible that Winifred would never have admitted to this in my opinion. In the book "Nothing is Strange with You The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott" by James Jeffrey Paul, Gordon and Sarah Louisa were pathological liars, including Winifred according to her son Sanford Clark. Winifred would have been about 18 at the time of Gordon's birth, and she was still living at home. The midwife cannot really remember the birth. She stated that she remembered that something happened, but she could not remember what it was that was so extraordinary according to one article. She did remember that the lady giving birth was an older woman....not reliable enough for me to believe. So in my mind the mystery continues....

Background info on Gordon Stewart Northcott. Some of the years listed are about years and not exact years.

-----1866 Cyrus George Northcott: is born in Ontario, Canada. His parents are James Northcott and Christina Northcott.

-----1868 Louisa Cawthorpe or Louisa Cawthorp is born in Canada. Her parents William Cawthorpe and Dinah Cawthorpe are from England.

-----1886 Cyrus, about age 21 and Louisa about age 18 marry in the month of August in London, Middlesex, Ontario.

-----1888 Louisa Winfred Northcott is born on June 23. Her name is listed as Winfred and not Winnifred. Her mother is Sarah Louisa Cawthrop. Her father is listed as Cyrus George Northcott.

-----1906 Census: Lists a Winifred Northcote born in 1888, living with her mother Louisa Northcote in Humbolt, Bladworth, Saskatchewan, Canada. Notice the name is spelled differently. Either a mistake or intentional. There is no mention of a son living there at the time that the census was taken.

-----1911 Census: Lists a C. G. Northcott, age 45, as the head of household. It also lists a Louisa Northcott 40, and a Gordon S. Northcott, age 4, as the son. They are living in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Here is something strange....

Remember the listing in the Canada census for Louisa Winifred's birth? Well there is an exact listing under Michigan births for Louisa Northcott born on the same date, but in Wheatland, Sanilac, Michigan.

Also, there is a Michigan birth listing for Wm Cyrus Northcott born in 1890. The parents are listed as Cyrus Northcott and Sarah Northcott from Canada.. This must be the son William aka Willie who died because next there is a death listing for Wm Cyrus, age 7, on Feb 19, 1897 Caradoe, Middlesex, Ontario.

It has to be the same people, but why is there a listing for both Michigan and Caradoe, Middlesex, Ontario? Is it possible that they traveled to Michigan?

Questions Regarding The Grandmother vs Mother Angle in the Gordon Stewart Northcott Case

2011-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wow. The response is overwhelming....Thanks for reading guys. I am still sifting through the case myself. I am fascinated by the mother-grandmother discrepancy. Even old news articles at the time write about the confusion here. Still checking out some things. Two books have been recommended for reading that I will post here. I appreciate all of the input as I would like for the blog to be as accurate as possible. Stay tuned....

Los Angeles Time blog Daily Mirror series on the case by Larry Harnisch. Harnisch had a daily column on the case from October 26, 2008 to February 10, 2009. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedailymirror/changeling/index.html

Flacco, Anthony; Jerry Clark (November 2009). The Road Out of Hell: Sanford Clark and the True Story of the Wineville Murders. Union Square Press. ISBN 978-1-4027-68699.

Paul, James Jeffrey (September 2008). Nothing is Strange with You: The Life and Crimes of Gordon Stewart Northcott. Xlibris. ISBN 978-1-4363-6627-4.

Photos of Gordon Stewart Northcott aka Gordon Stewart Northcutt

2011-08-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Photo of Walter Collins (Imposter) and Christine Collins

2011-08-13T07:24:00.000-07:00

This is a photo of a boy who claims to be Christine Collins's son Walter Collins. They were photographed together at the so called "reunion."

Wineville Chicken Coop Murder Movie

2011-08-13T06:37:00.000-07:00

True Story of Changeling

Wineville Chicken Coop Murders

Lots of Photos Here

Excellent Blog with Great Pics