Who Put Bella Down the Wych Elm Tree? (Episode #60)

In 1943, four boys exploring Hagley Wood in Worcestershire, England, stumbled upon a body in the hollow trunk of a wych elm tree. Over the years, graffiti appeared around the area asking, “Who put Bella in the Wych Elm?”—a message that gave the unknown woman her now-famous pseudonym, “Bella.” However, who was Bella? Nazi Spy, Occult Victim, or Prank Gone Wrong?
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MUSIC
Theme Music by Dethlehem (dethlehem.bandcamp.com)
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EPISODE RESOURCES

• Armitage, Rebecca & Stein, Lucia. “Unraveling the 80-Year-Old Mystery of the Woman Found in a Wych Elm in Hagley Woods.” ABC News, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 6 Apr. 2023, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-07/mystery-over-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm-/102171844
• ‌Brittle Bones & CO. “Chapter 2: Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? - Brittle Bones & CO - Medium.” Medium, 14 Oct. 2024, medium.com/@BrittleBonesCO/chapter-2-who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm-43a230fde9ff. 
• ‌Jolly, Nathan. “Does Graffiti Hold the Answer to This 73-Year-Old Murder Mystery?” News.com.au — Australia’s Leading News Site, 23 Oct. 2016, www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/does-graffiti-hold-the-answer-to-this-73yearold-murder-mystery/news-story/829fafafc67ae1e94580e4e6756a939c.
• ‌Lockley, Mike. “Revealed after 75 Years: The Face of Bella in the Wych Elm.” Birmingham Live, 25 Feb. 2018, www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/revealed-after-75-years-face-14329271#google_vignette
• Rossen, Jake. ‌“A Digital Reconstruction Reveals the Face of Famed Murder Victim ‘Bella in the Wych Elm.’” Mentalfloss.com, 25 Apr. 2018, www.mentalfloss.com/article/541525/digital-reconstruction-reveals-face-murder-victim-bella-wych-elm.
• Tohill, Maggie. ‌“Monthly Mystery: Who Put ‘Bella’ in the Wych Elm? - Worcestershire Archive & Archaeology Service.” Www.explorethepast.co.uk, 2 Sept. 2016, www.explorethepast.co.uk/2016/09/monthly-mystery-who-put-bella-in-the-wych-elm/.
• ‌Van Huygen, Meg. “Who Put Bella in the Witch Elm?” Atlas Obscura, 9 Oct. 2013, www.atlasobscura.com/articles/31-days-of-halloween-who-put-bella-down-the-wych-elm.

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IMAGES
Episode Thumbnail: Express & Star – 20 November 1953 – Quaestor article (https://josefjakobs.info/2019/06/bella-in-wych-elm-case-of-missing.html)
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Beginning
00:00:10 - Introduction
00:04:04 - Who Put Bella Down the Wych Elm?
00:27:30 - Common Theories
00:46:30 - Our Theories
00:58:40 - Closing
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ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS PALS
The Mysterious Pals is a mysterious show about history and friendship.
#mystery, #history, #truecrime, #truecrimestories, #unsolved, #unsolvedmysteries, #coldcase, #bellainthewychelm, #whoputbellainthewychelm, #wwii, #espionage, #spy, #occult, #witchcraft, #mysteriouspals, #staymysterious

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