On 22 June 1954, Pauline Parker and Juliet Hulme suggested Pauline’s mother Honorah take them on an outing to Victoria Park in Christchurch’s hills. The three had afternoon tea in the park’s tearooms, then went for a walk in the pleasant rural surroundings, where the teenagers attacked and killed Honorah Parker, bludgeoning her with a brick in a stocking. Pauline had just turned 16, and Juliet was 15.

The girls had planned the murder for some time, as revealed in Pauline’s diary which was produced in evidence at the girls’ trial. They wanted revenge for Honorah’s refusal to allow Pauline to move overseas with the Hulme family. Juliet and Pauline had developed an intense, exclusive friendship and spent much of their time together devising and acting out elaborate fantasies about their favourite film stars, known to them as the “Saints”.

The case for their defence included a psychiatrist’s diagnosis that the girls were affected by an exalted form of paranoia and folie à deux (literally “madness of two”) - described as “communicated insanity”. This defence failed, however, and the girls were convicted of murder and imprisoned separately “during Her Majesty’s pleasure”. They were released after five years.

The case transfixed the nation, given the youth of the girls and the violent nature of the crime. Several plays, books and films have arisen from it, most notably Peter Jackson’s film “Heavenly Creatures”

The archival records of this case are spread between the Christchurch and Wellington Offices of Archives New Zealand. The trial file, which includes a transcript of Pauline Parker’s 1954 diary, is held by the Christchurch Office, but as with all criminal files, is restricted for 100 years, so cannot be viewed without permission from the Ministry of Justice.

There is also a record of the forensic analysis done by the Government Analyst for the Police, held in the Christchurch Office. The original Police file, diary and other evidence have not survived, although a copy of the file is held in the Wellington Office, as is the Coroner’s inquest report.

Finally, Honorah Parker’s letters of administration file, allowing the administration of the deceased’s estate, is held in the Christchurch Office, and an image of the affidavit of Herbert Rieper, her common law husband and Pauline’s father, is shown, [CH171 - CH250/1955]. For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ