Gravestone repaired and service held in memory of Eve Stratford

Eve Stratford, aged just 22 and a model who worked at London’s Playboy Club, was found dead in east London on March 18, 1975, with her throat cut.

Born in Dortmund, Germany, she moved to England with her family and lived in Warrington before moving down south to the Leyton area of London.

While investigating police did compile a list of 16 suspects, DNA evidence did not match, and her murder remains unsolved.

Eve’s mother and father lived in Warrington at the time, and Eve was buried in Christ Church graveyard in Padgate.

Her father was a medic in the services and travelled around the world, so Eve was schooled at a British Forces school in Singapore, along with other children with armed services parents, known as ‘Brit brats’.

Shortly after the internment, not only was Eve’s gravestone in Padgate broken in two, but it was also desecrated.

People at Christ Church in Padgate for the memorial service

Her family were advised at the time not to replace the stone for the fear of repeated vandalism.

Fellow Brit brats became aware of the vandalised headstone in November, after Eve’s story was shared on national TV in ITV’s The Playboy Bunny Murder.

ITV crews completed filming for the series in the graveyard at Padgate’s Christ Church.

Within a few days, the Brit brats raised enough money to buy a new stone, and also to give a sizeable donation to Friends of Christ Church Graveyard towards its upkeep.

A memorial service was held in Christ Church on Saturday, June 8, followed by a blessing around the grave and a buffet at Padgate Social Club.

Marcel Theroux, who presented the ITV programme, attended and read a poem entitled A Child of Mine.

More than 70 people attended from all over the UK, including Eve’s family, former Brit brats and former Bunny girls.