Information on Anges Ottaway

Agnes Ottaway, affectionately known as Nessie to her family, found herself at the center of one of New Zealand's most intriguing criminal cases in the early 20th century when she married Percival Leonard Carol Redwood, aka Amy Bock.

In 1909, Amy Bock adopted the persona of Percy Redwood, portraying themself as a wealthy Canterbury sheep farmer. Bock's portrayal was convincing, earning them the reputation of being "the essence of all that was good and kind" in the eyes of those who met them at a Dunedin boarding house. Subsequently, Bock traveled to Port Molyneux on the South Otago coast, continuing their masquerade at Albion House, a guesthouse managed by the Ottaway family. It was here that Bock, under their assumed identity, courted Agnes Ottaway. Bock skillfully maintained their guise through the use of deceptive letters, postal orders, and small loans.

The marriage between Percy Redwood and Agnes Ottaway was held on April 21, 1909, with a grand ceremony attended by 200 guests, including a local MP. However, doubts arose due to the absence of Redwood's alleged family and Redwood's failure to settle debts. The day after the wedding, Ottaway's family and close friends confronted Redwood about their financial commitments, granting a week to clear their debts and delaying the honeymoon until this was resolved. Further investigation by the family's friends revealed inconsistencies in Redwood's backstory, leading to police involvement. A local detective, familiar with Bock's previous fraudulent activities, identified Bock from a photograph.

Bock was arrested at the Ottaways' guesthouse three days after the wedding, shocking the family. Bock pleaded guilty to charges including impersonation, forgery, and theft, and received a two-year prison sentence with hard labor. They were also declared a "habitual criminal," a status requiring indefinite detention until deemed safe for release.

The marriage was annulled on June 17, 1909. The annulment proceedings acknowledged that the marriage was not legally binding, but it was important to formally record this. In court, Agnes Ottaway stated that she had no reason to suspect Bock was not who they presented themself as at the time of the ceremony. After the annulment, Agnes remarried in April 1910 to a widowed stock inspector, and following his death in 1918, she married a childhood acquaintance, a soldier, in 1927. Agnes Ottaway passed away in 1936.