Ian Stratford

Inspector Ian Stratford was an officer of the Metropolitan Police Service. He was assigned to the case of Richard Harries, a case which brought him to Banquo Manor.

Early life
Stratford was a police officer for several years before transferring to the Met for personal reasons. He worked at Scotland Yard from 1877. In 1884, he took a day’s leave for private matters; this was the day of the Scotland Yard bombings and several of his colleagues were maimed.

Stratford's parents died, his mother of pneumonia and his father by drink. His aunt was his only relative left. Stratford fell in love with a woman, but was forbidden to marry her by his aunt, who matched him with someone else. The two fell in love and married but his wife believed she could love many people and had an affair. During the divorce of his wife, he came to John Hopkinson, a solicitor.

Stratford was assigned to the case of Gordon Seavers, a young man who had committed suicide. He visited Professor Sowerden at the University of Oxford and questioned him; he had taught Seavers.

At Banquo Manor
Stratford travelled to the village of Three Sisters, where his aunt lived. On arrival he met Sergeant Baker. They were called to Banquo Manor to investigate the death of Richard Harries; Stratford questioned the residents and staff. He soon deduced that Harries' experiment had been sabotaged, killing him. He examined the body alongside Dr. Friedlander.

Stratford was keen to question John Hopkinson about Seavers's death. He did not remember him from their previous encounter. He asked why he had not told George of the death of Seavers; John told him George had been ill, preventing him from doing so. Stratford saw this as a lie. The manor's butler, Cuthbert Simpson, told Stratford that he had seen Friedlander and his associate, Fitz Kreiner, outside Harries' lab in the conservatory, shortly before his death. When Friedlander went missing, Stratford considered him a suspect.

Stratford opted to again examine the body. However, when he arrived the body was gone. He believed Friedlander had taken it.

Stratford, Baker and Kreiner followed Friedlander's footprints. They led to a cave on the grounds of Banquo Manor. In the cave was the Doctor's; the group returned to the manor. Stratford broke the news of his death to the residents.

Simpson told Stratford that Harries' body had been returned. A sudden scream made the residents head upstairs. Stratford found Beryl Green dead. He took a piece of paper from her grasp and with it was able to prove that Harries had been blackmailing George and Gordon. Stratford was also able to deduce that John had killed Harries but chose not to try and prove it.

Stratford hypothesised that Catherine Harries was responsible for Beryl's murder and the theft of the body. However he was alerted by a scream and found the bodies of George and Elizabeth Wallace. Realising it could not have been Catherine, he began a search.

They found the Doctor, and then Harries. His corpse was walking, seemingly alive. Stratford, John, Kreiner and the Doctor then fled from the corpse which then followed them.

The residents barricaded themselves into Hopkinson's room. Friedlander deduced that Catherine's subconscious was controlling Harries; they had linked for a moment when she was unconscious. Harries broke in and Catherine was able to halt him by thinking hard. Stratford, Baker, John and Friedlander went for some chains to restrain him.

Catherine followed them alongside Richard. She told them she was consciously controlling Harries in the killings, that she was connected to him and that she would now kill them. Baker knocked her over and they barricaded her out.

Catherine used Richard to break into the room from outside while she waited in another room. He came through the French Window. Stratford and Baker forced him out by hitting him with a table. He opened a door and Catherine was on the other side, shot him in the shoulder. He went unconscious for some time. The others bandaged Stratford's wound and took care of him. He agreed that John and Friedlander should try and leave the house by going into the study. They climbed the chimney, going down a fork in it that led into the study.

Susan and Kreiner joined them, climbing in via the chimney. Later Stratford and Baker opened the barricade to allow John and Friedlander in. The effort caused strain on Stratford's injured arm, hampering him. Harries broke through the barricade and Catherine entered via the door. She killed Baker and then Harries was blown up with dynamite. Catherine shot herself accidently while fighting with John.

They all then left the manor. Stratford later wrote the events down in a report; however he did not submit this to the police. (PROSE: The Banquo Legacy)

Personality
Stratford enjoyed visiting Three Sisters due to how peaceful it was; he liked to go for walks there as he found them good to clear his head. Stratford forgave his wife for her betrayal; at first he blamed himself, then his aunt. He did not get on well with his aunt but still visited her as she was his only family.

He liked Baker as he was well prepared and thought in a similar way to Stratford. Stratford decided not like Hopkinson as he appeared pretentious and seemed to lack respect for Stratford's authority. Stratford was embarrassed by the fact that, after Harries' body was discovered to be missing, it was Hopkinson who took the most practical action is searching the room. He took to Susan Seymour, appreciating her thoughtfulness for others. (PROSE: The Banquo Legacy)