Former Eton College master is charged with killing his 84-year-old mother

A former master of Eton College appeared in court today on charges that his elderly mother was murdered.

In a wealthy Cotswolds town, 45-year-old Matthew Corry shared an apartment with his mother, Beatrice Corry, in a former grammar school.

In Friday, when police were summoned to the property on Chipping Campden’s High Street, they discovered Mrs. Corry, 84, suffering from head injuries; she later passed away.

Grandmother Mrs. Corry had previously resided in Berkshire, in an apartment within The Styles, a building that had formerly been Agatha Christie’s residence. The Mysterious Affair at Styles, her debut book, was published in 1920, and it served as the inspiration for the name of the house in Sunningdale.

During a short hearing at Bristol Crown Court today, Corry merely spoke to confirm his identity before being remanded in jail.

A history club meeting was given by Mrs. Corry, a “sprightly” retired teacher and volunteer who works with the University of the Third Age organization to encourage non-formal education, on January 3.

The Agatha Christie enthusiast “didn’t seem to be disturbed by anything,” according to fellow member David Pegg.

She was a nice, kind person who gave a lot of her time to volunteering. Beatrice had a huge following. She lived in a lovely apartment in the city, and despite her advanced age, she was still extremely active.

She used to make everyone’s tea and coffee before I succeeded her as chairman of the history club.

Since it opened in 2019, Mrs. Corry has helped at the Campden Home Nursing charity store across the street from her house.

The CEO of the charity trust, Helen Makaritis, said: “Beatrice was an outstanding person. She had so much vitality and would often have done a 5 mile walk before her shift at the store. The trust offers nursing care for the terminally ill who desire to be cared for at home.

The store staff referred to her as a “force of nature,” noting that she was usually upbeat, never shied away from expressing her opinions, and was a highly clever woman with a wide range of knowledge. She was adored by all of us and was never seen without a scarf or a smile on her face.

Corry was not asked to enter a plea and His Honor Judge Martin Picton ordered pre-trial reports to be completed on him. The case was continued to February 17 with the defendant being remanded in jail.

After graduating from the Papplewick preparatory school in Ascot, Berkshire, Corry entered the teaching profession and worked at Eton until 2008. He then transferred to an Oxford prep school.

Additionally, he may have worked as a teacher at Godolphin and Latymer in West London and a residential school in Cumbria. Carrie Johnson, the wife of London Mayor Boris Johnson, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, and Nigella Lawson, a well-known chef, are all former students of the independent girls’ school in Hammersmith.

In April 2020, Corry resigned from his position as a biology instructor at the institution, whose tuition for this academic year was £24,708.