Info on Clifford Sherwood - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

crystaldawn · 04-05-2006, 10:04 PM

Well it isn't really anything new but I did email an organization that did have Clifford Sherwood listed on their site. I asked if they had any additional info or any info about George Gumbley. I thought you guys might be interested in their reply:

On October 21, 1954, Clifford Sherwood left home at the usual time for school. He was accompanied by one of his friends, Georges Gumbley.

v They never arrived at school.

v They are both still missing.

v At the time, Clifford was living alone with his mother in Verdun.

v The father had the custody of Clifford’s four sisters and they were all living in the Vancouver area.

For us, the Sherwood case is: Missing children category Unknown.

v In the spring of 1955, a human torso was found in the St Lawrence River near Sorel. There was no identification on the body and Mrs. Sherwood refused to see the torso.

v We received a lot of information, but none of the leads were good.

v Mrs. Sherwood is now 85 and her health is not very good.

I hope this will help you!

That is still so baffling about him and his friend disappearing. I always figured Clifford's father abducted him but the friend missing can't just be a coincidence.

nohwheregirl · 04-05-2006, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

That is still so baffling about him and his friend disappearing. I always figured Clifford's father abducted him but the friend missing can't just be a coincidence.

Agreed. It's one of the more poorly executed segments on UM. They may have played up the father-abduction angle because that's was the theory of Clifford's family, but it doesn't make sense at all.

dindi_x · 04-06-2006, 06:37 PM

I agree- it is so frustrating, especially since UM didn't mention that George Gumbley was still missing. I'm guessing that the only reason Clifford's case is still active is because his mom is so vocal. Canada rocks in that regard.

The sister they inteviewed (unfortunately, I don't know her name or I would google her) believed that there was something suspicious going on, too. I found it depressing that the girls were all in foster care for the rest of their juvenile lives - I wonder why? Presumably Mrs. Sherwood was a fit parent. I wonder why she wasn't allowed to keep her children. The '50s was a different time...

Anyway. Anyone remember the name of Clifford's sister? I have googled Clifford and his dad to no avail.

Glammazon · 04-23-2006, 03:46 PM

The military record of Clifford Sherwood's father was set to become public property this month (he died in April of 1976). Apparently, he'd enlisted in the army under another name, and was receiving his military pension under that name. Because he'd listed himself as a bachelor, his daughter was unable to get permission to open the file at an earlier date.

Mijada · 05-02-2006, 10:16 AM

I think the daughters name was Colleen

spark19 · 05-25-2006, 09:12 PM

Any updates on this case? I mean...weren't those military records made public just recently?

UMLongtimefan · 05-25-2006, 10:54 PM

I have to agree... the father abduction doesn't make sense in this one either and I'm afraid, UM, Cliff's family and the police may have over played that angle.

Add to the fact that his father was on the other side of the country at that time... sorry but the sherwood's didn't strike me as a family of means so I don't think he flew into pick up clifford... mr. sherwood rides a train/drives to pick up his son back across the country without being seen and hides him from his sisters?

As to her dad not wanting to talk about it... I'm not trying to be negative to the Sherwood ladies or ladies in general but sometimes men are a little less naivete about peoples motives for kidnapping children.

You would think that if Clifford was going to "secretly" meet his father, he would have told someone besides George Gumbley.

And the fact that Gumbley's disappearance is so underplayed and under emphasized... why would George have been a target of Mr. Sherwood? This appears to be a case of someone who took advantage of two younger boys.

Plus what about the body that was discovered, has that ever been compared to either Clifford or George's DNA? If one or the other shows up dismembered that suggest a brutal overkill (as I recall the body had no arms to legs) for that I wouldn't normally associate with a parental kidnapping? They didn't say why the girls were put in foster care but it sounded more like it was neglect (because of mr. sherwoods drinking) than abuse (although he did hit his wife).

I agree with nowheregirl, I think the producers possibly even the police got too convinced of his mothers opinion over the years (and while she makes a very emotional case that it was his father that took him, the known evidence points elsewhere).

I'd start with the known/convicted pedophiles and work from there.

CanadianUMFan · 08-03-2007, 03:10 PM

I just saw this segment today and couldn't believe how UM just glossed over the other missing child, George. The fact that two friends went missing at exactly the same time would strongly suggest that this is anything but a parent abduction. I really don't understand what the UM people were thinking on this one.

crystaldawn · 08-03-2007, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CanadianUMFan

I just saw this segment today and couldn't believe how UM just glossed over the other missing child, George. The fact that two friends went missing at exactly the same time would strongly suggest that this is anything but a parent abduction. I really don't understand what the UM people were thinking on this one.

I completely agree with you. Its as if its not as important that this poor George Gumbley is missing too. Since you are from Canada and might know where to look, if you can find any more info on this case (since its so old, its tough to research it) please share.

pardilia · 11-13-2007, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crystaldawn

I completely agree with you. Its as if its not as important that this poor George Gumbley is missing too. Since you are from Canada and might know where to look, if you can find any more info on this case (since its so old, its tough to research it) please share.

I found a newspaper article from February 1955 that spells the other boy's name as "George Grumblav" and the doenetwork lists his name as Georges Gumbley. I could not find further information on either of the names.

kamy · 11-13-2007, 11:19 AM

Was the torso's DNA ever compared to either missing boys? That is pure ridiculous if not! And Clifford's mother not wanting to find out is stupid too; I can understand not wanting to look at a torso, but to say in the first place it cannot be his is silly. Does anyone know if any DNA was tested against the torso found?

unsolvedmysteriesfan · 11-25-2007, 09:03 PM

It's possible it wasn't, depending on how old this case, maybe they didn't have DNA testing at the time. And it looks like from seeing past UM shows and other shows on CourtTV and such, that there used to be a lot more sloppy investigating.

pardilia · 11-28-2007, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by unsolvedmysteriesfan

It's possible it wasn't, depending on how old this case, maybe they didn't have DNA testing at the time. And it looks like from seeing past UM shows and other shows on CourtTV and such, that there used to be a lot more sloppy investigating.

The torso was discovered in the Spring of 1955, so I doubt they did any DNA testing on it.

There might have been a sloppy investigation, but the timeframe ought to be considered as well.

I think the key to finding out anything now would be to find information on the other boy...whatever his real name might be. The Unsolved Mysteries episode seemed to be more of a smear campaign against his father without really focusing on the fact that the boys were still missing!

(It wasn't even until the second or third time I saw this episode that I had realized it had taken place that long ago...for some reason, I had thought he disappeared in the 60s/70s.)

Todd Mueller · 11-28-2007, 10:02 PM

Wait a second...

Did they even mention in the original broadcast that his friend George was missing???

I remember that case really well but I don't remember there being another boy missing. That sort of changes everything, in my eyes.

Did I just miss/forget that or was it not mentioned at all?

Thanks...

DarkDante · 11-28-2007, 11:25 PM

^ They do mention it briefly when talking about the three boys walking to school something like "Butch made it to school and George and Clifford never did". They allow show a very old yellowed newspaper clipping that notes several months after both boys disappeared both were still missing.

I have no idea if George' remains were ever recovered or not but the fact that George went missing alongside Clifford makes me think they were enticed or kidnapped by someone other than Tex Sherwood and they were both possibly murdered soon after their abduction.

The drivers license scenerio with the names reversed though is intriguing though I must admit...strange case.

04-05-2006, 10:04 PM	#1
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Info on Clifford Sherwood Well it isn't really anything new but I did email an organization that did have Clifford Sherwood listed on their site. I asked if they had any additional info or any info about George Gumbley. I thought you guys might be interested in their reply: On October 21, 1954, Clifford Sherwood left home at the usual time for school. He was accompanied by one of his friends, Georges Gumbley. v They never arrived at school. v They are both still missing. v At the time, Clifford was living alone with his mother in Verdun. v The father had the custody of Clifford’s four sisters and they were all living in the Vancouver area. For us, the Sherwood case is: Missing children category Unknown. v In the spring of 1955, a human torso was found in the St Lawrence River near Sorel. There was no identification on the body and Mrs. Sherwood refused to see the torso. v We received a lot of information, but none of the leads were good. v Mrs. Sherwood is now 85 and her health is not very good. I hope this will help you! That is still so baffling about him and his friend disappearing. I always figured Clifford's father abducted him but the friend missing can't just be a coincidence.

04-23-2006, 03:46 PM	#4
Glammazon Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 05, 2003 Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Posts: 16	Mr. Sherwood's Military Record The military record of Clifford Sherwood's father was set to become public property this month (he died in April of 1976). Apparently, he'd enlisted in the army under another name, and was receiving his military pension under that name. Because he'd listed himself as a bachelor, his daughter was unable to get permission to open the file at an earlier date.
	__________________ ANTHONY WILLIAM DURRANT

05-02-2006, 10:16 AM	#5
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	I think the daughters name was Colleen
	__________________ Proud mom to Spencer, Justine and Colleen

04-06-2006, 06:37 PM	#3
dindi_x Member Forum Cub Join Date: Mar 21, 2006 Location: Florida Posts: 2	I agree- it is so frustrating, especially since UM didn't mention that George Gumbley was still missing. I'm guessing that the only reason Clifford's case is still active is because his mom is so vocal. Canada rocks in that regard. The sister they inteviewed (unfortunately, I don't know her name or I would google her) believed that there was something suspicious going on, too. I found it depressing that the girls were all in foster care for the rest of their juvenile lives - I wonder why? Presumably Mrs. Sherwood was a fit parent. I wonder why she wasn't allowed to keep her children. The '50s was a different time... Anyway. Anyone remember the name of Clifford's sister? I have googled Clifford and his dad to no avail.

05-25-2006, 09:12 PM	#6
spark19 Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2006 Location: USA Posts: 122	Any updates on this case? I mean...weren't those military records made public just recently?

05-25-2006, 10:54 PM	#7
UMLongtimefan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 08, 2006 Location: ??? Posts: 161	I have to agree... the father abduction doesn't make sense in this one either and I'm afraid, UM, Cliff's family and the police may have over played that angle. Add to the fact that his father was on the other side of the country at that time... sorry but the sherwood's didn't strike me as a family of means so I don't think he flew into pick up clifford... mr. sherwood rides a train/drives to pick up his son back across the country without being seen and hides him from his sisters? As to her dad not wanting to talk about it... I'm not trying to be negative to the Sherwood ladies or ladies in general but sometimes men are a little less naivete about peoples motives for kidnapping children. You would think that if Clifford was going to "secretly" meet his father, he would have told someone besides George Gumbley. And the fact that Gumbley's disappearance is so underplayed and under emphasized... why would George have been a target of Mr. Sherwood? This appears to be a case of someone who took advantage of two younger boys. Plus what about the body that was discovered, has that ever been compared to either Clifford or George's DNA? If one or the other shows up dismembered that suggest a brutal overkill (as I recall the body had no arms to legs) for that I wouldn't normally associate with a parental kidnapping? They didn't say why the girls were put in foster care but it sounded more like it was neglect (because of mr. sherwoods drinking) than abuse (although he did hit his wife). I agree with nowheregirl, I think the producers possibly even the police got too convinced of his mothers opinion over the years (and while she makes a very emotional case that it was his father that took him, the known evidence points elsewhere). I'd start with the known/convicted pedophiles and work from there.

08-03-2007, 03:10 PM	#8
CanadianUMFan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 21, 2007 Location: St Catharines, Ontario, Canada Posts: 215	I just saw this segment today and couldn't believe how UM just glossed over the other missing child, George. The fact that two friends went missing at exactly the same time would strongly suggest that this is anything but a parent abduction. I really don't understand what the UM people were thinking on this one.

11-13-2007, 11:19 AM	#11
kamy UM Fanatic Forum Regular Join Date: Apr 25, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 625	Was the torso's DNA ever compared to either missing boys? That is pure ridiculous if not! And Clifford's mother not wanting to find out is stupid too; I can understand not wanting to look at a torso, but to say in the first place it cannot be his is silly. Does anyone know if any DNA was tested against the torso found?

11-25-2007, 09:03 PM	#12
unsolvedmysteriesfan Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 25, 2007 Posts: 218	It's possible it wasn't, depending on how old this case, maybe they didn't have DNA testing at the time. And it looks like from seeing past UM shows and other shows on CourtTV and such, that there used to be a lot more sloppy investigating.

11-28-2007, 10:02 PM	#14
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	Wait a second... Did they even *mention* in the original broadcast that his friend George was missing??? I remember that case really well but I don't remember there being another boy missing. That sort of changes everything, in my eyes. Did I just miss/forget that or was it not mentioned at all? Thanks...

11-28-2007, 11:25 PM	#15
DarkDante Member Senior Member Join Date: Jul 27, 2002 Posts: 1,569	^ They do mention it briefly when talking about the three boys walking to school something like "Butch made it to school and George and Clifford never did". They allow show a very old yellowed newspaper clipping that notes several months after both boys disappeared both were still missing. I have no idea if George' remains were ever recovered or not but the fact that George went missing alongside Clifford makes me think they were enticed or kidnapped by someone other than Tex Sherwood and they were both possibly murdered soon after their abduction. The drivers license scenerio with the names reversed though is intriguing though I must admit...strange case.