Inquest Query

[gnorman]

Hi everyone, I have a relative called Elizabeth. She was first married to Richard Millington but remarried in 1858 after Richard died. Her second husband was John Jennings, he is listed as have been born in Jetbury, Wiltshire in or around 1824.

I recently bought a copy of Elizabeth's death certificate, she died on 11th April 1897 of Heart Disease. After a little searching I was surprised to find she was buried on the same day as her husband.

I have just bought his death certificate and discovered he committed suicide on the day Elizabeth died. On the death certificate it says that an inquest was carried out on 15th April 1897 by D Wightman, coroner of Sheffield.

They were both buried together at Tinsley Park Cemetery in Sheffield. Under who performed the ceremony for the burial it states that it was carried out anonymously by friends. I wondered if this may be a personal gesture or if this was due to the stigma of the suicide?

I also wondered if anyone can see any newspaper details of the inquest at all please?

Thanks, Luke

[AlanBoyd]

12 April 1897: Sheffield Independent

AN ATTERCLIFFE TRAGEDY.—A good deal of sensation was aroused in Attercliffe yesterday afternoon by the suicide of an old man named John Jennings, who lived at No. 26, Coleridge road. At about three o'clock he appears to have gone into the closet in the yard at the back of the house. Nothing took place to arouse suspicion, until about half an hour afterwards when a young man named Frederick William Marsland, who lives at No. 32, Coleridge road, went to the closet and found Jennings with his throat deeply cut, and a razor lying by his side. He was just alive, but although Dr. Pettigrew was at once sent for, the unfortunate man died before his arrival. The deceased was 75 years of age, and had not worked for a long time. It is said that he had been suffering of late from depression caused by the serious illness of his wife, and this is thought to have prompted him to take his own life.

[gnorman]

Thank you Alan.

How strange that they do not mention his wife dying on the same day - the death certificates do not give any time of death but I had assumed she had died first as her death was from a heart condition.

Thank you again, very much appreciated.

Luke

[Jool]

Sheffield Independent, 14 April 1897.

[gnorman]

Thank you Jool, the extra article gives more insight into what happened.

Thank you both, I most likely would not have found any of these without you.

Cheers, Luke