Mary Wilson's Sudden Death - Sheffield April 1908
Derelict Properties on St. Philip's Road and Jericho Street including No. 144, former premises of Arthur Pigott, fruitier. The photo is dated 1930
The following report appeared in the Sheffield Evening Telegraph 7th April 1908. It is rather perfunctory but that is probably because the inquest had only taken place that afternoon
Bright's disease is a historical classification of kidney diseases that would be described in modern medicine as acute or chronic nephritis. It is typically denoted by the presence of serum albumin (blood plasma protein) in the urine and is frequently accompanied by edema and hypertension. It can be painful especially in the more advanced stages of the condition (Wikipedia)
The following day a far fuller report appeared in the Sheffield Daily Independent (8th April 1908) under the title
DRUG TAKER'S SAD END
"TAKEN ENOUGH TO POISON SHEFFIELD"
Her death was sudden "that victims to drugs often died suddenly as in this case, their death ending in an epileptic fit." Mr. Carter who carried out the post-mortem stated that Mary Wilson had died of kidney disease, a disease that she had suffered with for up to ten years. But the jury totally ignored the fact that her ACTUAL death was caused by taking enough "opium and laudanum to poison Sheffield." Instead they recorded that her death was due to Bright's Disease when in fact it was an epileptic fit caused by drug abuse.
The question that intrigues me is the condition of her husband Thomas. He was called to give evidence by the Coroner Dossey Wightman, but he was in such a dazed condition that he could barely remember his name. Was this due to grief as a result of his wife dying in his arms, or was he also using opium and laudanum?
The following day MARY was buried in Sheffield's Burngreave Cemetery in a public grave
WILSON, Mary (Wife of T Wilson, age 56).
Died at 16 Jericho St; Buried on April 9, 1908 in Consecrated ground;
Grave Number 18, Section H2 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield. Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister, J K Walker.
Two and a half years later she was joined by her daughter ETHEL
WILSON, Ethel (Daughter of T Wilson, age 11).
Died at 16 Jericho Street; Buried on October 25, 1910 in Consecrated ground;
Grave Number 18, Section H2 of Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield.
Parent or Next of Kin if Available: . Remarks: Officiating Minister,A E Sturdy: Removed from Sheffield Parish.
Was
this the same daughter that accompanied Thomas to the inquest and reminded him
of his name?
Sources
Sheffield Evening Telegraph 7th April 1908
Sheffield Daily Independent 8th April 1908
U K Census
This page was last updated on 14/04/15 16:26