A Family Tragedy - Beeley Woods Sheffield July 1935

"It is no use leaving Albert behind although it goes against the grain" 

The Manchester Guardian dated Saturday6th July 1935 referred to an event that took place on the afternoon of Wednesday 3rd July 1935 at a railway crossing in Beeley Woods (Sheffield). The woods are traversed by the famous Woodhead railway line; there is one level crossing and one footbridge for pedestrians to cross the line. This is where the tragedy occurred.    

The letters left by Lily and the method she chose to kill herself and her son Albert all point to the tragedy as being pre-meditated and not an impulsive act. I am therefore somewhat puzzled by the jury stating that she killed herself "while in a fit of mental depression." All Lily's actions that afternoon pointed to a rational and balanced decision on her behalf - "I have only just begun to see everything clearly." Her husbands remark about all the family not being in the best of health recently seems to refer to their physical health not their mental health. Any illness can make you depressed but it is unlikely that this alone would account for Lily's actions.

Yhe Yorkshire Post also dated Saturday6th July 1935 carried a report of the inquest and added further details of the tragedy 

As for her husband Albert he remarried in the June quarter of 1938

MARRIAGE

Surname First name(s) Spouse District Vol Page 
Marriages Jun 1938 
Smith Winifred Wood Sheffield 9c 1664 
Wood Albert V Smith Sheffield 9c 1664

and the 1939 NATIONAL REGISTER finds him living in the Crookesmoor district of Sheffield at 63 Burns Road with his wife of one year Winifred

Name: Albert V Wood
Gender: Male Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 26 Jun 1902
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 63 Burns Road Residence Place: Sheffield, Yorkshire (West Riding), England
Occupation: Forge Furnace Man Heavy Worker
Schedule Number: 123 Sub Schedule Number: 1 Enumeration District: KIEF
Registration district: Sheffield 510/2
Inferred Spouse: Winnifred Wood 
Household Members: 
Albert V Wood
Winifred Wood

If you can supply me with any more information on the family, please contact me      

Notes

MARRIAGE

Name: Albert V Wood
Registration Date: Oct 1927
Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec
Registration district: Sheffield
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Spouse: Lily Marshall
Volume Number: 9c Page Number: 1184

DEATH

Name: Lily Wood
Death Age: 31
Birth Date: abt 1904
Registration Date: Jul 1935
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Wortley Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 9c Page: 265

Name: Albert Wood
Death Age: 7
Birth Date: abt 1928
Registration Date: Jul 1935
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration district: Wortley
Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 9c Page: 265

DEATH 

Name: Albert Victor Wood
Death Age: 68
Birth Date: 26 Jun 1902
Registration Date: Apr 1971
Registration Quarter: Apr-May-Jun
Registration district: Sheffield Inferred County: Yorkshire West Riding
Volume: 2d Page: 722

Sources

Manchester Guardian - Yorkshire Post dated Saturday6th July 1935 

UK Census

Sheffield Indexers

Free BMD

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