South Yorkshire Times, July 15th, 1944
Cut His Throat
Conisbrough Man’s Suicide
A verdict of “Suicide while the balance of his mind was disturbed,” was recorded by the Doncaster District Coroner (Mr. W. H. Carlile) at a Denaby inquest on Wednesday on Patrick Morley (49), collier, 7, Montagu Avenue, Conisbrough, who locked himself in his bedroom on Sunday and cut his throat with a “cut throat” razor. He was taken to Fullerton Hospital, Denaby, where he died on Monday from shock.
Mrs. Helen Morley, widow, said on Sunday her husband was not his usual self. She found the bedroom door fastened on the inside and could hear him groaning in the room. Mrs. Morley said that her husband had been restless all week. When the seam where he worked at Cadeby Colliery had been closed he was sent to work in another place and didn’t seem to be able to manage the work there very well. He had complained about the long walk to his working place. She did not think her husband was worrying about anything except his work. He thought his nerves were getting bad.
Dr. D. M. Bell (Conisbrough) said he found Morley was lying on the floor with his head against the bottom of the bed. His throat was cut very severely. He had seen Morley professionally within the last month. He had extensive varicose veins in the legs which rendered him unfit for work, but he had intended starting work again on Monday. He had a feeling of persecution, thinking that people were talking about him outside.
P.c. Frank Trevor Harrison (Conisbrough), described how he forced the bedroom door. A chair had been put behind the door. He found Morley lying on the floor. There was blood all over the floor and an open “cut-throat” razor, also blood stained, was lying near him.