Denaby Woman’s Suicide – A Tragedy of insomnia

February 1935

Mexborough and Swinton Times February 22, 1935

Denaby Woman’s Suicide
A Tragedy of insomnia

At an inquest at the Fullerton Hospital, Denaby, on Wednesday on Hilda Mary Lewis (38), wife of William Lewis, bricklayer, Silverwood view, Conisborough, a verdict of “Suicide while of unsound mind” was returned. It was stated that she had suffered from insomnia and headaches.

The husband, William Lewis, told the Coroner (Mr W.H.Carlile) that his wife occupied a room downstairs, and their daughter, aged 12, slept with her.

On Tuesday evening he sat reading until 11:15 PM, when he went into his wife’s room and said “good night,” and told her he was going to bed. He occupied a room upstairs immediately over his wife’s room.

He heard his wife and daughter talking until midnight, when he went off to sleep. He did not wake up during the night, but when he went downstairs at 7 am he smelt gas. He immediately went to his wife’s room, but found she was missing. He then went into the scullery, and found her lying on two chairs, with her head on the sink. There was also a gas to, the gas turned full on. He carried her into the next room, and artificial respiration was tried until the doctor arrived.

Mr Lewis said deceased had been in bad health for the last two years, She had suffered a great deal for 18 months with persistent insomnia, and had been taking sleeping draughts. She had also suffered from headaches, and she got into such a state recently that witness had to have someone in the house all of the day on account of her nervousness and fear of loneliness.

Dr Daniel McDonald Bell, of Conisborough, said he had attended the woman since last August, said she had undergone two operations, and she had seen several specialists. No organic trouble could be found to account for the chronic headaches from which she was suffering.