Noyce, Mary 1901 October 11th
West Dean
Mr Bernard Harfield, Coroner, held an inquiry at West Dean, on Saturday, into the circumstances attending the death of Mary Ann Noyce, aged 75, who committed suicide by hanging on Thursday night.
The first witness called was Henry Noyce, husband of the deceased, who is a retired railway porter, residing at West Dean. He stated that on Thursday morning his wife ate a little more breakfast than usual. Shortly afterwards she asked him to get some brandy, as she did not feel well. They both had a drop, and witness subsequently left for the station. He returned three-quarters of an hour later, and found his wife hanging by a rope to the bedrail. She did appear to be off the ground. Witness took out his knife and cut her down, but she was then dead. They had a son at Stockbridge, who got hurt on the railway, and went in a London hospital. He was to undergo an operation, which seemed to prey upon her mind. She had never threatened to take her life, but her elder brother had to be detained in an asylum.
Mr Walter Allingham, surgeon of Whiteparish, said that on the day in question he was called to see Mrs Noyce. He went and found the old lady dead, with a mark round her neck. There was a deep depression in the neck, which corresponded with the knot in the rope. There had been considerable bleeding at the ear. The cause of death, he concluded was suffocation. He had seen deceased about a year ago, and did not think she was the kind of person to take her own life.
The jury returned a verdict that deceased hanged herself whilst of unsound mind.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 