Franklin, Margaret 1910 January 28th Bemerton
Early on Wednesday morning the dead body of a woman was found on the L & SWR line near the level crossing at Bemerton, and it was subsequently identified as that of Mrs Franklin, of 49, St Paul’s Road. According to one witness she had threatened dozens of times to take her life.
A sad story was related at the inquest, which was held yesterday (Thursday) morning at the Bemerton Reading Room, before the County Coroner (Mr R A Wilson) and a jury, of which Mr Cecil Farrant was foreman.
The Railway Company was represented by Inspector Swayne (Police Department), Inspector Goodyear (Permanent Way Department), and Mr J Clark (Loco. Department).
The first witness was Albert Henry Franklin, of 49, St Paul’s Road, painter, who identified the body as that of his wife, Margaret Elizabeth Franklin, who was 47 years old. He said he last saw her alive on Tuesday night between 10.30 and 10.45. At that time he went to bed, leaving her in the kitchen where she had been in the habit of sleeping on the couch for the past two months. He did not know the reason she preferred to sleep downstairs. When he came downstairs in the mornings she was always dressed and had the fire lit. Nothing passed between them on Tuesday evening, and she told him she would see if she would come upstairs to bed; but he did not expect her to do so. A daughter aged 19 and a son aged 12 slept in the house.
“Has she ever threatened to take her life?” asked the Coroner.
“She has mentioned it before now,” replied the witness, “but it has been going on for some time, and I did not take much notice of it.”
For how long had she been saying that? Between five and six months.
What did she say? She used to say, “I will do away with myself..”
What reason was there for it? The only I can give is that she could not do her dress-making. She could not seem to give her mind to it.
Continuing his answers, witness said that he had been out of work lately. The last time he did any was when the election was on. Before that he had not done any for a month.
Fred Carlile, living at 4, Beulah Cottages, Gramshaw Road, porter and acting-brakesman on the SWR, said that at about 6.45 on Wednesday morning he was walking down the line from Bemerton to Salisbury station and when about seven yards on the Salisbury side of the level crossing he discovered the body of a woman. She was lying face downwards with her face towards Wilton, and between the up and down lines. He called a platelayer (Robert Gurd) to take charge of the body, and then he gave informaton to the police.
Replying to the foreman, witness said the body was in the six foot way. Witness added that a milk train from Yeovil had passed about twenty minutes before.
Inspector Swayne stated that the engine driver of the train which passed the spot at 6.23 was present, but it was only surmised that that was the train concerned.
PC Blades, of the SWR police, stationed at Salisbury, said that on Tuesday evening at about 8.5 or 8.10 he saw the deceased in the booking hall at the station. She asked him where the 6.20 train went to in the morning, as every morning last week she saw that train leave. Witness asked her what her business was at the station at that time of the morning, and she replied that she had been going wrong in her head for some time, and came up with the intention of committing suicide, but when the time came she had thought better of it. Witness advised her to go home, and not to get such silly ideas in her head. She remarked, “What is the use of going home with an empty cupboard and only twopence in the house?” She then left the station. About two months ago at the station she told witness she wanted some money, and was going wrong in her head.
PC Waite, of the County Police, stationed at Fisherton, said that eight o’clock on Wednesday morning he received a report from the witness Carlile, that the body of a woman was lying on the line near the level crossing at Bemerton. He went to the spot and saw the body. On turning it over he found the face was smashed. It appeared as if she had put her head on the rail and been struck by the guard in front of the engine-wheel which had turned her off the rail. She was fully dressed. Witness had the body taken to the Halfway House Hotel where he searched it and found a letter in the righthand jacket pocket which he had handed to the Coroner. He also found an empty needle book and a packet of pins.
The Coroner then read the letter to the jury. It was as follows,
Mrs Franklin, 49, St Pauls Road.
The reason that I am doing this is that I am so bad off and in debt, and I can see no way out of my trouble except by taking my own life. The reason I have got so badly off is that I can’t do my dressmaking as I used to, and I can’t earn money. I have tried hard, but everything goes against me. I have not enough money for food, let alone clothing, and my poor boy is in rags and so am I. There are no clothes to change or put on clean. I have tried hard and failed, and now after 20 years’ hard work I have come to this through no fault of mine, for the gift of needlework is taken away from me. I have tried, but can’t do it, and I can’t stand by and see my home sold up. The money my husband gives me is not enough to keep him, and there is now no chance of getting any more. I can’t work and earn money, and I have no chance of getting out of debt. It is awful for me. It drives me mad. Perhaps the insurance will bring in a little if they can get it, but it is behind. May God forgive me doing this, but what can I do? I do feel leaving my children. Do somebody please get some clothes for them.
Margaret Franklin.
Ethel Hilda Franklin, daughter of the deceased, said she worked as a “help” at St Martin’s Terrace, but slept at home. She last saw her mother alive on Tuesday between 11 and 12 o’clock, when she was in the kitchen. She had not been in the habit of going to bed lately, though they all tried to persuade her to do so. She used to sleep on the couch and did not undress. She had been strange in her mind since she had not been able to do her dressmaking. She had the work but could not do it. Some time ago a tumour formed in her head, and when it dispersed they feared it affected her brain. Witness’s father was out of work for some time, and that may have worried her mother. They had advised her to see a doctor but she refused. She had said dozens of times that she would take her life, but they took no notice of it as it was so often. She sometimes went out late at night.
This was all the evidence, and the Coroner, addressing the jury, said that it seemed pretty straightforward as far as it went that the poor woman committed suicide. It was quite clear from PC Blade’s evidence that she had contemplated doing so. The Coroner added that he thought the deceased had an exaggerated idea of the state of poverty she was in.
In answer to a question suggested by the foreman, the husband of the deceased said that she seemed more cheerful than usual on Tuesday evening – more cheerful than she had been for several nights before.
After a brief consultation, the jury returned a verdict of “Suicide during temporary insanity.”
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 