How upsetting

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:04 pm

I just found a death registration for one of my ancestors and his wife. They both committed suicide in their kitchen by way of coal gas poisoning.

I am stunned. This man's grandmother committed suicide by hanging some years before. I'm so sad for them, that they felt they had to do this. And I wonder why.

Very sad.

Post by **emanday** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 1:52 pm

I find that discovering things like this during my research is always upsetting.

Although they have all been gone a long time and I never originally knew about most of them, they have definitely become "family" in all senses of the word. Every tragedy pains me, especially child mortality, but the discovery of even a single suicide really hits hard.

I can only imagine what discovering this couple's joint suicide must have felt like. It is difficult to imagine what level of desperation they had reached - must have reached, but I do know some of my folk went through dreadful times with starvation and eviction an ever threatening spectre.

Chris Paton · Post by **Chris Paton** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 2:59 pm

Hi Ninatoo,

It is such a sad occurrence that it probably made the local newspapers, and so definitely worth trying to chase up.

My own great great grandmother committed suicide in 1860 in Inverness, and I found the following from the local paper, The Inverness Courier, of May 10th 1860:

"MELANCHOLY AFFAIR - A melancholy circumstance took place on Tuesday evening. Some months ago, Mrs Macgillivray, wife of Mr D. Macgillivray, tailor, Friars Street, lost a daughter to whom she was much attached, and has brooded on the subject ever since to such an extent that latterly her friends considered it prudent to have an attendant, who should accompany her when going out. On Tuesday Mrs Macgillivray went to see her daughter's child, and after sitting some time, she embraced it tenderly, and proposed to her attendant, a stout young woman, to take a walk. They strolled by the river side as far as the Bught Mills, where they crossed the fields to the banks of the Canal. They were only a few minutes here, when the unfortunate woman, without a word of warning, plunged into the Canal. Her companion rushed in after, but the bank was so steep that she could not follow far; she screamed for help, and Mr Hossack, lock-keeper, at the Tomnahurich Bridge, ran up with a boat-hook. This was not long enough, however, and a sailor, no longer young, plunged into the water, and succeeded in bringing the body on shore. By this time it was too late. Dr Mackay was promptly on the spot, but life was extinct."

I would definitely see what you find by way of newspaper coverage - possibly worth starting with The Scotsman Digital Archive at http://archive.scotsman.com/

Chris

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:24 pm

Thanks for the replies to this sensitive subject. I too cannot imagine the desperation they felt. It seems that the man just came home from work one evening and was never seen again. THe wife had not been seen since the day before that. It has left a heavy weight in my stomach.

I can't use the Scotsman Archives, (thanks Chris) because this happened in 1956 (hence no names used in case there are actual living (closer) relatives). I haven't found children fot the couple, but then, that doesn't mean they don't exist. He was my gg grandfather's nephew and wife, so not my direct line, exactly, although certainly family. I was actually looking for someone else when I found this couple.

However, if SKS offers, I will PM them the names and dates, to see if anything can be found in the libraries. Otherwise, being here in Australia, I will probably not know more.

Thanks for reading,

Nina

Chris Paton · Post by **Chris Paton** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 8:31 pm

Hi Nina,

If you can suggest which area it was in, or county at least, it would help inform where to look.

Another option is to try the Guardian and Observer archives website at http://archive.guardian.co.uk/Default/S ... 3190172732 - being such a tragic event, it may also have made the English based nationals. The online archives for these go up to 1975.

Chris

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:05 pm

Hi Nina

Another option may be to contact a library local to the event and who hold newspaper archives. Some libraries are willing to look up a specific event if you have a precise date (which you do) and if you live far too far away to go look yourself (which you do...). However, not all libraries are equally obliging, so it there may be an element of luck involved.

Best wishes
Lesley

ninatoo · Post by **ninatoo** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 9:11 pm

Hi Chris and Lesley,

This event happened in Irvine Ayr in March 1956. Which would be the best place to write to?

Nina

LesleyB · Post by **LesleyB** » Sat Feb 16, 2008 10:16 pm

Hi Nina
I'm not too hot on Ayrshire, so Chris or someone else local to the area may know a better place to contact but this looks promising:
http://www.ancestralscotland.com/counti ... =libraries

North Ayrshire Libraries
39-41 Princes Street
Ardrossan
Ayrshire
KA22 8BT
Tel: 01294 469137 (Mon-Fri)
Tel: 01294 477198 (Sat)
Fax: 01294 604236
E-mail: localhistoryATnorth-ayrshire.gov.uk
[substitute @ for AT]

Open: Mon-Tue & Thu-Fri, 09:30 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 17:00 & Sat 10:00 - 13:00 & 14:00 - 17:00.

Newpapers include the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald and the Irvine Herald.

Best wishes
Lesley

Chris Paton · Post by **Chris Paton** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:29 am

Hi Nina/Lesley,

North Ayrshire Archives would be worth trying, though I am not sure they are still based in Ardrossan (I've not ever used them myself, as my family are from further north and further west!). I'm sure I have heard that they are moving, or possibly have already moved, to Irvine. Another option would be either the Baird or Dick Institutes in Kilmarnock and Cumnock - contact numbers through http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/item_de ... p?UIN=1964 .

Also, such a story may have hit the Glasgow papers as well, so the Mitchell Library might be worth a call to check the Herald and the Evening Times.

Chris

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Sun Feb 17, 2008 1:54 am

Hello All,

The following are reports of suicide deaths from the Scotsman newspaper during recent times.

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/For ... 3337436.jp
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Hus ... 3350127.jp
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Pol ... 3466072.jp
http://news.scotsman.com/topstories/Bal ... 3703391.jp

If you look a today’s edition you may just find more. You will note that the newspaper often reports the names of the children of the deceased and of family members.

In your case Nina you have not mentioned the names of the parents of the deceased nor have you mentioned any descendants thereof, in fact all you would be stating would be names and date and place of death. All you would be asking for is a newspaper report of an event which occurred 52 years ago completely unconnected to anything.

My advice to you Nina would be simply to post the names of the individuals on the forum and leave it up to those who make the policy to interpret that policy and to remove such names if they have the need to. Your willingness to do so should surely be dependant on your own feelings on the matter rather than on some arbitrary rule.

All the best,
Alan