Suicide
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Photo credit Janet Few
These are stories of women who died by suicide or had suicidal thoughts. It also includes those whose lives were impacted by others who died by suicide. Some readers may find the details in these accounts distressing. You can access the stories by clicking on the women's names below.
You may also be interested in the 'Remembering our Ancestors who were Lost by Suicide' commemoration project by Dai Davies of Geneal Cymru. Dai gives a very important and thought-provoking presentation on this topic, which is highly recommended, if you get the opportunity to listen to them speak. Having listened to Dai's talk, we are aware that some of the language and content in our stories is not appropriate. We would like to apologise for this and we will be editing as soon as we can to remedy our insensitivity. We will ensure that any stories that we add to this section are presented more thoughtfully in future.
Eliza Florence Ashton, later Eliza Ellis 1862-1917, from Hull, Yorkshire – Lawbreaking, Suicide, Refuges for Fallen Women (Essex). 6 minute read.
Ellen Aitken Bayley 1892-1980, from Dalston, Middlesex – No Descendants, Suicide, Women at Work, Cheshire County Training College. 4 minute read.
Margaret Best c.1860-?, from Southampton, Hampshire - Alcoholism, Lawbreaking, Poverty, Suicide, Farmfield Reformatory for Inebriate Women. 6 minute read.
Elsie Burrows 1890-1935, from Frodsham, Cheshire - No Descendants, Suicide, Women at Work, Cheshire County Training College. 12 minute read.
Isabella Fry, later Isabella Braund 1868-1908, from Darlington, Co. Durham - Mental Health, Suicide. 7 minute read.
Florrie Hancock, later Florrie Cannon 1890-1939, from Over, Cheshire – Suicide, Women at Work, Cheshire County Training College. 4 minute read.
Lily Hymers 1880-1903, from Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland- No Descendants, Sickness, Suicide, Fleming Memorial Hospital. 4 minute read.
Ann Palmer c.1780-1824, from Dagenham, Essex - Infanticide, Lawbreaking, Mental Health, Suicide. Warning, this story involves child murder. 5 minute read.
Florence Dent Priestman 1885-1972 and Margaret Priestman 1885-1930, from Hull, Yorkshire – Activism, No Descendants, Suicide, Women at Work. 8 minute read.
Murial Annie Riley, aka Murial Annie Stead, later Muriel Annie Aydon 1890-1963, from Monks Coppenhall, Cheshire – Illegitimacy, Suicide, Women at Work, Cheshire County Training College. 15 minute read.
Jane Elizabeth Stalker (known as Elizabeth), later Jane Elizabeth Seyner or Senior 1851-1878, from Leeds, Yorkshire - Lawbreaking, Poverty, Suicide, Leeds Industrial School. 4 minute read.
Mary Ann Elizabeth ‘Polly’ Stebbings, later Mary Ann Elizabeth Catling 1876-1901, from Banham, Norfolk – No Descendants, Suicide, Women at Work. 6 minute read.
Maria Vuller 1861-1934, from Aldershot, Hampshire – Mental Health, No Descendants, Suicide, Refuges for Fallen Women (Basingstoke). 6 minute read.
Olive Wood 1859-?, from Stafford, Staffordshire – Suicide, Refuges for Fallen Women (Staffordshire). 5 minute read.
Georgina Wyche 1875-1901, from Highbury, London - Mental Health, No Descendants, Suicide, Women at Work. 5 minute read.