Did Mary Jane commit suicide?

[Josephine]

Bob,

Have you checked the cemeteries in the area?  Depending on the church, perhaps there might be a notation about her death?  I think I've read that, in some cemeteries, people who committed suicide were buried in a separate section.

Regards,
Josephine

[stonechat]

I don't really know what area to look in!
I have searched deaths over a long period on Free BMD, which is not indexed past about 1910.

Unless you get a Mary J Clarke, you can't be very certain.
Also quiteoften the surname is spelled Clark - most of the earlier members of the Clark/e family lack the e, though all recent members included it.

She was back in Oundle in 1888, and judging her letter wanting to get away again

A Mary Jane possibly  the correct one is located in Margate in 1881, Tonbridge in 1891 and Hampstead in  1901.

I tried Times online archive for a long period with numerous different search criteria and drew a blank.


Most of the other details which my grandmother mentioned have been fairly accurate,I don't think this could be wrong.

(E.g. one of the family went to Australia & became Mayor of a small town - I was later able to verify this) Numerous dates and birthdays.

Maybe one day I'll find something

Bob

[Josephine]

Bob,

The first place I would check is the cemetery where her parents were buried and their church.

Regards,
Josephine

[liverpool annie]

Here's something  interesting - Staffurth is not a name you hear every day!
Maybe this couple are his parents! maybe your Mary J could be around the Huntingdon/Cambridgeshire area!!

1851
Ramsey Road St Ives
Staffurth Clark   66   Head Warboys Huntingdonshire Toll Keeper
Jane Clark                    Wife  Godmanchester
HO107/1749 Folio 471 Page 32

Annie 

Check this for newspapers!

http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/leisure/archives/holdings/m_p/newspapers.htm

[stonechat]

Hi

yes eillo those are Staffurth's parents, and Mary Jane's grandparents

Staffurth was born in Warboys, Staffurth and the three of his brothers that I know reached adulthood were all watchmakers.

I've had fun with the varying transcriptions of Staffurth

Thanks for the newspaper link. Not sure I will be able to get there.

Bob