Suicide

[genuisscuffy]

My Grandfather William James Barnett born 29 Sept 1911 Portsmouth married my Grandmother Joan Louisa Fielder 3 Aug 1946 (again Portsmouth).
William died by committing suicide at Oxshott Station, Esher 21 Aug 1949. I have the death cert stating that a Post Mortem and Coronors inquest was held but I cant find any information other than that? Surely it would be in the newspapers either locally or in Esher.  Any help would be appreciated.

[jorose]

There would likely be something, but a lot of newspapers haven't been indexed and few are online. Depending where you are now, either a local record office (county record office? Portsmouth archives/library?) or the British Library newspaper reading room may have copies of the appropriate newspapers:
http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/inrrooms/blnewspapers/newsrr.html

(The BL have put some things online but only up to 1900).

Where was the PM/inquest held? Esher? (Some inquest records survive but it's very patchy so you'd have to check with the records office to see if they have any of that time period, and what the access requirements are).

[genuisscuffy]

Hi I checked with Esher Records office and they dont hold anything, and Portsmouth Records Office but I might go and see if the library in Portsmouth holds anything.

[harridene]

You can contact the local coroners office, but i think there is a 50 or 75 year delay. i was able to get my relatives post mortem details from 1929 for a fee

[genuisscuffy]

Hi Harridene, I did do that as soon as I got the death cert but the coronor said most were destroyed after 5-10 years unless of an interest and my grandfathers had been destroyed.  Apparently there is no where to store them which I thought was quite bad as what if something came up at a later date??

[Redroger]

My grandmother killed herself in Boston in 1901. Like in your case the inquest papers had not survived; however there were reams of reports in the local papers , extremely graphic descriptions. You have the certificate and therefore the date, look in all the local papers circulating in the area at the time. The local reference library will have records of the papers circulating,and probably copies of the papers, most likely on microfilm, take it on from there, but a warning, you are likely to find the reports very harrowing, I did, almost 100 years later.

[harridene]

I agree the reports can be harrowing, my relation threw herself under a train and even the newspaper report repeated word by word what was said at the inquest - but it is still good to find out what happened and why

[Redroger]

Agreed Harridene, I always suspected a mystery about my grandmother. All the other family certificates were kept except hers. Then I found out why. Good to solve the mystery though!

[genuisscuffy]

I'm not looking forward to finding something but then again I am if you know what I mean!!! - Mum didnt know her Dad as he died on the day before her 4th Birthday and nothing was ever said about him she didnt even know his first name until I went and got her full certificate - I'm glad in a way she never knew I think she would have been heartbroken.