Suicide

[DebbieHuck]

I'm trying to find out why one of my Great Grandfathers committed suicide in 1930. The info on his death certificate just says 'asphyxia from hanging while of unsound mind'. Does anyone know if any such records exist and if so where I can find out more? I have the coroners name at the time and the date of the inquest.

[Ayashi]

I don't know about coroner's records, but have you tried newspapers? There are some sites that have access, such as FindMyPast and Genes Reunited, but can't guarantee which newspapers and time periods have been uploaded. I don't know how recent FindMyPast records go up to but I've found 1950s ones on GR so you might find some for 1930.

[nanny jan]

The county archives might hold the coroner's record; email them with the details from the death certificate. 
Survival of such records is very irregular; I've looked for three inquests and found only one.

Oops...forgot to say...welcome to Rootschat. 

[starcat]

Unless you can find the coroner's report or newspaper articles you might never know the why, My paternal grandmother   took her own life in 1932, I have a copy of the coroner's report a copy of the doctor's report who was called in to determine her cause of death & newspaper articles so I have a good idea of why she did it, to me the most important was she was determined to be of unsound mind at the time, I don't know for sure but I think this is the reason she was able to buried in consecrated ground.

[stanmapstone]

An 1823 statute legalised the burial of suicides in consecrated ground, but religious services were not permitted until 1882.
In England and Wales suicide was a crime until 1961. To get round this coroner's courts used terms implying the  person was not of sound mind at the time, usually without any evidence on which to base this assumption. Also a suicide could be buried in consecrated ground without ceremony, but the minister had to perform the burial service if the verdict was of "suicide while of unsound mind", or"temporary fit of insanity".

Stan

[IJDisney]

Newspapers will often report the inquest findings, or make a story out the event. The usual verdict is 'of unsound mind' or 'temporarily insane'. Frequently the newspapers will report recent events, or medical history, or bizarre behaviour that corroborates the idea that suicides were not 'themselves'.

I have a couple suicides in the family. One newspaper report in 1834 gave a detailed explanation of the assumed reasons for the (double) suicide. Another in 1855 just mentioned the deceased was recently agitated and had in the past experienced delusional thoughts - but no specific details.