Below you will read the awful story of Charles Robert Thompson. A story of a broken marriage, a runaway wife and a tragic suicide. It makes for dreadful reading. And in the middle of all this are two girls – the couple’s twelve year old daughter, Mabel Annie Thompson and a young servant girl, Beatrice Ferris.
Mabel was called as a witness at the inquest where she gave evidence about the events that had led up to her mother’s departure and her father’s state of mind and Beatrice told how she found the body of her employer.
It is impossible to imagine how these two girls were affected by the events of that terrible time and whether they ever truly recovered. There would have been no talking therapies available to them then nor probably any other form of help.
Mabel was born in Cirencester on January 11, 1891. In 1901 the family were living at 1 Stafford Street, although Charles’ name does not appear on the census as living with Emily and their three children. Was the marriage already in crisis?
In 1915 Mabel married George Woodward, a butcher with a shop at 107 Cricklade Road, Gorse Hill. At the time of her marriage she was living at Swindon House, The Square, Old Town. In 1939 Mabel was living at 220 Ferndale Road with her husband, three children and her father-in-law. She died in the June quarter of 1972, aged 81. She is not buried in Radnor Street cemetery.
A summer view across the cemetery
A Carpenter’s Suicide
Deserted by his Wife
A Pathetic Story
A further inquest was conducted by Mr W.E. Nicolson Browne at the Ship Hotel, Swindon this afternoon, touching the death of Charles Robert Thompson, carpenter in the employ of the GWR Co., residing at No. 12 Cambria Place, Swindon, who was found with his throat cut on Saturday morning.
Mabel Thompson, aged 12, daughter of the deceased, who gave her evidence admirably, said her father was 39. Her mother went away nine weeks ago with a Joe Barratt, and nothing had been heard of her. Joe Barratt was a lodger at deceased’s house, and was employed in the factory.
The Coroner: Was your father cut up about your mother going away?
Witness: Yes, sir. He mentioned it every day, and went to Cirencester and Glo’ster to try and find her.
Witness further said that Barratt was introduced as a lodger by her mother. One night her father had repeatedly to ask her mother and Joe Barratt to go to bed. They said they would go when they thought they would. A bill had recently arrived for her father who said on receiving it, he could not face it.
Beatrice Ferris, servant at deceased’s house, said she had been with deceased for six weeks. He had not in her presence or to her knowledge stated or hinted that he intended to take his life. He never drank to any extent. On Friday she bought him some brandy.
He frequently exclaimed, “Oh my poor head.” On Thursday he expressed a wish to be let alone when she went to rouse him she could not wake him. A bottle (produced) was found near him by his daughter Mabel. He woke eventually and went to bed. There was no disturbance during the night. On Saturday morning she saw a light in the w.c. She called to ask who was there, and receiving no reply, she pushed the door open and found Mr Thompson dead, with his throat cut. There was a chair there.
Hubert Knew, said he was living in deceased’s house at the time of the death. On Saturday morning he got up before six o’clock. He heard Mr Thompson shout from his room. “Who’s about?” He (witness) replied: “It’s only me,” and Mr Thompson said. “All right.” Deceased had appeared very much depressed lately. He knew that deceased and his wife had had a few words at times. Mrs Thompson had been away nine weeks.
Dr H. Brown, assistant to Dr Swinhoe, said he was called at 7.30 on Saturday morning to the deceased. He found the man dead with his throat cut, and a razor beside him. Death was due to haemorrhage, arising from the wound in the throat.
At this point a letter, which the deceased had left was handed to the Coroner. On the envelope was written: “My purse is on the shelf with all I have.” On looking at the letter enclosed in the envelope the Coroner said that there was no doubt the man had himself cut his throat, and he did not think it necessary that the letter should be read.
The jury returned a verdict of suicide during temporary insanity.
Swindon Advertiser Monday November 23, 1903
Charles Robert Thompson was buried on November 27, 1903 in grave plot C1395. He is buried with his wife Emily who died just three years later in November 1906. Also in the same grave are William S. Stone who died in 1929 and Charlotte Rose Wearing who died in 1933.
Radnor Street Cemetery 