Suicide through the London Horrors?

[Mike Covell]

This appeared in the Hull and East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire Times, October 13th 1888.

It was discussed briefly on another thread, so rather than detract from that thread here is the clipping in question,

[Chris Scott]

Many thanks Mike
A few more details:
Daily News
12 October 1888

[Chris Scott]

Sadly her husband followed her course of action early the following year

Aberdeen Journal
9 January 1889

[Chris Scott]

Newcastle Weekly Courant
12 January 1889

[Mike Covell]

Thanks for posting those Chris, and how sad to see that it was still affecting people, albeit non-directly. I do have a longer article, similar to the one you posted and I will look for it today.

[robhouse]

This would have been October 11, as the 13th was a saturday...

[Chava]

Interesting that they both hanged themselves. Unusual as well.

[Rob Clack]

I got this a few months ago from 'The East London Advertiser' 12 January 1889.



Rob

[Sam Flynn]

Hi Chava,

Interesting that they both hanged themselves. Unusual as well.

I don't quite see that suicide through hanging should be considered particularly unusual - far from it. For unusual, check out Dr Thomas Bond's self-defenestration.

[Chris Scott]

Re: the Sodeaux couple, they are listed in the 1881 census under the spelling SODO
The husband's name was John, not Joseph:
65 Hanbury Street
Head: John Sodo aged 44 - Silk weaver
Wife: Elizabeth Sodo aged 43
Children:
Emma aged 13
Charles aged 10
John aged 7
Walter aged 5
Arthur aged 4
Ada aged 1
All born in Bethnal Green

Elizabeth's death was registered in Whitechapel in Quarter 4 of 1888, her name being given as Eliabeth Jessie Sodo and her aged as 50
John Sodo's death was registered in Whitechapel in Quarter 1 of 1889, his age at death given as 52

The couple married in 1857 in Bethnal Green, her maiden name given as Elizabeth Harrington

In 1871 the family were living at 13 Tyrrel Street, Bethnal Green

[Chava]

One suicidal parent could be construed as unfortunate. Two suicidal parents can only be described as unusual. Especially given that both hanged themselves in precisely similar circumstances. And neither seemed to give a damn about their poor little daughter and the rest of the kids.

[Chris Scott]

Hi Chava
Ive managed to trace two of the kids in 1891
Ada was a pupil at Forest Gate School and Arthur was in training on a naval vessel

[Sam Flynn]

In 1871 the family were living at 13 Tyrrel Street, Bethnal Green

There seem to have been quite a number of relatives in Bethnal Green, Chris - although the Ancestry data entry clerks have them down (wrongly) as "Sodean" [examination of the returns shows that it was written as "Sodeau"].

[m_w_r]

Arthur's Training Ship

Hi,

In the 1891 census, Arthur (son of the deceased) was on the Exmouth Training Ship. You can see a photo of the crew of 1893 - perhaps including Arthur as a fifteen or sixteen year old - on the Workhouses website (www.workhouses.org.uk): click on Children and Education on the sidebar, and then Training Ships, and run down the page to the Exmouth.

Regards,

Mark

[Chris Scott]

Hi Gareth
There are many variants even including Lodo and Sado!!
But of the "proper" listings on the original sheets, the versions are Sodo, Sodeau and Sodeaux
Regards
Chris