Isabella Clarke

Isabella Clarke died from general septicaemia caused by interference by some person.

She died at the Nottingham General Hospital on 25 January 1918.

She had been employed at the Eagle Works in Nottingham as a clerk and on 20 January 1918 she was seized with an illness and a child was prematurely born four days later.

However, her condition became worse and she was taken to hospital.

Her mother said that she had no idea about her daughter's condition and when she saw her she said 'Bella, whatever have you been doing' and Isabella Clarke replied 'I know I ought to have had a stronger will, but he promised to find me a home till the baby was born, and to find a home for the child until things had settled down. Then he said he would marry me, and we would have the child at home'. She said she didn't say anything about what had happened to her.

Her boyfriend had seen her two days before the child was born.

When she was first seen by a doctor at the hospital the doctor came to the conclusion that she had been suffering from a mild attack of pneumonia but afterwards discovered that she was pregnant and shortly after the child was born prematurely. The doctor then suspected that something was wrong and that there had been foul play.

The doctor questioned Isabella Clarke but she denied that anyone had interfered with her and said that he boyfriend had given her some pills which she had declined to take and which she had thrown on the fire. After some consultation the doctor had Isabella Clarke sent to the hospital concluding that that septicaemia had caused the premature birth and that it had preceded it.

She was admitted to the Nottingham General Hospital on 24 January 1918 and died the next day.

Isabella Clarke's aunt said that Isabella Clarke had told her that she had one or two of the pills and that they had made her feel ill and she had returned the remainder to her boyfriend. Her boyfriend elected to give evidence at the inquest and denied that he had ever given Isabella Clarke pills.