Lily Rosina Lovelock

Lily Rosina Lovelock was found dead in her bath.

She was a lady's companion and was found dead in the bathroom of the flats where she lived.

Her post-mortem stated that she had died from coal gas poisoning but that there was insufficient evidence to show the circumstances in which the poison was inhaled.

The Coroner's jury heard that it was a possibility that Lily Lovelock had turned on the gas tap, filled the room with gas, and then turned it off and got into the bath.

It was also heard that she was being treated by a spiritualist who had been treating her for her nerves. It was heard that Lily Lovelock had said that she had never felt better than after being treated by the spiritism doctor, and better than when she was treated by a regular doctor.

At the inquest the doctor admitted that he was not a doctor and described himself as a psychologist, spiritual healer and author. He said that he simply did the laying of hands, prayed and that there were several instances where she had to concentrate on the Coue principle. He said that she paid him half a crown for each lesson and he saw her twice a week and that he had been seeing her on and off for the last three years. He confirmed that he had never held a chair at a university.

The spiritualist was also described as a crystalgazer, a professor of psychology and mesmerism and a faith healer.

He denied that he had used hypnotism on Lily Lovelock. He also said that he had never involved Lily Lovelock with clairvoyance, noting that her nerves would not permit her to be a clear see-er. He did admit that he was a clear see-er.

It was heard that they had first met when the spiritualist was practising as a palmist.

The Coroner said that she might have been in a hot atmosphere and fainted after it was heard that she had fainted once before, and an open verdict was returned.

He noted that there was an issue of geysers and systems of ventilation in the bathroom still to be sorted out by the authorities.