Edith Lydia Wedge

Edith Lydia Wedge drowned in a river in Stratford-on-Avon.

She was married to a 50-year-old American man that had been in England for about 12 months. They were married on 30 April 1901. Edith Wedge was described as being barely 18.

The husband said that they had pulled up the river at about 5am and that Edith Wedge had stood up in the boat to change her position and then fallen in to the river. He said that he dived in several times to save her and threw her a small scull which she failed to grasp. He said that she rose three times and then finally disappeared.

No one saw the incident.

Her body was found three hours later.

It was heard that Edith Wedge was insured for the sum of £300 with the Ocean Accident Company, the proposal having been filled out by her husband and having been signed by her.

It was noted that the husband had been married twice before.

They had come to Stratford-on-Avon about two weeks earlier and had spent a good deal of time on the river, always going out in the early morning.

The husband admitted that the age that had been given on both the marriage certificate and the insurance proposal was wrong as she had not been 18 years old at the time.

The husband also admitted that he had taken a smaller boat out that day, a boat that was four feet shorter although of the same beam, and also admitted having a conversation with a man as to the times that people usually went to bathe in the river and having been told that there was usually nobody about until 6.30am or 7am.

An open verdict was returned of Found Drowned.