Annie Suggitt

Annie Suggitt was found dead on a bed in an unused room at her home at about midnight on 17 September 1937 by her husband.

They had been married for about 29 years.

When the divisional surgeon was called to the house he said that he thought that she had been dead for about 8 hours. He said that her death was due to inhalation of vomit imposed upon slight coal gas poisoning. He also said that there were bruises on her body that were probably caused within the last 24 to 56 hours. He added that he found no definite indication of alcohol.

Her husband said that Annie Suggitt had been addicted to drink for a number of years and had also suffered from bronchitis and that she had not received medical attention for some time.

He said that they had just removed from Margaret Street to Cromwell Street about a fortnight earlier and that they had a son who was totally blind. He said that Annie Suggitt used to take the son to the blind institution but that she stopped doing so on 11 September 1937 after Annie Suggitt and the son had a row. He said that the son and Annie Suggitt also had a violent quarrel on 16 September 1937, during which he said, the son struck Annie Suggitt in the face causing her to fall and that afterwards he noticed that Annie Suggitt had a black face.

The husband said that Annie Suggitt used to knock herself about awfully when she was in drink and said that on the Thursday night she had come home the worse for drink and had ben shouting and that their son called two policemen to the house.

He said that Annie Suggitt went out the following morning and that that was the last time he saw her alive.

He said that he later took his son to the Blind Institution and then when he didn’t return, said that he made some enquiries and found that his son didn't want to go home and had ben taken off to the Beverley Road Institution.

He said then, that at 9pm, Annie Suggitt had still not returned home, and he went to bed. He said that he got up again at 10.30pm and went into the kitchen where he waited for her to return until nearly midnight.

He said then that he found her in bed in the middle bedroom, which was generally unused, adding that it was a mystery to him how she got in and said that he had not heard her come in. He said that he had slept in the front bedroom.

He said that when he went into the middle bedroom he smelt gas and that Annie Suggitt was lying face downwards with her hands underneath her head and that he then went out to get the police. He said that there was a smell of gas and that he thought that someone had turned on the gas tap at the gas bracket. He said that he had not smelt the gas until he had entered the room. He noted that he found a pillow pushed partly up the chimney but said that he had not seen it before and thought that it might have been there when they had taken the place.

The inquest heard that expert evidence was given stating that the gas tap in the room was not liable to be knocked off accidently.

At the inquest a policeman said that on the Thursday night a blind youth had told him to go to Cromwell Street as a woman there was hitting his father. The policeman said that he and another policeman then went to Cromwell Street where they found the husband in bed and Annie Suggitt downstairs and the worse for drink. The policeman said that they asked the husband whether he was all right and said that the husband told them that he was and said that Annie Suggitt then came upstairs and was quarrelsome. He said that they then left.

The police added that they were not able to trace Annie Suggitt's movements on the Friday but said that on the Thursday she had been in pub for the greater part of opening hours and was drunk when she returned home. They also confirmed that she was well known to the police and that she had many convictions for being drunk and disorderly.

An open verdict was returned.