Kathleen Mary Goldsworthy

Kathleen Mary Goldsworthy died from an abortion on Saturday 10 March 1945 at the Royal Cornwall Infirmary in Truro.

She was the mother of a 5-year-old boy and had lived at home with her parents at 34 King's Road in Camborne. Her husband was a former lorry driver but had at the time been serving in Italy.

The doctor went out to see her on 5 March and decided that her condition necessitated her removal to the infirmary and she was admitted the following day.

The doctor that carried out her post-mortem examination said that her cause of death was due to toxaemia caused by peritonitis resulting from a rupture. He added that it could not have been caused by an accident or a heavy fall and could not have come about naturally. He said that in his opinion Kathleen Goldsworthy had been between four and five months pregnant. He said that she had been in a healthy condition except for the internal injuries that had caused her death.

The doctor said that her injuries could have been self-inflicted but said that it would have been very difficult for Kathleen Goldsworthy to have carried out an abortion on herself and thought that it was more likely that someone else had done it.

Kathleen Goldsworthy's father said that he knew nothing about Kathleen Goldsworthy's illness until after the doctor had been called. He said that he was summoned on the Tuesday morning and when he asked Kathleen Goldsworthy what had happened, she said, 'I have got septic poisoning'. He said that she later said something about falling downstairs.

He said that Kathleen Goldsworthy was a very quiet and reserved woman.  She had married in 1936 and her husband had joined the Army in 1940 and had gone abroad in March 1943. He didn't return until 20 March 1945 at which time he had been in Italy, returning on compassionate grounds on account of the dangerous illness of his wife.

A sister at the Royal Cornwall Infirmary said that Kathleen Goldsworthy was admitted as a miscarriage case and that her condition was very poor on arrival and grew steadily worse. She said that Kathleen Goldsworthy told the doctor that she had fallen downstairs.

The police said that when they searched Kathleen Goldsworthy's house, they found some salts of lemon and two syringes.

Kathleen Goldsworthy's next-door neighbour from 57 Roskear Road said that Kathleen Goldsworthy had lived next door to her for seven years and that they were very good neighbours. She said that she didn't know anything was the matter with Kathleen Goldsworthy until 2 March 1945 when she said she understood that Kathleen Goldsworthy had a chill and said that she brought meals for her and then later summoned a doctor.

The neighbours husband said that he saw Kathleen Goldsworthy on 25 February 1945 when she seemed perfectly well and then didn't see her again until the following Friday when she complained of a chill. He said that she never told him that she was pregnant and said that he had never seen the salts of lemons or the syringes before.

He added that when Kathleen Goldsworthy had gone to St Ives on holiday the previous summer, he had on two occasions visited her there and whilst there taken her to a dance, noting that he didn't tell his wife of those meetings. He said that after Kathleen Goldsworthy came back from her holiday and went with her to Cripple's Ease on several occasions but didn't try to conceal the fact.

The coroner said that the jury had two alternatives before them. That Kathleen Goldsworthy had died as a result of a self-inflicted wound, or, if they felt that there was insufficient evidence, they could return an open verdict. He noted that there was no conclusive evidence to show that Kathleen Goldsworthy had herself brought about the abortion but said that if anyone else had caused the wound that they could not be certain who it was, even if they had their suspicions.

The jury came to the conclusion that Kathleen Goldsworthy had died as a result of an abortion but added that there was not enough evidence to show how it came about and an open verdict was returned.