Genealogy Chat

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If someone comitted suicide in 1943, and they were buried within a couple of months of the death, would there have been an enquiry??? Could it be in the newspapers at the time??? What could have happened to the 2 young children left behind. Debbie

I would think there would have to be an inquest. You might find a report of the suicide in the local newspaper of the time (these should be on microfilm at the nearest main library to where the death took place). If you have the death certificate and the informant was the coroner then there WAS an inquest. The children would either go to live with other family members, or go into a childrens home I would imagine. Kath. x

Well the children would have been taken in by family or placed in a home i would think. It is difficult to say for certain,but there were an awful lot of adoptions in the forties and a lot of children were sent abroad for adoption,mostly Australia and Canada but also elsewhere. Glen

Thanks for the info. Has anyone else got any more Thanks Debbie

Unfortunately there was so much death to report in 1943 that stories like that did not get the coverage that they would have received in peacetime. A member of my family who was charged with murder - later reduced to manslaughter - in September 1943, benefited from this as her case got relatively little national press coverage, though it was all over the local papers.

I believe that my grt grand dad's first wife committed suicide, also in 1943 funnily enough. I came to this conclusion from finding her grave where she was listed as being buried in unconsecrated ground - I can't seem to find any other reason for this so am working on this assumption untilI Iget the funds for her death certificate. Maybe if you can find the burial you might find the same thing?

If you google for the Bedfordshire Library service, you can get the Times Online and the Gazette for free which may help you in your search. Try looking for online archives of the local paper of the area as well. I have 3 suicides in my mum's birth family unfortunately. Claire

Thanks Paul I can understand the need only to publish in the local papers, as you say there was a lot of deaths during the war which would have taken priority. Can newspapers be viewed on Ancestry for the year do you think?? Debbie

As it is/was a criminal offence to take ones life there would be a lot of coverage in the local press. If you've got specific dates contact the library of the area the suicide happend. They should have the local newspaper archived. Kept.