HANNAH LOUISA PERCY
INQUEST AT NEWBURY YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN'S SAD DEATH

An inquest was held last (Wednesday) evening at the Police Court, by Dr. Watson, J. P., Borough Coroner, and a jury of whom Mr. A.C. Bishop was foreman.
The deceased was Mrs. Hannah Louisa Percy, aged 32, wife of a labourer living in Craven-court, Bartholomew-street. She was in her usual health on Monday at mid-day, when her husband left for work at a distance. Later in the day she was seized with severe pains, and Mrs. Cooper, a neighbour gave her some brandy, but it afforded no relief. She was in bed all Tuesday, and at night, as she was still in great pain, Mrs. Cooper suggested sending for a doctor. She said she would send to the Dispensary for some medicine, the same as her husband had. On Wednesday morning at a quarter past two, deceased was in great agony and roused her father, George Rush, and Mrs. Cooper, who administered remedies and summoned medical assistance. Dr. Hickman came just before death took place, and said the only thing that could be done was to give her a little brandy. Dr. Heywood arrived just after death had taken place.
Dr Heywood, who gave evidence at last night's inquest, said he had known something of the woman through three of her children being in the hospital for surgical treatment. On Tuesday he learned that a child had called at his home, and asked him to attend at Craven-court but could not explain where it was. He could not ascertain its whereabouts, and waited, thinking they would call again. He was called that morning at 3.30, and went to Craven-court where he found the woman dead. He found she had had some medicine from the Dispensary, and had taken three doses. The Dispenser said it was a carminative mixture, the same as he had given her husband. By order of the Coroner he made a postmortem examination, and found that an abscess had burst in the abdomen, causing peritonitis. The heart was extremely diseased, but all the other organs were healthy. Death was due to the rupture of the abscess, peritonitis and shock. In reply to the Foreman, the doctor said there was not much possibility of her life being saved had a doctor been called in. In 49 out of 50 such cases life could not have been saved. The husband said that his wife had never complained, and he considered her a healthy woman.
The jury returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence, and the Coroner expressed sympathy with the husband, who is left with three young children, all at present in hospital.

Newbury Weekly News 28 March 1907

Bk. 1899 p.135 no. 8280 Buried 30 March 1907

Not in Mrs R