The Death of PC James Ward's wife - Blake Street Upperthorpe Sheffield

The following cutting is taken from the local newspaper in December 1925 and refers to the death of Doris Ward, the wife of PC James William Ward, a local policeman

It is indeed a tragic story but two things strike me about the report. The first is is the abruptness shown by the Deputy Coroner towards the deceased's mother. He infers that the suicide was the result of her failing to admonish her daughter "some months ago" for "threatening to do away with herself." And the second point which leads on from the first is that there is no mention of the debilitating condition "post-natal depression." It is self-evident that this was far more likely be the main causal factor that lead to Doris taking her own life, but this factor was ignored by the Deputy Coroner. In fact it is highly likely that he was unaware of the condition.

Doris is buried in Sheffield's Abbey Lane Cemetery

WARD, Doris (Wife of James A, age 29).

Died at 6 Blake St; Buried on December 5, 1925 in Consecrated ground;

Grave Number 4036, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

Her parents were laid to rest with her 

HOLTON, Harry (Boot Repairer, age 69).

Died at 58 Helmton Road; Buried on October 22, 1936 in Consecrated ground;

Grave Number 4036, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

HOLTON, Emily (Widow, age 71).

Died at 2 Herries Rd; Buried on February 12, 1940 in Consecrated ground;

Grave Number 4036, Section E of Abbey Lane Cemetery, Sheffield.

I do not know if her bereaved husband re-married or what happened to the child who was mentioned.

I checked on FreeBMD and found the following entry

Births Jun 1924 Ward Douglas A Holton Ecclesall B. Volume 9c Page 737

Douglas would have been around 18 months old at the time of his mothers death. The house where the family lived was demolished many years ago