She walked to death with a secret

[BridgetM]

My Uncle thought the newspaper clipping came from the Daily Mirror, but I have no proof.
I am hoping that when I get the date of death from the cert, I may obtain help from Ipswich library if they will look up the local newspaper for me .... it would surely offer more detail than the nationals ...?

OC, we all have rogues & scallywags in our forebears, no shame felt by me ;)
I just feel it such a sad saga I want to get to the bottom of it .....

(Sits twiddling thumbs whilst waiting for the GRO to jump to it & deliver)

[Little Nell]

On the other hand the suicide might not have been connected to the money at all. Perhaps she thought she had cancer (even though she didn't) and preferred suicide to a lingering death/

Maybe she and her landlady were lesbians and had a lover's quarrel. i'm letting my imagination run away with me now.

If you could find out where she went in Ipswich that might help. But if it was a private address for a lover, illegitimate child, handicapped rellie, you might never find out.

Tragic, but intriguing.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Thanks Merry, I think your red herring suggestion is the case, I looked up his birth & from memory it was Lincolnshire, not Norfolk or Suffolk.

Erm....the one I was thinking he was said he was born in Lavenham in 1911 and 1891. (I think that's Suffolk?)

[BridgetM]

Oh Merry! I dispair of myself ..... 1938 - 68 = 1878 = WRONG No wonder I decided he was not worth looking at any more ...... duh!
So agreeing that 1938 - 68 = 1870 I am trying again
altho' I had thought that my Spink line originated in Norfolk & Peter came south, but perhaps he came south to be near other kin, I will search on!
Thank you for your polite patience with me

[Mary from Italy]

Peter and his parents and siblings were all born in Norfolk:

RG10; Piece: 1804; Folio: 144; Page: 8

[Mary from Italy]

I did wonder if Emma was sent off to her uncle and aunt in 1911 because she'd got pregnant, but I can't see an obvious candidate for a baby around 1911. There are a couple of Spink children born in the Erpingham reg. district between 1901 and 1911 who I can't find on the 1911 census, and no death either, but Spink seems to be a fairly common name in the area, so they could be anyone's.

[BridgetM]

Fair point Mary -

OK, so my next question is ;)
if a baby was born in an unmarried mothers home, & given up for adoption ... in what name was it registered? The natural mum or the 'new' mum?

[BC]

It would be registered in the natural mother's name, then the adoptive parents could have the child re-registered in their name.

[Little Nell]

Only after 1927 when legal adoption began.

[Buttercup]

Yesterday, I visited my uncle who gave me a newspaper cutting (Oct-Dec 1939)

Can anyone advise me as to where I might find more info, please?

Quote:

"SHE WALKED TO DEATH WITH A SECRET

Miss Spink, frugal. kindly, was one of that army of elderly women who live on a little allowance and a dwindling bank account. She was sixty-one years old. Her tastes were simple, her needs few.
She lived quietly in the village of Kesgrave, near Ipswich; paid only 10s. a week to the friend with whom she lodged; regularly visited her small circle of aquaintances.

But Miss Emma Spink had a secret.

When she travelled to Ipswich she never went the whole way by bus. Instead she took only a penny fare and walked the rest of the way.

On Friday Miss Spink spent the day alone on a secret mission, then went to Ipswich.

There she walked towards the River Gipping; carefully piled her hat, bag and coat into a neat pile and walked to her death in the river.
At the inquest here today, Miss Spink's bank account was examined.

For two years, it was found she had drawn nothing. But since March this year she had withdrawn £146-and nobody knows how she spent it.
What did Miss Spink do with her money? ...
a secret act of mercy?
A sacrifice for a lost lover .. ?

She was not penniless. There was £3.10s. in her purse and £4. 10s. in her room.

She left no message. only her discarded clothes and the mystery of her bank account.

Verdict: Suicide, and the jury could not decide why."

From our own correspondent. Ipswich, Monday

Bridget did you see that Glen is offering lookups at the Suffolk RO Thought you may have a question about Emma?

[BridgetM]

Yes Buttercup, I did see that generous offer & was tempted .... but a lot of people have already placed requests & I don't think he will have any time left for his own research ;)

[chich]

Oh Bridget how very sad...i hope you find some answers to the questions you have.