The West Briton (Friday, 15 Oct 1858) reported the very sad death by suicide of Grace LIDSTONE at St. Just in Penwith (see below). Grace WOOLCOCK was baptized 18 Dec 1814 at St. Just in Penwith, the daughter of William WOOLCOCK and his wife Elizabeth HARVEY. Her father was a miner when she was baptized, although he was described as a farmer when her second marriage took place in 1840. Grace WOOLCOCK married William BREWER on 07 Jan 1857 at Mawgan in Pydar. She and her husband had two daughters born at St. Columb, Elizabeth (baptized at Mawgan in Pydar on the first day of 1838) and Mary Ann (baptized at St. Just in Penwith in 1839). Her husband, a miner, died at age 27 at Chyoon, St. Just in Penwith and was buried in that parish on 12 Sep 1839. The widowed Grace BREWER married William Lidstowe POPE (sic) at Sancreed on 28 Jul 1840. The marriage record indicates that his father was William LIDSTONE, suggesting that perhaps his birth may have been illegitimate. The surname of Grace's second husband can best be described as confusing, appearing in various records as LEADSTONE, LEDSTONE, LIDSTONE, and LOADSTONE. William & Grace LEADSTONE, and the two daughters by her first marriage, lived at Brane, Sancreed at the 1841 Census, and he was a tin miner born "not in county." William & Grace LEDSTONE remained at Brane at the 1851 Census, with the record describing him as a mine labourer born in Nottingham. Their family consisted of her daughter Mary Ann BREWER and five LEDSTONE children born subsequent to the 1841 Census. Grace met her end in the sad 1858 incident described by The West Briton (see below). The Coroner did not speculate as to her state of mind at the time of her death, but it should certainly be noted that the death of her youngest child, 3 year old Harriet Jessey LEDSTONE, earlier in 1858 might have impacted her mental health. Moreover, the fact that Grace's relatives insisted upon a proper medical examination following the Coroner's inquest, at which the physician "Mr. Searle, of St. Just, examined the body and satisfied himself and Mrs. Lidstone's friends that death had resulted from her own hands and in the manner indicated," hints strongly at the possibility that William LEDSTONE may have been somewhat less than a prince charming. Following the 1858 tragedy, the widowed William married Elizabeth HOSKING in the Penzance registration district during 3Q1859. Elizabeth was born circa 1828 at St. Just in Penwith. Two children are known to have been born to their marriage, daughter Margaret Ann (circa 1860) and son James Richard (circa 1866). William and his second wife and family lived at St. Just in Penwith at the 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891 Census. In those records he was said to have been born in in Devon at Kingsbridge (61), Plymouth (71,91), or Henobridge (81). Elizabeth died at New Downs, St. Just in Penwith in 1890, and her 09 Apr 1890 burial appears in the parish register. William died at New Downs 5 years later and was buried 13 May 1895 at the Wesleyan Cemetery in St. Just. Bill Curnow Port Charlotte, FL, USA > DETERMINED SUICIDE - On Tuesday the 5th instant, GRACE LIDSTONE > committed suicide under the following painful circumstances. WILLIAM > LIDSTONE, a miner who works at Ballaswidden mine, resides in a tenement > near Brain, in the parish of Sancreed. Deceased was his wife. She was > about 44 years of age, and had been twice married, having had two children > by her first and seven by her second husband. On Tuesday, the 8th, her > husband came home to dinner about two o'clock, and a conversation ensued > between them about a house and cow she was desirous he should take. This > had formerly been talked over by them, and she was particularly anxious he > should rent the house in question. The husband said he could not take it, > for it was let already, and she then made the awful threat -"If thee'st > let the house go, the devil shall have my soul and thine very shortly, and > the sooner the better." The man went outside the door to thatch a > furze-rick, and his boy went with him, leaving a little girl who was > unwell, sitting by the chimney. Nothing unusual transpired until about > five, when a younger boy came home from school and asked his sister where > his mother was. He was told upstairs. The husband came in and said "go > up stairs and see for your mother." The little boy went up and at once > returned, screaming that his mother was hung. Lidstone went up stairs > and, thinking his wife was only playing a trick, said "what hast thee done > now?" He found, however, that she was dead and called for assistance. A > neighbour named WATERS, his son and Mr. WILLIAM OLDS, butcher, of Brain, > ran in and cut Mrs. Lidstone down, but she was quite dead. The method in > which she had destroyed herself was as follows:- > Above a space between the foot of the bed and a box she had thrown a black > handkerchief over the key-beam (one of the beams of an open roof.) Then > taking a woollen cravat, she had placed it round her neck double, > attaching each end of the cravat to each end of the handkerchief, and her > neck was suspended in a lasso. As this was done while standing on the bed > and box she had the space to drop into. The cravat stretched, however, > and when found her feet touched the ground, her knees were bent, and her > head inclined to the left. The weight of the body had caused a deep welt > under the left ear. She had on her washing-gown, and must have left her > husband, and at once set about her death. A coroner's inquest was held on > Thursday, before Mr. HITCHENS, and a verdict returned of "Suicide, but in > what state of mine [mind] there is no evidence to prove." On the next > day, by particular request of the wife's relatives, (as no medical man was > called at the death or at the inquest,) Mr. Searle, of St. Just, examined > the body and satisfied himself and Mrs. Lidstone's friends that death had > resulted from her own hands and in the manner indicated.