Catherine Louisa Rackett

GEDCOM Note

Catherine Rackett the daughter of a retired soldier residing with his family in Bolton, met Benjamin James Foulds and had an affair which resulted in the Birth of Benjamin Foulds (Brewer). She was 23 years old and kept Ben with her for 2 years before Benjamin James had him adopted. Reasons unknown at this Diment sure where 2yrs came from as he was 4yrs and 9 months when she died.

Yorkshire Observer 15 May 1908 P3 BRADFORD WOMANS FATAL MISTAKE An inquest was held in Bradford yesterday by the city coroner Mr JG Hutchinson. Concerning the death of Louisa Rackett 28 weaver of 18 Holm Top Street, who died in the workhouse infirmary on Thursday from the effects of poisoning. A witness named Lily Riddiough, who lodged with the deceased woman said the latter was a spinster. On Tuesday the 5th she complained of sickness and the following day being no better she was removed on the advice of a doctor to the workhouse infirmary. During the last fortnight she had been depressed owing to a man with whom she had previously being living having been charged with wife desertion. The medical attendant at the workhouse deposed that when the woman was admitted to that institution she was suffering from shock and violent vomiting. His suspicions were aroused that it was a case of poisoning but such a suggestion was repudiated by the patient on Saturday morning however when her condition was critical she stated that on the previous Tuesday she had purchased two penny worth of salts of lemon and two penny worth of Epsom salts, she wanted the former for laundry purposes but on getting home took them as a medicine by mistake for the Epsom salts. The jury returned a verdict of death by poisoning and added that their was not sufficient evidence to show the state of the woman's mind at the time she took the salts.

Possibly buried in Bowling or Scholemoor Cemetery

Bradford Daily Argus Friday May 15th 1903 Front page A Fatal Packet Bradford Young Woman's Tragic End An inquest was held at Bradford Town Hall to-day upon the body of Louisa Rackett (28) of 10 Holme Top Street Bradford. The evidence showed that on the 5th of the present month the deceased became very sick and was ultimately removed to the Workhouse hospital there the doctor asked her if she had taken anything and she answered that she had not. He was still of the opinion that she had done so and the woman later informed him that she had had a packet of salts of lemon and one of Epsom salts in her pocket and had mistaken the two taking a dose of the salts of lemon. She subsequently died of salts of lemon poisoning. The jury returned a verdict of death from salts of lemon poisoning and said there was not sufficient evidence to show the state of the deceased mind.

In looking through the papers at this time I noticed that there was quite a few suicides reported and two or three by poisoning using various powders and chemicals. also divorce settlements were high £500 £600 and £1000 being quoted whilst fines in courts at that time were something like £10. 2002 I noted that a man charged with wife desertion was fined 5 shillings although his circumstances were different.

We found another entry in the Bradford Daily Telegraph Fri May 15th p3 col 5 which said:

BRADFORD WOMAN'S DEATH Took poison by Mistake

The City Coroner (Mr J.G. Hutchinson) held an inquiry at the Town Hall this morning touching the death of Louisa Rackett (28 a weaver , who lately resided at 18 Holme top Street, and who died at the Workhouse yesterday as the result of poisoning. Lily Riddiough, who lodged with the deceased, said deceased was a single woman, had on Tuesday, May 5th ,complained of feeling unwell. On the following day she was no better, and a doctor ordered her removal to the Union Workhouse. Witness said deceased had been low spirited and depressed since she had lived with her, and she thought this was because the man whom deceased had previously resided with had been charged with wife desertion. The doctor from the workhouse said when the deceased was admitted he questioned her as to whether she had taken anything, but she answered in the negative. He still had his suspicions that she had taken something. On becoming worse the deceased told him that she had bought some salts of Lemon and Epsom salts in order to take some stains out of linen, and had afterwards taken the salts of lemon in mistake for the Epsom salts. In the doctors opinion death was due to poisoning by salts of lemon. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from poisoning," which had been administered by the deceased but they did not think there was sufficient evidence to show the state of her mind at the time. Catherine Rackett the daughter of a retired soldier residing with his family in Bolton, met Benjamin James Foulds and had an affair which resulted in the Birth of Benjamin Foulds (Brewer). She was 23 years old and kept Ben with her for 2 years before Benjamin James had him adopted. Reasons unknown at this Diment sure where 2yrs came from as he was 4yrs and 9 months when she died.

Yorkshire Observer 15 May 1908 P3 BRADFORD WOMANS FATAL MISTAKE An inquest was held in Bradford yesterday by the city coroner Mr JG Hutchinson. Concerning the death of Louisa Rackett 28 weaver of 18 Holm Top Street, who died in the workhouse infirmary on Thursday from the effects of poisoning. A witness named Lily Riddiough, who lodged with the deceased woman said the latter was a spinster. On Tuesday the 5th she complained of sickness and the following day being no better she was removed on the advice of a doctor to the workhouse infirmary. During the last fortnight she had been depressed owing to a man with whom she had previously being living having been charged with wife desertion. The medical attendant at the workhouse deposed that when the woman was admitted to that institution she was suffering from shock and violent vomiting. His suspicions were aroused that it was a case of poisoning but such a suggestion was repudiated by the patient on Saturday morning however when her condition was critical she stated that on the previous Tuesday she had purchased two penny worth of salts of lemon and two penny worth of Epsom salts, she wanted the former for laundry purposes but on getting home took them as a medicine by mistake for the Epsom salts. The jury returned a verdict of death by poisoning and added that their was not sufficient evidence to show the state of the woman's mind at the time she took the salts.

Possibly buried in Bowling or Scholemoor Cemetery

Bradford Daily Argus Friday May 15th 1903 Front page A Fatal Packet Bradford Young Woman's Tragic End An inquest was held at Bradford Town Hall to-day upon the body of Louisa Rackett (28) of 10 Holme Top Street Bradford. The evidence showed that on the 5th of the present month the deceased became very sick and was ultimately removed to the Workhouse hospital there the doctor asked her if she had taken anything and she answered that she had not. He was still of the opinion that she had done so and the woman later informed him that she had had a packet of salts of lemon and one of Epsom salts in her pocket and had mistaken the two taking a dose of the salts of lemon. She subsequently died of salts of lemon poisoning. The jury returned a verdict of death from salts of lemon poisoning and said there was not sufficient evidence to show the state of the deceased mind.

In looking through the papers at this time I noticed that there was quite a few suicides reported and two or three by poisoning using various powders and chemicals. also divorce settlements were high £500 £600 and £1000 being quoted whilst fines in courts at that time were something like £10. 2002 I noted that a man charged with wife desertion was fined 5 shillings although his circumstances were different.

We found another entry in the Bradford Daily Telegraph Fri May 15th p3 col 5 which said:

BRADFORD WOMAN'S DEATH Took poison by Mistake

The City Coroner (Mr J.G. Hutchinson) held an inquiry at the Town Hall this morning touching the death of Louisa Rackett (28 a weaver , who lately resided at 18 Holme top Street, and who died at the Workhouse yesterday as the result of poisoning. Lily Riddiough, who lodged with the deceased, said deceased was a single woman, had on Tuesday, May 5th ,complained of feeling unwell. On the following day she was no better, and a doctor ordered her removal to the Union Workhouse. Witness said deceased had been low spirited and depressed since she had lived with her, and she thought this was because the man whom deceased had previously resided with had been charged with wife desertion. The doctor from the workhouse said when the deceased was admitted he questioned her as to whether she had taken anything, but she answered in the negative. He still had his suspicions that she had taken something. On becoming worse the deceased told him that she had bought some salts of Lemon and Epsom salts in order to take some stains out of linen, and had afterwards taken the salts of lemon in mistake for the Epsom salts. In the doctors opinion death was due to poisoning by salts of lemon. The jury returned a verdict of "Death from poisoning," which had been administered by the deceased but they did not think there was sufficient evidence to show the state of her mind at the time.