Preece Family Tree

Events

Families

Pedigree

1. 1. Charlie Edwin Hawkins Moore
      1. Ada Annie Sweetland

Source References

1. General Register Office: England & Wales Marriage Index
2. Western Times
   1. • Date: 9 April 1925
      • Page: Page 8
      • Citation:

        OLD LADY'S DEATH

        Cruel to Remove Her From Honiton Clyst

        AN EXETER INQUEST

        An inquest was held at the Court House, Exeter, on Saturday, touching the death of Mrs. Sarah Ann Moxton Sweetland, aged 91, late of Thorndale, Honiton Clyst, who died at a nursing home in Exeter on Thursday.

        The body was identified by Charlie Edwin Hawkins Moore, of Thorndale, Honiton Clyst, as his mother-in-law. He said that she had been living with him for between three and four years, and had enjoyed remarkably good health for her age, but during the last six months she was helped about by his wife.

        In answer to the Coroner's (Mr. W. Linford Brown) question concerning the health of his wife, Mr. Moore said she had been failing for about six months, and now she was completely run down. That was the reason he had had his mother-in-law removed to Nurse Gale's House in Blackboy-road on Wednesday last.

        The Coroner: Did you ask a doctor whether it was well to move her? - No, sir. She didn't seem to want it.

        On witness saying that neither he nor his wife had gone out to see the old lady off, the Coroner remarked that it was rather a cheerless going away. Witness replied that his wife was broken down, and he was with her in another room.

        He came to Exeter on Thursday, and was told by his brother-in-law, who lived at St. Sidwell's, that the old lady had passed away.

        The Coroner: When was the last time the old lady went out? - Oh, when the cold weather began, about September.

        Do you think it a right and proper thing to remove an old lady, who had not been out of the house since the cold weather began? - Yes, sir. My wife was broken down.

        At the conclusion of the witness's evidence, the Coroner remarked that in his opinion the man had been very cruel to his mother-in-law.

        Dr. P. Grey said deceased's heart was greatly enlarged and excessively fatty, and the arteries were thickened. That, he said, was due to senile decay. He attributed death to heart failure.

        In reply to the Coroner's question as to whether he considered her removal justified, the doctor said she must have been very near the end.

        Nurse Gale, 114, Blackboy-road, to whose house deceased was taken, said until very near the end, and even in the ambulance, deceased was very bright. She passed the first night comfortably. About 9.30 a.m. witness saw she was crying, and fetched Dr. Dodd.

        Sergt. B. Arnold, St. John Ambulance Brigade, said he brought deceased to Exeter, and she seemed very bright. He would not have undertaken the removal on his own authority, however.

        The Coroner, in returing a verdict of "Death from natural causes, due to fatty degeneration of the heart," said it appeared to him that more care should have been taken. It seemed very unkind to the old lady so far. "I hope," said Mr. Brown, "I shall not get any more of this sort of removal case."

3. Western Morning News
   1. • Date: 7 April 1925
      • Page: Page 9
      • Citation:

        OLD LADY'S REMOVAL TO A HOME.

        CORONER'S COMMENTS AT EXETER INQUEST.

        Mr. W. Linford Brown (Exeter city coroner) held an inquest on Saturday on Sarah Ann Maxton Sweetland, aged 91, late of Honiton Clyst, who died at an Exeter nursing home two days previously.

        Charlie E. H. Moore, of Ferndale, Honiton Clyst, said deceased, his mother-in-law, had lived with him for three or four years. Up to six months ago she was capable of looking after herself, but since then his wife had to help her about. His wife had been in failing health for about six months.

        Witness arranged with deceased's son to have her brought to the nursing home on the previous Tuesday, and she was conveyed in by Sergt. Arnold, of the St. John Ambulance, and two nurses. She did not seem to need a doctor. His wife did not see the old lady off because she had broken down.

        The Coroner said he thought witness had been very cruel to deceased.

        Dr. P. Gray attributed death to heart failure. Replying to the Coroner, he said he thought on removal deceased must have been very near the end. Personally he wished they had kept her for a little longer. It was not the sort of thing he would have recommended at her age; it would have been much wiser to have had a doctor.

        After further evidence the Coroner said he thought more care might have been taken. It seemed very unkind to send the old lady so far; they might have got accommodation nearer.

        A verdict of "Death from natural causes" was returned.

4. 1939 Register
   1. • Page: WICK/183
5. (Death unknown but obviously not living)