Perseverance 1910s

Folkestone Daily News 2-2-1910

Wednesday, February 2^nd: Before Messrs. Herbert, Stainer, Leggett, Swoffer, and Linton.

Edith Ralph was charged with attempting to commit suicide.

An assistant at Timothy White`s Ltd. deposed to prisoner buying some spirits of salts, saying it was for cleaning closets. He pointed out to her that it was a poisonous substance. Ten minutes later she brought it back and said she wanted salts of lemon. He put it back in stock. She then told him she had taken some and fell down. With the assistance of a customer he administered an antidote of magnesia and chalk. There was no perceptible diminution of the quantity he sold her, but half a teaspoonful might have gone, which would not have produced fatal results. It would take half on ounce to kill anyone.

The justices consulted for some time and then dismissed the case, telling the accused that they knew she had had a lot of trouble, and advising her to go home to her husband.

(This poor woman was one of the first victims of the Licensing Act. She occupied a house in Tontine Street, which was closed, consequently their living was gone, and they have had a severe struggle. Not long since one of the sons attempted suicide and was bound over. It is certainly a case in which a little real philanthropy would not be thrown away. Ed.)

Folkestone Express 5-2-1910

Wednesday, February 2^nd: Before Messrs. W.G. Herbert, J. Stainer, G.I. Swoffer, and R.J. Linton, and Major Leggett.

Edith Ralph, a married woman, was charged with attempting to commit suicide.

Wm. Metcalf, managers to Messrs. Timothy White and Co., carrying on business as chemists at 71, Tontine Street, said prisoner came into the shop at about twenty minutes past three the previous afternoon. She asked for twopennyworth of salts of lemon, saying she wanted it for cleaning closets. Witness told her that salts of lemon was not the thing to clean closets with. Prisoner said it was a liquid, and she wanted either salts of lemon or spirits of salts. She satisfied him that it was for a legitimate use, and he served her with twopennyworth of spirits of salts in the eight ounce bottle produced. The bottle was filled, and after paying threepence she left the shop, after he had ascertained that she knew it was a poisonous substance. Within ten minutes prisoner returned. She handed the bottle back, and said it was not the stuff she wanted. She said it must be salts of lemon. Witness took the bottle away, the contents of which were not appreciably diminished. He put the contents into the bottle which he had previously taken it from, and he went back to call the woman to him. Prisoner walked the length of the shop, and then said “To tell you the truth, I have taken some of that”. Just as she said those words, witness caught her in the act of falling. He obtained the assistance of a customer, and they sat her down on a chair, and witness administered an antidote as quickly as possible. She did not vomit, and subsequently she recovered. A teaspoonful might have been taken out of the bottle. Assuming she had taken that amount it would make her ill. It would not prove fatal. An ounce would prove fatal. The prisoner had taken about half a drachm.

The Chairman, after a consultation with the Clerk, said they did not know whether prisoner really intended to take her life, but they hoped she did not. They knew she had had a great deal of trouble. He advised her to go home and be a sensible woman and not do such a foolish thing again. She was discharged.

Folkestone Herald 5-2-1910

Wednesday, February 2^nd: Before Mr. W.G. Herbert, Major Leggett, Messrs. G.I. Swoffer, J. Stainer, and R.J. Linton.

Edith Ralph was charged with attempting to commit suicide the previous day.

Wm. Metcalf, an assistant in the employ of Messrs. Timothy White and Co., of 71, Tontine Street, stated that the accused came to the shop at about 3.30 the previous day and asked for some salts of lemon – about 2d. worth. As it was a poisonous substance, he asked her what she wanted it for, and she replied that her husband wanted it for cleaning purposes. He told her that salts of lemon was not the thing to use for the purpose, and she then said it was some liquid she wanted – either salts of lemon or spirits of salts. She satisfied him that it was for a legitimate purpose, and he served her with twopennyworth of spirits of salts. She left the shop then, after he had ascertained that she knew it was a poisonous substance. She returned to the shop within ten minutes, and handed the bottle back, saying it was not the stuff she wanted. She said it must be salts of lemon. He then took the bottle away. The contents were not appreciably diminished in any way. He put the contents back in stock. He went back and called the woman to him. Before he could question her further she started to walk the length of the shop and said “To tell you the truth, I have taken some of that”. Just as she said those words he caught her in the act of falling. He obtained assistance from a customer present in the shop, and they sat her down in a chair. He administered an antidote as quickly as possible. He gave her magnesia and chalk. In about five or ten minutes she seemed to recover. She did not vomit, but a small quantity of the antidote came back into her mouth. She probably took about half a teaspoonful, which would make her feel ill. He scarcely thought that that amount would prove fatal. She probably took a quantity weighing half a drachm. An ounce might prove fatal.

The Chairman said prisoner had done a very foolish thing. Whether she had intended to take her life or not they did not know. They hoped she did not. The Bench knew she had had a good deal of trouble to try her. He asked her to go home and be a sensible woman, and not try any of those foolish actions again. She would be discharged.

Prisoner: Thank you. My trouble has overcome me.

Accused was then discharged.

Folkestone Herald 4-9-1920

Obituary

We regret to announce the death of Mrs. Edith Ralph, aged 62 years, which took place after a long illness, on August 28^th, at the residence of her daughter, 1, London Street, Folkestone. Deceased will be remembered as being the licensee of the old Duke of Edinburgh Inn, in Tontine Street, before the licence of the house expired. The funeral took place on Wednesday.