Martello 1920s

Folkestone Express 2-2-1924

Inquest

On Monday afternoon a shocking discovery was made in the Folkestone Warren, near Abbott`s Cliff Tunnel, by Mr. A.W. Bridges, of the Martello Hotel, Folkestone, who was out shooting, coming across the body of a woman in a dyke under the cliff, about 150 feet from the top. The County Police were informed, and a number of them proceeded from Seabrook, and in the darkness carried the body to the top of the cliff, and removed it to the Royal Oak Inn, Hougham. It was subsequently identified as that of Mrs. Mary Ann Datlen, aged 58, who lived at the Red Lion Inn, Dover, and who had been missing since Sunday. At the top of the cliff was discovered a handbag, and footmarks indicated where someone had gone over the cliff.

Mr. Rutley Mowll, the East Kent Coroner, conducted an inquiry  into the circumatances on Tuesday afternoon at the Royal Oak Inn.

The Coroner said deceased was the wife of Thomas Stephen Datlen, of the Red Lion Inn, Charlton Green, Dover. She apparently left home about 3 p.m. on the 27^th January and disappeared. At 4 p.m. on Monday the body was discovered three parts of the way down Abbott`s Cliff. She had recently undergone a serious operation. Her handbag was found on top of the cliff, and in the bag was found a piece of paper with the following words written upon it: Don`t worry. My brain gave way. That pointed to a case of suicide.

Percival Thomas Datlen, of 43, Clarendon Road, Dover, an engine driver, identified the body as that of his mother who lived at the Red Lion, Charlton Green, with his father, who was the licensee of the inn. She was 58 years of age. He lasy saw her alive about 10.45 on Saturday night, when she seemed as usual. She had been worried about her health and an operation which she had had two months ago. She was last seen on Sunday about 4.40 p.m. by an engine driver named Edward Iggulden, who saw her in the Market Square at Dover. He (witness) recognised the handwriting and her handbag. His father said he would go for a walk with her, but she told him to keep in, and she would go out herself. She would find some friends, or she would go to No. 5, Park Street, his (witness`s) aunt`s house. He later made enquiries, and found that she had not called there. He (witness) thought she must have taken a bus, as she was too weak to walk far.

Albert William Bridges, of the Martello Hotel, Dover Road, Folkestone, said he helped his father, who was a licensed victualler. On Monday afternoon, about four o`clock, he was walking through the Warren with his dog, shooting. When was coming up a footpath leading to the top of the cliff near the Royal Oak Inn, his dog`s movements drew his attention to something. He walked across to where the dog was, and found the body, which lay in a dyke under the cliff. She was dead. She was three quarters of the way down the cliff, and had it not been for some brambles and the dyke she would have gone to the bottom. He did not move the body, but informed the police.

P,C, Luckhurst, stationed at Seabrook, of the K.C.C., stated that about 5 p.m. on the 28^th inst., a telephone communication was received from the Folkestone police that a woman had been found dead over the cliff opposite the Royal Oak, Hougham. He was instructed, with other officers, by Supt. Russell, to proceed to the spot. They arrived about 5.45, and in company with the last witness proceeded down the cliff. The last witness showed him where the body lay. She was dead at the time, fully dressed, and still warm. She lay on her back in the ditch. She had dragged through a lot of brambles, which evidently stopped her going further down the cliff. They conveyed her to the Royal Oak on a stretcher. They then searched the top of the cliff and found a handbag (produced) lying on the footpath, which was about twelve to fourteen feet from the edge of the cliff and ran along the top of it. The handbag was at the top of the cliff immediately above the spot where the body was found. There were also five small footprints leading to the edge of the cliff from the footpath. He examined the handbag, and found it contained money, a letter, etc., and a piece of paper which was on the top of the other things, and which bore the words £Don`t worry. My brain gave way”. There was no pencil found on the body.

Mr. Datlen, re-called, said he informed the police about 7 p.m. on Sunday evening that his mother was missing. The paper was not like her writing pad. He did not think she wrote it at home. She used to carry a pencil with her.

Dr. E. Elliot, of Dover, said he had examined the body, and found rigor mortis well marked. There were no injuries to the head. The neck was broken above the third vertebra. There was a bruise on the left side of the chest, and the left wrist was broken, and both legs were fractured. The injuries to the neck would cause instantaneous death. Deceased had been a patient of his for 40 years. He last saw her about three weeks ago. She was not quite so happy as usual, and said she thought she ought to get on better. She was operated upon at St. Thomas`s Hospital, London, and she on the whole was making a remarkable recovery. She was somewhat depressed at times.

The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane”.

Folkestone Herald 2-2-1924

Inquest

A pathetic story of how depression following an operation resulted in suicide during a fit of temporary insanity was told at an inquest touching the death of Mrs. Mary Ann Philadelphia Datlen, of the Red Lion Inn, Charlton Green, Dover, held at the Royal Oak, Hougham, on Tuesday, by the East Kent Coroner (Mr. Rutley Mowll). Deceased`s dead body was found about three quarters of the way down Abbott`s Cliff, in the Warren, by Mr. A.W. Bridges, of Martello Hotel, Dover Road, who was attracted to the spot by the action of his dog. At the top of the cliff was found a note saying “Don`t worry. My brain gave way”.

At the inquest Mr. Percival Thomas Datlen, of Dover, son of deceased, said that his mother had a serious operation about two months ago. Deceased left her house about 3.15 p.m. on Sunday with the intention of visiting her sister, but she did not call on her.

Mr. Albert William Bridges stated that about 4 p.m. on Monday he was walking up the footpath from the Warren to the Royal Oak Inn, when his attention was drawn to something by the actions of his dog. On walking over to the dog he found the dead body of a woman lying in a dyke under the cliff. Had it not been for some brambles the body would have fallen to the bottom. He reported the matter to the police.

P.C. Luckhurst, K.C.C., gave evidence as to the removal of the body to the top of the cliff. At the top of the cliff was a note and a handbag containing a letter.

The Coroner stated that from one of the letters in the bag it seemed that deceased had a relation at Hythe. Mr. Datlen said he did not think the letter had any bearing on their family at all, and he did not think deceased had been to Hythe.

The Coroner stated that deceased could not have been dead long, as the body was warm.

Dr. E. Elliott, deceased`s medical adviser, said that on the whole Mrs. Datlen was making a good recovery after her operation. On examining the body that day he found that the neck was broken.

The jury returned a verdict of suicide whilst of unsound mind.