CHARLES JOHN O’NEILL
Born: 28th October 1876, St. John’s, Ipswich.
Died: 10th October 1914; age: 37; at 29, died from asphyxia, the result of hanging from a cupboard in his bedroom – suicide whilst temporarily insane, at 29, Foundation Street, Ipswich.
Residence: 29, Foundation Street, Ipswich.
Occupation: a Millwright’s Assistant.
Enlistment Details: Location: Ipswich; Date: 21st August 1914.
Rank: Private/Assistant Cook; Service Number: 2089.
Regiment: 1st East Anglian Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
Grave Reference:
D.26.6.
Ipswich.
Relatives Notified & Address: Husband of Emily Annie O’Neill, of 20, Cross Street, Erith, Kent.
Brother to ALEXANDER WILLIAM O’NEILL.
CENSUS
1881 4, Arthur Cottages, Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich.
Charles was 4 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
John O’Neill, 48, a Labourer – Iron Foundry, born Antrim, Ireland.
Emma O’Neill (nee Landymore), 33, born Wattisfield, Suffolk.
Anna Elizabeth O’Neill, 2, born Ipswich.
Alfred John O’Neill, 3 months, born Ipswich.
1891 68, Albion Street, Ipswich.
Charles was 14 years old he was living with his parents & siblings.
John, 55, a Foundry Labourer.
Emma, 43.
Annie, 12.
Alfred, 10.
Edith Jane O’Neill, 8, born Ipswich – died 1902, 68, Albion Street.
Alexander O’Neill, 5, born Ipswich.
Ethel Rose O’Neill, 2, born 68, Albion Street, Ipswich.
1911 8, Gower Street, Stoke, Ipswich.
Charles was 34 years old, a General Labourer – Engineers. He was a boarder at the home of 39 year old James Pettitt, a Maltser.
In 1911, Charles’s wife and daughters were living at the Bedwell family at Middle Street, Brandston, Suffolk.
Emily, 33.
Doris, 4.
Ethel, 8 months.
widowed mother Matilda, Bedwell, 73.
brother James Bedwell, 35, a Carpenter – at home.
brother William Bedwell, 29, a Gamekeeper.
Charles’s father, John O’Neill died May 1901, at 68, Albion Street, Ipswich. His mother, Emma O’Neill died July 1907, at 68, Albion Street, Ipswich.
On the 1906, Brandeston, Suffolk, Charles married Anna Emily Bedwell, born 1878, Brandeston, Suffolk.
They had 2 daughters:
Doris Josephine O’Neill, born December 1906, Ipswich.
Ethel M. O’Neill, born 1910, Brandeston, Suffolk – died 1917, Dartford, Kent.
Soldiers’ Effects to Emily O’Neill – widow.
Diss Express – 16th October 1914
A SOLDIER’S SUICIDE
The Borough Coroner held an inquest on Saturday relative to the death of Chas. John O’Neill (37), a private in the 1st East Anglian Field Ambulance, who was found hanging from a cupboard in his bedroom – Staff-sergt. Parsons, of the R.A.M.C., said the deceased had been an assistant cook, and witness had had to speak to him, as at times he could not be found in the cook-house. On Friday the deceased was absent from a parade, and he said he was not very well; witness advised him to go home and lie down. Deceased complained of a headache, and witnessed offered to send him to the hospital. Deceased was usually a quiet man, – Thos. Pettitt, malster’s foreman, Foundation Street, said the deceased had lodged at his house for nearly six years. On Friday night he appeared to be allright. Proceeding to knock deceased up to go to work about six o’clock on Saturday morning witness received no answer. Entering the room he saw deceased hanging by the neck in a cupboard, dead, his feet being on the ground. – Mrs. Pettitt said deceased was a married man. He seemed always to enjoy good health, and was of a cheerful disposition. She never heard him threaten to destory his life. – William Brunning, managing clerk to Messrs. Pretty, Joseph, and Steward, solicitors, said he recently saw deceased as to arrears due to his wife under a deed of separation. The arrears were £8/4/3, but he was not pressed for the money. On July 7th deceased wrote that he would pay 10/ a week, but he had not done so. The wife had not pressed for payment, and his (witness’s) firm told her if deceased was out of employment it was useless to do so. – Police-constable Hammond spoke of cutting the deceased down. The body was cold. – Dr. Wilson (acting for Mr. G.M. Hetherington, police surgeon), said when he saw deceased there was a broad depressed mark on the neck. Witness formed the opinion that death was caused by asphyxia, the result of hanging. It was deceased’s own act. – The jury returned a verdict of “Suicide whilst temporarily insane.”
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