Life story retold by Yota Dimitriadi
Mary Catherine TUFNELL was both on 19th August 1859 at Stourpaine Vicarage, Dorset, the daughter of the Rev. Charles TUFNELL and Catherine Jane BLANDY. Catherine was the second daughter of William BLANDY Esq Reading. She died at the age of 93 in 1915 at Paddington. Charles was related to the then Archdeacon Keays of Bombay (uncle) and he was the cousin of Captain Charles Frederick Keays of Bombay. Glimpses into the history of the Tufnell family can be read in the family history book by Ellen Bertha Gabbins TUFNELL (1924).
Mary had two sisters: Anne Elizabeth, Alice Jane, and a brother: Charles Edward. Charles studied in Oxford and went to Brazil to engage in the gold mining industry. He died in Reading in 1946 and is buried in St Peter’s Caversham.
Mary’s parents had married a year earlier on 5th May 1858 at St Giles Church Reading. Her grandfather Rev. John Charles Fowell TUFNELL (26 years vicar of the parish of Edburton Rectory Sussex) officiated the service assisted by the Rev. T.V. Fosbery vicar of the parish. Unfortunately, Mary’s father died on 28 July 1867 at the age of 44 when Mary was only 8 years old.
The Reading Observer -(Saturday 02 June 1883) reported of Mary’s death as an occurrence of melancholy:
On Saturday morning 26 May Miss Mary Catherine Tufnell, daughter of the late Rev. Charles Tufnell, who in consequence of ill health had been living for the previous few days under the care of her aunt, Miss Elizabeth Tertian Blandy, at No. 1, Kingsclere Villas, Milman Road, Reading, met her death under very painful circumstances. It appeared from the evidence given by Miss Blandy at the inquest (which was held at the house on Saturday, before Mr. W. Weedon, coroner), that the deceased young lady, who was 23 years of age, had suffered from low spirits and general ill-health, and had been under treatment by Mr. O. C. Maurice, surgeon. She had been staying with her aunt since the Tuesday previous. It was not considered necessary to put her under actual restraint, but Miss Blandy took care not to lose sight of her more than she could help. Miss Tufnell slept in her aunt’s bedroom, and on Saturday morning was dressed before her, and left the room, as her aunt thought, to go downstairs. Miss Blandy’s sister and the servant remarked that she seemed more cheerful than usual. Shortly afterwards a friend staying with Miss Blandy directed her attention to a neighbour who was calling to deceased, the latter being in the act of attempting to get out of the window of servant’s bedroom at the top of the house. A few minutes later she was brought into the house insensible from the effects of the fall. She died about a quarter of an hour after being brought in.
Miss Blandy stated that Mrs. Tufnell, the deceased’s mother, lived at No. 24, London Road, and that they had not been particularly anxious about the deceased until a week before her death. She had been informed that Mary had lately said that she felt she could “do anything” (meaning, she supposed, commit suicide), if she only had the courage. Mr. Maurice said he had attended Miss Tufnell, who for the ten days preceding her death had been in a very desponding state. He had had some conversation with her mother as to the desirability of sending her away. He did not consider actual restraint necessary, but thought a change where she would be under supervision might be desirable, and it was decided to send her to her aunt, as he knew how capable her aunt was to take care of her. During the last two days he had believed her to be better. He thought there was no doubt of its being case of suicide.
Mr. John Swain, brush maker who lived next door to Miss Blandy, was a witness at the inquest. He said that at about 8.15 in the morning he was walking in his back garden, and his attention was drawn to Mrs. Matthey, who lives opposite, and who was calling out the deceased at the window. He went to the front, spoke to her, and she seemed to getting back into the room, but on his turning he again heard his neighbour call, and saw deceased getting out of the window and falling into the area below. He and his man went and picked her up and brought her into the house.
The jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased commuted suicide by throwing herself out of a window while in a state of unsound mind.
Division 57, Row D, Plot 10