Beryl Savage

1905-1921

Beryl was born in 1905 in Alton, Hampshire to George and Margaret Savage.   George and Margaret married in 1902 in Petersfield, Hampshire

In the 1911 census George was a police constable and the family are living in the Police Cottage, Lower Upham, Hampshire.

Beryl, recorded as aged 6, had an older sister, Daisy, b.1903 and a younger brother, Victor, b.1910.

George’s police records are currently held at the Hampshire Constabulary Archives in Winchester and various mentions in the Newspaper Archives and in birth/baptism registers suggest he, and his family, moved regularly throughout the County with his job.

In 1921 the family were living in a Police House at Crux Easton, Hampshire.

At that time Beryl was a probationer nurse at Newbury District Hospital.  Following the receipt of anonymous letters questioning the loyalty of her boyfriend, Beryl took her own life.

She died at Newbury District Hospital on 14^th July 1921.  The death certificate says she was 18.

Following a Coroner’s inquest on July 16^th the death was deemed to be “suicide by taking corrosive sublimate poison whilst temporarily insane through the receipt of unfounded anonymous letters”.  (NWN transcript below)

Just 15 months later, Beryl’s sister, Daisy, died of an exophthalmic goitre – a type of hyperthyroidism.  They are buried together.

The date of George’s death is not clear but his police records end in 1926 and there is a probate entry for a George Savage who died in Petersfield, Hampshire, in 1933.

In the 1939 census Margaret, his widow, is living in Christchurch with her son, Victor. 

A probate record for Victor in Christchurch in 1990 (when he would have been 80) says “last seen alive 22 August 1990, dead body found 25^th August 1990”

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