The Victorian newspapers, as well as covering stories of murders and other sensational things, also published stories that really do show the mental anguish that people were suffering.

One such story appeared in The Central Somerset Gazette on Saturday the 19th of August, 1882:-

STRANGE SUICIDES IN HYDE PARK

An alarming discovery was made in the Serpentine in Hyde Park one day last week.

One of the Royal Humane Society’s boatmen was informed by one of the bathers in the Serpentine that he had seen a dark-looking object floating under the surface of the water, and in consequence of this communication the boatman in question put off in a boat, and, after a short search with the drags, succeeded in finding two bodies, one of a man and the other of a woman, securely fastened together by a piece of cord at the wrists.

The bodies were first of all removed to the Society’s Receiving-house, where they were cursorily examined by Dr. Brackett, the divisional surgeon, who formally pronounced life extinct.

THE POLICE CALLED IN

The police had by this time been called in, and they searched the clothing of the deceased, and found pawn tickets in the possession of each, those on the woman referring to articles of jewellery and clothing pledged in the name of May.

Three halfpence in bronze was the only money found on the man.

Singularly enough, the man had fastened his umbrella to his left wrist with a piece of string.

WOMAN IDENTIFIED AS MATILDA MAY

After the bodies had been removed to the Mount-street Workhouse, the police circulated a full description of them, with a result that Mr. Wm. May, an independent gentleman, of Jubilee Place, King’s-road, Chelsea, called at the mortuary, and was enabled to identify the clothing of the woman as that belonging to his niece, Matilda May.

Her features were scarcely recognisable, owing to decomposition being so far advanced.

THE MAN WAS GEORGE DICKENSON

Mr. May also recognised the man as George Dickenson, a journeyman baker, who had for some months past been courting his niece.

A SUDDEN DISAPEARANCE

It further appeared that the deceased woman had been her uncle’s housekeeper for about three years, and lived very happily until she made the acquaintance of Dickenson.

About three weeks ago she suddenly disappeared from the house, and her uncle at once concluded that she had gone off with Dickenson.

He ultimately heard that the couple were at Eastbourne.

A LETTER WAS LEFT

The next intimation he received of their whereabouts was on Friday night, when he found a letter leaning against his fanlight, evidently having been placed there to attract attention.

Upon opening the envelope, he discovered a photograph of his niece and her companion taken together, and a letter written by the former, to the effect that she had been in the country with Dickenson, and, having spent all their money and disposed of all their belongings, they had resolved to put an end to their existence.

They were both about 30 years of age.

THE INQUEST AND THE LETTER

At the inquest, the father of the woman – Mr. May, College-street, Chelsea—road read the following letter he had received from her:-

“My dear Father and Mother.

I am deeply sorry and grieved to write this to you and cause you the great trouble you will have. We shall never meet again in this world. Pardon me, please, if possible, for the trouble I have given you. This will, I am sure, be a death-blow, but I feel I can’t live any longer. It is a misery now. I know I shall have to suffer in the next world for what I have done. I am a most wretched creature.

This is of my own will. I have not been frightened into it. Don’t grieve for me. Think the best you can of me.

Everyone has been so good to me. Please, to keep it from the world; don’t let anyone more than necessary know of it.

You have lost a most wretched daughter. Thank everyone for me for their kindness.

FINAL WORDS

My uncle has been very good to me.

Mother, take care of Mary, and let this be a lesson to her. We shall be found dead together.

I went to church on Sunday and thought someone was sent to say I was coming. It seemed as if it was addressed to me.

I hope you will live to see your daughter grown up. I trust she will never have the misery I have had.”

A SUICIDAL FAMILY

Evidence was adduced showing that Dickenson was of a suicidal family, and that several of his relations had either destroyed themselves or died of softening of the brain.

The Jury returned a verdict of “Temporary insanity” in both cases.