STRANGE WOMAN’S LONELY LIFE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3351, 18 October 1911, Page 2

STRANGE WOMAN’S LONELY LIFE

SHARED BIG EMPTY HOUSE WITH SIX STARVING CATS.

The squalid and altogether extraordinary life of a woman who was possessed of property and an income was disclosed at an inquest at Battersea on Ada Raynor, aged seventy, who had lived in a big house on three floors in Nine Elms lane. She died of senile decay. It was stated at the inquest that she held aloof from all her neighbors, who, however, knew she had property in Pimlco and an income from it of about £l5O a year. Henry Sinead, a next-door neighbor, said no one ever visited the old woman except the butcher and an errand hoy, to wlioni she always gave 6d for each errand. Police-Constable Ancell said he climbed through the kitchen window of the old woman’s house, and found her lying i.i the passage. There were six halfstarved cats in one room. Henry Rutherglen, superintendent relieving officer, said the house was in such a neglected state that it took him three days to search two rooms. Among the rubbish lie found a number of old leases and other papers, which showed the woman to be the owner of property in Wilton street, Victoria, and other places, and to lie deriving £36 10s a quarter from it. There was also two large iron safes not yet opened because the keys were missing, two partly-burnt £5 notes, £2 10s in gold, and some old silver coins. A neighbor, describing her modo of living, said, “She was always in an awful state. She dressed in rags. Her face was encrusted with dirt, and looked as if it had never been washed all the three years she lived there. Altogether she was a fearful sight.” From another neighbor it was learned that there was nothing t/iat could be called furniture in the house, and no bods. The old woman slept on newspapers spread out on the carpetless floor of the top back attic. There were numerous books in the house, and, curiously, they all related to questions of woman’s honor. All the food in the house consisted of four loaves green with mould. “Death from natural causes” was the verdict.