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Liverpool Evening Express 15th August 1936
"Dead" Woman Puzzle for Liverpool Police. IDENTIFIED BY HUSBAND AT INQUEST. But Friends Say They Have Seen Her Alive?
Liverpool police are investigating reports that a woman identified as the victim of a river tragedy on whom a inquest was held more than a month ago, has since been seen alive. Several people claim to have seen the woman yesterday, in the neighbourhood in which she had lived.
When the police inquiries are complete, a report will be made to the Liverpool City Coroner (Mr. G. C. Mort)
A month ago a body believed to that of Mrs. Isabella Connolly, of Bittern Street, Liverpool, was indentified by relatives and buried in Ford Cemetery. Yesterday, a niece, Miss Elizabeth McCulloch, of Richmond Row and two other people claim to have met her in the street and talked to her.
The body of a woman with the right hand missing was recovered from the River Mersey at the rear of the Princes Landing stage on July 2,
A description was circulated and she was identified on July 7 at the police mortuary/ Relatives attended her funeral.
"I saw my aunt walking in Gerard street with another woman." Miss. McCulloch told an Evening Express representative. "I ran after her, and catching her up, said, Excuse me! are you Bella Connolly? at first she said no, but when I said Oh, yes, you are my Aunt Bella all right, she laughed and said "Yes, why?
The woman explained that she had just come from Chorley. She went off with the other woman.
Mrs. Mary Brady, of Bent Street, Liverpool, and a man named Thomas Gallagher also claim that they saw Mrs. Connolly in the street and recognised her.
"It was Bella Connolly all right." Mrs. Brady told an Evening Express representative "She was sunburned and told me she had been picking peas. When I told her she was supposed to have been taken out the Mersey she laughed and said it was the first she'd heard about it."
Mr. Thomas Gallagher, of Rose place told the Evening Express today that he saw Mrs. Connolly at the corner of Cazneau street yesterday.
"I spoke to her and told her she was supposed to be dead and buried. I said at the inquest your husband identified your body by clothing and a scar, and she said 'Oh, yes, I have a mark like that."
Mr. Gallagher added that in his mind there was no doubt that it was Mrs. Connolly. "I have known her for 20 years even before she was married and her voice and demeanour were just the same. She told me she had been to Chorley, she looked in good health."
SHOCK FOR THE HUSBAND.
Mrs. McCulloch, of Richmond Row told the Evening Express today that
"the whole experience was a nightmare" She said that Mr. Connolly returned from hospital today and came to see her.
"When I told him Bella was alive and had been seen by a number of people including my daughter, he was dumbfounded. It must have been an awful shock for him, coming straight from hospital."
When Mrs, Connolly was missing from her home she was known to be wearing a black fur trimmed coat. When the body was recovered the coat was missing and was presumed to have been washed away.
People who saw the woman who they state is Mrs. Connolly yesterday maintain that she was wearing a similar coat.
At the inquest on the victim of the Mersey tragedy a verdict of Found Drowned with insufficient evidence to show how the woman got into the water was recorded.

M364 COR-6th July 1936 Isabella Connolly-27, Bittern Street-FD, River Mersey, rear of laning Stage, 2nd July 1936-35 years-Unacertained.

Wrote on the top of the page-"Two statutory declarations produced by Isabella Connolly and Francis Connolly, that Isabella Connolly is still alive, amended certificate sent 20th August 1936 "A woman unknown".

Great story Katie.


Blue

As a follow up to this story the both Mr and Mrs. Connolly had to appear before the City Coroner the following is a full transcript of this story.

Evening Express 25th August 1936

CORONER QUESTIONS “DEAD” WOMAN
WHY MRS. CONNOLLY LEFT HOME
“I WAS FED UP”
TELLS OWN STORY OF WANDERINGS

Mrs. Isabella Connolly, the Liverpool Woman who has “come back from the dead” and her husband appeared before the Liverpool City Coroner today.
Mrs. Connolly told the Coroner, Mr. G. C. Mort that she left home early in June because she was “fed up”
Mrs. Connolly said she had been to Preston, Chorley, Wigan, Pontefract and Scotland.
The husband Francis Connolly stated that his wife left on June 4 and he had not seen her until she appeared in the Coroner’s Court today.
At the end of the proceedings the Coroner announced:
“I now endorse the original certificate that the woman found dead in the River Mersey is unknown”
“I do after having taken two statutory declarations from the husband and the woman who was said to have been dead, and who has now been found to be alive.”

MRS. CONNOLLY’S DECLARATION

The Liverpool Coroner conducted proceedings in his court this afternoon when Mrs. Connolly and her husband Mr. Francis Connolly appeared in the witness box to make public declarations regarding the woman’s identity.
Mrs. Connolly, who wore a black coat with fur collar and was without a hat made the first declaration.
The Coroner, addressing the woman, said “Are you Isabella Connolly?”- Mrs. Connolly “Yes”
The Coroner: Do you solemnly, sincerely and clearly declare that you are the lawful wife of Francis Connolly a Marine Fireman?”- Mrs. Connolly “Yes”
The Coroner: Is he in court and will you please indicate him?
Mr. Connolly then stood up in the well of the court and Mrs. Connolly pointing to him, said “That is him.”

“I WAS FED UP”

Mrs. Connolly, replying to further questions, said she left home on June 4.
The Coroner: What was your purpose for leaving home?
Mrs. Connolly: I was fed up, and I thought I would take the road for it.
Had you had some disagreement with your husband?-Yes.
Mrs. Connolly said that when she left home she was wearing a blue skirt, a pale green blouse, a black coat with fur collar, white shoes and light coloured stockings, and a black apron with white spots.
The Coroner: Have you ever at any time to your knowledge suffered from nerves? –No.
The Coroner: At the inquest, when it was supposed that it was your body which had been found in the River your husband said that you had not bad health, but for the last six months you had suffered from your nerves and had become depressed?
Mrs. Connolly: I was under the doctor but it was not for my nerves.
The Coroner: Your husband said “She did not see any doctor, but took aspirin and other tablets”?-I used to go to the Parish doctor.
Did your husband know you went the parish doctor?-Sometimes he did and sometimes he did not.
The Coroner: He says you did not go.

“I HAD THREATENED”

“You must remember, Mrs. Connolly that you have taken the oath,” added the Coroner. “I want you to be accurate in your statements. Had you at any time threatened to do anything to yourself?”
Mrs. Connolly: No, sir.
The Coroner: Is this entirely untrue: “She twice threatened to harm herdelf. Once she said she would take poison and the other time she said she would do herself in?”
Mrs. Connolly: Yes, I did say that.
Then you had threatened to harm yourself?-Yes
“Your husband.” added the Coroner, “says, ‘We both took too much drink and the Education Authorities took our two children and sent them to approved schools.’ Is that true?”
Mrs. Connolly: No. I never used to take drink except when he used to make me go with him.
Did the education authorities take your children from you?-Yes, sir through him always getting into trouble.

OPERATION MARK.

The Coroner: Your husband says: “I recognise a mark on the abdomen where she had been operated on for appendicitis?-Yes
Your husband said he recognised all the clothing with the exception of the outer skirt. There was a grey and black striped cardigan. You had not a cardigan had you?-No.
Mrs. Connolly said that at the time she left home she was wearing a “spider” brooch which was given to her by a woman about three months before she left.
Mrs. Connolly said she was still wearing the brooch.
The Coroner then examined the brooch.
The Coroner: Have you ever had one of those old-fashioned brooches with “Mizpah” on it?
Mrs. Connolly: No, sir.
If you husband was shown a “Mizpah” brooch and said he recognised it as being yours, that would be untrue. You have never had such a brooch?-No
The Coroner@ Such a brooch was found on the body referred to.
Questioned further about her wearing apparel, the Coroner reading from the description of the dead woman, said it described her as having black stockings and black shoes.
“You had white shoes and light stockings.” Asked the Coroner.
Mrs. Connolly: Yes.
Were you wearing those all day before you left home?-Yes
The Coroner then asked Mrs. Connolly about her movements since she left home.
Mrs. Connolly replied that on leaving home she went to Preston and stayed a night at a lodging house. The next day she made her way to Chorley and on route slept in a barn. She reached Chorley the next day and stayed a night in a lodging house before going to Wigan, where she spent two nights.
Mrs. Connolly said that for the next three weeks she made her way to Pontefract, where she worked at pea-picking. At the end of two weeks she went to Hamilton, Scotland which took her a week to reach.
She remained there one night and made her way back to Liverpool and she arrived on August 13.
She stayed at a lodging house in Richmond Row for two nights and then first heard that she was supposed to be dead and buried. She had since stayed at various lodging-houses in the neighbourhood.
The Coroner: You left home on June 4. Have you seen your husband until to-day?
Mrs. Connolly: This is the first time I have seen him since I left.
Have you ever had any communication with him?-Never.

HUSBAND IN BOX

Francis Connolly then entered the witness-box.
The Coroner: Do you agree that the last witness, Isabella Connolly who is now in court, is your lawful wife?-Yes.
And the story of her leaving on June 4 last and never returning is true?-Yes.
Is it true that you reported her missing to the police on the next day, and that on July 4 the body of a woman was recovered from the Mersey and removed to Princes Dock mortuary?-Yes
Connolly added that he afterwards indentified what he thought to be the body of his wife.
The Coroner: Did you see a brooch?-Yes
Did you say it was hers?-Yes, I had seen it in the house with others she had from time to time.
The Coroner: You wife say she has never had such a brooch.
Do you recognise the brooch which she is wearing now?-Yes, sir.
Do you agree that she went out for fish and chips on June 4 and never came back?-Yes
And that you previously had a row?-Yes both of us had been having beer that day.
Have you ever seen your wife since that day?-“Never clapped eyes on her until this morning in this court,” replied Connolly.

“WOULD TAKE HER BACK”

Francis Connolly, seen by an Evening Express representative after the proceedings in the Coroner’s Court, said he was willing to take his wife back.
Mrs. Connolly, in an interview, said she did not intend to return to her husband. She did not know whether she would remain in Liverpool or go elsewhere.

WHO IS THE VICTIM?

Mrs. Isabella Connolly, aged 35, of Bittern Street, Great Orford Street, Liverpool, officially “dead and buried,” walked into Rose Hill bridewell, Liverpool, last night and made a statement to the police.
Mrs. Connolly’s reappearance has solved a little mystery which has been intriguing the city for the past few days; but in doing so it has brought to light a more baffling problem-
Who was the woman whose body was recovered from the Mersey on July 2, identified by Mr. Connolly as that of his wife, and buried in Ford Cemetery in the name of Mrs. Connolly after an inquest verdict of Found Drowned?
There will not be an exhumation unless Mr. and Mrs. Connolly object to a stranger buried in their grave.
“The husband was quite positive at the time that he had indentified his wife.” the City Coroner told an Evening Express reporter.
“The case, as far as my own experience goes, is unprecedented, and I shall take the advice of the authorities.
“The name on the grave will have to be altered, of course”
Asked about the question of the identity of the woman who was drowned Mr. Mort said that the police would be making renewed inquiries into the matter.
“There was a case a year or two ago which although not similar, was followed by a development which led me to consult the Home Office.”
“I then learned that in no instance may a coroner alter an inquest verdict, though he may add a sworn statement which may throw and entirely new complexion on the case, and which might conceivably have brought about a different verdict had the evidence been available.”

“I HAD NO IDEA”

“I had no idea I was supposed to be dead until I got back last Thursday, and met some people I know.” Mrs. Connolly told an Evening Express representative
“I met a woman by the name of Kitty. She told me I was supposed to be dead, and remarked: ‘Your man has buried you.’
“This was the first I knew of my own funeral, I had not read ot heard anything about the inquest held on the body recovered from the river.”
“I left home early in June and tramped to Prescot, because I heard there was money o be made picking peas. I stayed in a lodging house for a night and afterwards 'hiked’ to Chorley and Wigan. I got food by doing odd jobs for farmers. I went on to Pontefract eventually and did some pea picking, I went to Tadcaster and afterwards to York. I did some cleaning and get lodgings for two nights.”
“After that I went to Huddersfield and up North to Hamilton getting lifts on lorries whenever I could. My feet were sore and I bathed them in streams. The signposts became nightmares to me as I trudged on to Carlisle and then to Glasgow, walking all through the night.”

“ATTACK BY THREE MEN.”

“One night I was attacked by three men. I was scared and tried to drive them off by shouting ‘Tom.’ I managed to get free and ran to a farm. The farmer agreed to let me sleep in a barn, and the wife gave me breakfast.”
“One day I decided to return to Liverpool and see my children, and I tramped back through Lancaster, Preston and Wigan.”
On Monday Mrs. Connolly called at a Roman Catholic home in Beacon lane to see her 12 year old son John, but she was disappointed to hear he was away for a day’s outing to Llandudno. Her son, she heard, had been crying because another boy had told him his mother was “dead.”
Mrs. Connolly then went to see her eight-year-old daughter Kathleen, who is in a home at Blackbrook, near St. Helens. Her daughter, however had not been told her mother was “dead.”

SEEN BY NEIGHBOURS.

Mrs. Connolly left home on June 4. On July 2 the unknown woman’s body was recovered from the Mersey, and subsequently it was buried in the name of “Mrs. Connolly.”
Then neighbours beganto see the “dead” woman in the vicinity of her home. They met her in the street talked to her, told her she was “dead”
Last night Mrs. Connolly met her sister in Cazneau Street. Then Detective Constable Farrager approached her-as she answered a description in the possession of the police-and later Mrs. Connolly went to the Rose-hill bridewell and made a voluntary statement to the police.


I have checked Ford Cemetery records and I can't see no notification on the burial stating it is "A woman unknown"
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2183/ ... sePUB=true

I have just checked the 1939 Register and it appears Isabella did go back to her husband.

Well done! and a monumental job of transcribing all that. I've enjoyed reading the follow up.

What a story. If the Web mistress would like to use it on the new page she is welcome.

What a fantastic post!!!! Thanks for all your typing it up Katie, it was really interesting. Fancy her going back to him though I suppose there wasn't much choice for women in those days.