Kathleen Jemima WAKEFIELD [34940]

  General Notes:

From Edward Espenett's biography he says "Three out of four daughters of my precious sister are over the other side. One of the three girls gone had the trial of a drunken husband, a doctor, who really valued her but through the frenzy of drink (and possibly an opiate) took her life leaving two daughters. He suffered imprisonment for life but died early in term a penitent".
This would seem to fit Edward Ffrench who was a doctor and had two daughters.

The Murder of Mrs Ffrench.
At Glasson near Athlone, on Thursday Dr Ffrench was charged with the murder of his wife on good Friday night. Prisoner's Cook stated that shortly before the murder occurred Dr Ffrench was sleeping in his bedroom and when he retired he was under the influence of liquor other witnesses said Mrs Ffrench had been attacked by her husband on previous occasions, and had to leave the house and sleep in the yard. Dr Ffrench had been drinking heavily for the past five weeks. A further hearing was adjourned
Lancashire Evening Post 12 April 1901.
Dundee Courier 12 April 1901

Alleged Wife Murder
Charge against an Irish Dr.
At the village of Glasson near Athlone, late on Friday night, Dr Edward Ffrench, a member of the well-known West of Ireland family, entered the room of his wife, and, it is alleged, stabbed her in the breast, Mrs Ffrench expired 20 minutes afterwards. Dr Ffrench it is further alleged attacked the police who went to arrest but was overpowered at a preliminary magisterial enquiry on Saturday the Dr was remanded.
At the courthouse Glasson, an inquest was held on Saturday night on the body of Mrs Ffrench. Two servants deposed to seeing Dr Ffrench striking his wife below the breast in the morning room with a surgical knife. The jury found a verdict that death was caused by wounds inflicted in violence by Dr Ffrench while under the influence of drink. Dr Ffrench is a fellow of the Royal College of surgeons.
Lancashire Evening Post 8 April 1901.

Alleged Murder by a Doctor.
Dr Edward Ffrench of Glasson (West Meath), was again brought up before the magistrates in connection with the murder of his wife Mr Ralph Smith, in whose house Mrs Ffrench died after having been stabbed, said that on one occasion he had to take a gun away from the accused during a scuffle between the doctor and his wife. That was three years ago on another occasion the accused had a knife up his sleeve, and when his wife came in he jumped up and followed her, but the witness deprived him of the weapon. Mr Bolton a veterinary surgeon, and nephew of the accused, said that his wife's presence to Dr Ffrench was like a red rag to a ball. The witness had on occasion taken knives and guns to the accused.
The prisoner was committed for trial on the capital charge
Henley Advertiser 20 April 1901.

Deceased
Deceased's death date 5 Apr 1901
Record set Ireland Calendars Of Wills & Administrations 1858-1920
Primary beneficiary Eily Kathleen Adamson
First name(s) Kathleen Jemima
Secondary beneficiary R Adamson
Last name Ffrench
Original source http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/details.jsp?id=1639540688
Deceased's death year 1901
Archive National Archives of Ireland
County Meath
Category Life Events (BDMs)
Country Ireland
Subcategory Wills & Probate
Deceased's name Kathleen Jemima Ffrench
Collections from Ireland

Kathleen married Dr Edward Thomas FFRENCH MD [34941] [MRIN: 12595] on 11 Apr 1878 in Kilkenny KIK. (Dr Edward Thomas FFRENCH MD [34941] was born in 1841 in Monivea co Galway IRL and died in 1910 in Ireland.)