Biography

AGNES WEIR

Burial register ID: 2876
Surname: WEIR
First name: AGNES
Middle names:
Gender: Female
Age: 38 Years
Cause of death: Unknown
Burial type:
Date of death: 06-Nov-1880
Date of burial: 09-Nov-1880

Block: 55
Plot: 5
Inscription:

Bio contributor:

Agnes Weir, who had been in New Zealand for six years since immigrating from Scotland, commited suicide by taking arsenic. She died on 6th November 1880 in hospital. Her husband, John Weir, of Mornington, had been contemplating heading north to find work since he had been earning very little for some time, and had purchased a pack-horse and saddle. His wife did not want him to go, they had argued and he had been abusive to her, and as a result she took the poison. The arsenic was kept in the house by her husband for curing skins for mats. The inquest returned a verdict of suicide while temporarily insane, with a rider added censuring the husband for not taking more care with the poison in his house (particularly since Agnes had previously attempted suicide by taking copper sulphate) and for abusive language towards his wife.

(Details from the Otago Witness, Issue 1513, 13th November 1880, and the Evening Post, 8th November 1880.)

There are 1 Interments in this grave:

Surname First names Age Date of death Date of burial
WEIR AGNES 38 Years 06-Nov-1880 09-Nov-1880