Bravery that led to tragedy
Eliza Evans married John Legge in Presteigne in 1874.
When she married, Eliza already had an illegitimate daughter named Rosa (born 30th January 1873 in Lingen, Herefordshire) and Eliza and John went on to have 10 more children.
Rosa Evans, birth registered Presteigne, born 30th Jan 1873 – died 1st April 1949 (Rosa became known as Rose Legge)
John Edward Legge, birth registered Rhayader, born 11th May 1875 – died 20th June 1948
Emily Jane Legge, birth registered Rhayader, 1878 – died 1878
Martha Ann Legge, birth registered Rhayader, 1878 – died 1878
Lily Louisa Legge, birth registered Knighton, 1880 – died 1934
Amy Legge, birth registered Knighton, 1882 – died 1887
Thomas Benjamin Legge, birth registered Knighton, born 22nd Nov 1885 – died 1953
Edith Legge, birth registered Knighton, 1887
Minnie Legge, birth registered Knighton, 1889
William Alfred Legge, birth registered Knighton, 1891 – died 1891
Amos Legge, birth registered Knighton, born 3rd Oct 1893 – died 1962
On the 27th August 1886, a report appeared in the Radnorshire Advertiser, telling of the unselfish and brave deed of Eliza’s husband, John, which led to him having one of his legs amputated;-
“On the night of Knighton October fair, in last year, John Legge, a man in the employ of the London and North Western Railway Company, and residing on the Mill Green, was informed that a man was in the factory cut, under the influence of drink. Legge was in bed at the time, but he at once got up and waded into the water until he reached the man whom he rescued from his perilous position. The sudden chill brought on a severe illness which lasted for some time, when it was found necessary to have one leg taken off, the operation being performed at Shrewsbury infirmary. As Legge was a poor man with a wife and five children to support, some of his friends thought fit to enlist the sympathy of the public. A public meeting was therefore convened at the Chandos Temperance Hotel on Thursday evening, to consider what steps should be taken to provide him with a cork leg.
Dr C. J. Covernton presided, and was supported by Dr. H. C. Brown and other gentlemen. It was decided to canvass the town for subscriptions, and it was resolved that Mrs W. Williams, Mrs Bache, Miss Brown, and Miss Covernton be asked to canvas. Mr W. Rogers was appointed hon. sec., and Mr. J. Owen hon. treasurer.”
On the 1891 census, John is described as a labourer on the railway, so, presumably, the appeal had been successful and he had received his ‘cork leg’.
In 1911 John and Eliza were living at Mill Green, Knighton, and John was still a railway employee. Only two of their remaining children, Minnie and Amos, were living with them.
On September the 18th 1913, a resident of Knighton, John Davies, also of Mill Green, made this entry in his diary.
Sept 18th 1913
Mrs Legg of Mill Green shot herself with a double barrel gun, it was done at 8 o'clock in the morning She was left at home by herself. She was buried on the 22nd on Monday. On August 3rd, Sunday morning, she cut her throat but she got well from that.**
**Article kindly supplied by Andrew Davies, taken from his Great Great Grandfathers diaries. (John Davies 1846-1933)
The Illustrated Police News of the 25th September 1913 carried the unadulterated description of how Eliza was found,
“At Knighton, Radnorshire, on Thursday last, Mrs Eliza Legge, of Mill Green, was found by the police in her bedroom shot through the head. Beside her lay a gun. Attached to the trigger was a string, the other end being fastened around the bedpost. The gun had been placed above her left ear, and a portion of the skull was blown away. No one was in the house. Deceased, who was sixty two years of age, had been in failing health for some months. She leaves a husband and a large family.”
The inquest was held by the Coroner, Mr F. L. Green, in Knighton.
The first witness called was John Legge, Eliza’s husband who told the court that his wife was aged 62. He had left home at 4.30 in the morning to go to work at Builth Road, along with his son, Amos. Before he left he “took her a cup of boiling milk, as was his custom, before leaving.” They had left Eliza alone in the house and she had seemed “bright and cheerful”, despite having been unwell for over two months. John went on to say that his wife had attempted to take her own life on August 3rd by cutting her throat. Previous to that Eliza had been unwell and under the care of Dr T. W. Graves. John went on to tell the Court that it was the first time that Eliza had been left alone, up until then she had had someone with her night and day. She was able to get about the house and garden but had never suggested she might harm herself. The Coroner wanted to know where the gun came from. John explained that it belonged to his son Tom, who had left home for Presteigne two years previously.
Evidence was then given by neighbours –
William Meyrick of Mill Green told the court that “Mrs Preece came to him about 9 o'clock and said she had not seen Mrs Legge that morning. Witness went to the house, accompanied by Mrs Preece and Mrs Williams, and searched the garden. Later, they went into the house, and called deceased, but received no answer. Witness then requested Mrs Williams to go with him upstairs. On arriving at the door of front bedroom, which stood ajar, witness pushed it open and there saw Mrs Legge lying on her back on the floor near the bedside. There was a great quantity blood around her head, and she was quite dead. Witness turned to Mrs Williams and exclaimed, ‘She is dead in a pool of blood.’ The police and doctor were sent for. Witness did not see the gun in the room.”
Mrs Elizabeth Williams, also of Mill Green “stated she saw deceased on the morning of the tragedy outside the back door in her night attire. Deceased had been into the wash-house, which was apart from the house. Witness saw her leave the wash-house. She had nothing in her hand. This was 7.30 am. Witness lived about 20 yards away.” She went on to say that if Eliza had had a gun in her hand, she would have seen it. This caused the Foreman of the Jury (W. Bowen) to retort that the gun had been in the house for two years and yet no-one seemed to have seen it.
The next witness was Amos Legge, the couple’s son who said, he had been “home for some time, and saw his mother the previous morning. She was better and brighter than she had been for the past six weeks. When witness said ‘good morning’ to her she remarked that he would have a short week and would not be away long. Witness had only commenced work that morning. He did not think it was necessary for her to be watched any longer. Witness was not aware that the gun was on premises. He understood that it was at Presteigne with his brother.”
Evidence was then given by Sergeant William Bufton, the policeman who attended the scene, and he recounted what he saw. He “noticed a wound near the left ear, and saw part of the skull and bones on the floor. Deceased was quite dead. Behind the bedroom door he found a double barrel gun (produced). The gun was suspended by a string to the pillar of the bed, and the other end of the string was attached to the trigger of the gun. It must have fallen because the breach was open. There was one cartridge in the barrel, which had been discharged. On a table in the bedroom were two more cartridges, one spent and the other loaded. Deceased was lying with her feet partly under the bed. The shot must have passed through her head and into the centre of the ceiling, where it had made a large hole. Witness did not know whose gun it was, and he had not been able to find out where the deceased had it from. He could not say that deceased had discharged the gun, but it was possible.”
Dr T. W. Graves told the court that he had been attending Eliza for the past two years and that she was suffering from an incurable disease. The last time he had seen her was on the 2nd of this month. He went on that he “took all responsibility and gave a certificate to the police on the occasion of August 3rd.” He had advised that Eliza should not be left alone. When he last saw her, “the wound in her throat had healed, and her general condition was similar to what it had been during the last year or so. To the best of his knowledge every care had been taken, and he did not think that anything of this nature would occur. Witness did not think Mr Legge was to blame for leaving her.” He concluded that “the cause of death was laceration of the brain due to a gunshot wound.”
The Coroner asked Dr Graves about the position of the gun and whether Eliza could have fired the gun in order to injure herself. Dr Graves replied that the gun “had been placed quite close to the skin, as there were marks of scorching. The base of the skull was blown away, and the left side of the lower jaw was shattered.” He went on to say that he thought it was “feasible that she fired the gun herself.” He added, in answer to a question from a member of the Jury, that Eliza knew she was not going to get well, and that might have caused “the unhinging of her mind.”
On the question of the gun, the Coroner said “he could clear the mystery of the gun, and they could adjourn it for a time so as to be able to find out more about it. He did not think it was material for them to consider whose gun it was, that was if they were satisfied that the deceased killed herself.”
The Jury were satisfied that Eliza had shot herself and a verdict of “Suicide whilst of unsound mind” was returned.
John Legge died in 1919.
Eliza and John are buried together in Knighton Old Cemetery
Article kindly edited by Ann Brock & Jan Pearson