Dinah Westrap

  Notes:

Marriage info and surname from a website.

1871 Census; Living aged 23 in St Michaels Parish, Coventry with husband, 2 sons and a servant.

Husband is widower by '81. - she died of alcohol related problems according to Mark.
Death certificate from Lynne Hicks says "Effusion of the brain together with exhaustion due to incessant vomiting the result of excessive use of stimulants".
Lynne also reports "I was in coventry recently and visited the London Road Civic Cemetary - I contacted the council and they sent me a map of the burial plot. I was actually looking for Cope Hoddell's grave but Diana's family plot was next door to it, quite grand, white and pink marble. Dinah was interred with her parents, which I found rather odd at the time. "

Newspaper clipping 1880 supplied by Lynne Hicks reads;
SAD DEATH OF A LADY. Mr Dewes, the city coroner, on Saturday held an inquest in Coventry on Mrs Dinah Hoddel, wife of Mr Cope Hoddel, a watch manufacturer, and residing at Holly Bank. Mr Hugo Young appeared for the husband of the deceased, and Mr Woodcock represented her relatives. Mrs. Hoddel, who was aged 31, was as well as usual on the 26th ult., but after vomiting almost incessantly in the interval, died on the morning on the 22nd. Painful rumours were widely circulated, and the coroner directed the stomach and contents to be analysed by Dr Bostock Hill, of Birmingham, who on Saturday reported he had been unable to find any trace of poison, but that the contents of the stomach were principally alchoholic spirits. Dr Dewes and Dr Iliffe, who made the post-mortem, agreed that death had resulted from an effusion of serum upon the brain, consequent upon excessive drinking and attendant exhaustion. Evidence was adduced that deceased has for years drunk to excess, ordering spirits and wine unknown to her husband, and concealing it in her bed. The jury returned a verdict to the effect that deceased died from excessive drinking, causing effusion on the brain. Reference was made to the painful rumours circulated, and the jury exonerated Mr Hoddel from any blame whatever, and conveyed to him their sympathy and condolence. Manchester Examiner, May 10.

More from Lynne, From The Coventry Times - Wednesday 12th May 1880
IMPORTANT CORONERS ENQUIRY.
-------------------
DEATH FROM THE EXCESSIVE USE OF
STIMULANTS
--------------------
The adjourned enquiry into the cause of death of Dinah Hoddell. The wife of Mr. Cope Hoddell, of this city, was resumed at the Queen's Hotel, on Saturday afternoon, before Mr. Coroner Dewes, and a jury of which Alderman Marriott was foreman. Mr. Hugo Young (of the Midland Circuit), and Mr. Oliver Minster, Solicitor, watched the proceedings on behalf of Mr. Hoddell, who was present during the enquiry, and Mr. George Woodcock appeared for the parents of the deceased.
In opening the proceedings the Coroner said the jury would recollect that on the last occasion, on the application of Mr. Woodcock, the enquiry was adjourned, in order that they might get the analyst's report as to the contents of the stomach and the vomit which were sent to him for analysis. The medical gentlemen who were present at the opening of the enquiry were perfectly satisfied as to the cause of death, and they would there and then have concluded the enquiry but for the application to await the analyst's report. He (the Coroner) had now received that report and had forwarded a copy of it to Mr. Woodcock. He thought the statement of the analyst would simplify the enquiry very much, and he thought, -indeed he had no doubt but that the jury would see the report of the medical gentlemen and the analyst were confirmatory of each other. Instead of the difficulty, which he (the Coroner) anticipated in the earliest stage of the enquiry, the jury would find it a very simple one indeed. He then proceeded to take the evidence.
Dr. Dewes said: In pursuance of the order I received, Dr. Iliffe, Dr. Milner Moore, and myself, made a post-mortem examination on the body of the deceased. The result of that examination I now hand to you.
The Coroner read the report, which was as follows:
“From the appearance of the body, namely, organic disease of the liver and kidneys, the congested state of the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum, together with the effusion of the serum on the surface and within the structure of the brain, we are of the opinion the deceased had been in the habit of taking alcohol to excess, and that the immediate cause of death was effusion on the brain, together with exhaustion due to incessant vomiting.
“EDWARD DEWES M.D.”
“CHAS. WEBB ILIFFE M.R.C.S.
“MILNER MOORE M.R.C.P.
“Coventry, April 23rd, 1880”
Dr. Dewes continuing, said: I was medical attendant to the deceased some years ago, and attended her upto December, 1875. I did not attend her again professionally
until July last year, when I saw her at Allesley.

I was at once satisfied as to what was the cause of her illness. She was labouring under the effects of excessive use of alcohol. I saw the deceased again one week previous to her death, on the Thursday, and she was then as well as I could expect to see her, knowing the circumstances under which she was labouring.
By the Coroner:
I believe that whiskey would produce the results which I saw.
By the Foreman: Her health had suffered, and suffered seriously, and I was satisfied that she would never be in perfect health again. Between 1875 and the last time I saw her, there was an appreciable difference in the state of her health. There was such a great organic change as astonished me, and I knew that she could never be in perfect health afterwards. I spoke to her seriously about the matter, and to her husband too.
Dr. Iliffe said: I have been attending the deceased for about three years. I attended her two years ago for some misplacement, and I have attended her since on various occasions. She has been suffering from excessive drinking at various intervals. I have had conversations with her many times about her excessive drinking, and have remonstrated with her in the presence of her father and mother. I have many times tried to ascertain how the spirit came into the house, and have only once succeeded. That was an investigation on behalf of Mr. Hoddell and myself, and we found out that it was fetched by the groom from Coventry. I think that it was whiskey that the deceased drank on almost every occasion. On the evening before she died I was sent for by Mr. Hoddell at about 10.45. The deceased was on the bed in the servants' bedroom in the upper part of the house. She was intoxicated. I ordered that she should take some nourishment, and a cup of tea was made with the yoke of an egg beaten up in it. I ordered that extra clothing should be put on the bed as she was suffering from cold. I thought the cold was due to the fact that she was exposed, and not sufficiently covered with clothing, as her chest and arms were out of bed. Ashe was partially undressed. I did not think that the coldness was a sign that death was approaching. I did not anticipate that she was in extremes, because I have seen her many times much worse. I took her pulse twice that evening, and on both occasions eighty beats were recorded. Finding that she was so ill I waited in the house until half-past 12 o'clock. I waited to render any assistance that might be required, and we had a conversation as to the best measures to be adopted by Mr. Hoddell to keep the drink from his wife. She was perfectly conscious and answered every question rationally, although her utterance was somewhat thick. I last saw her at about quarter past 12 o'clock (midnight), she had vomited a good deal, and the vomit appeared to be almost pure spirit. She had been vomiting for four or five hours, and there was a very strong impregnation about the vomit. I have seen Mrs. Hoddell and her husband together, and I have never observed anything but kind treatment on the part of the husband. He was kind and forbearing towards her under many trying circumstances. The appearance of the post-mortem did not indicate the slightest ill- treatment. I quite agree with the report which has been read.
By Mr. Woodcock: The deceased new me when I went to see her. I said to her. “You have been drinking.” she replied “No, I have not; I am very unwell indeed. I feel cold.” I said. “Can you take anything to eat or drink?” She replied “No” I suggested that she should have tea and egg, and some bread and butter, but she would not take that, and after I had gone from the room she had sent down to ask if she could have some hot whiskey and water. I said “No, by no means, that would be adding fuel to the fire.” I did not allow her to have it. While I was in the room with her, she said she had some bruises about her body-on her back- and she asked me to look at them. I looked but could not find any bruises there. Two servants were present in the room at the time, and they heard what passed. The deceased said she would not take anything to eat, and that she had been bruised and knocked about.
By the Coroner: She did not say by whom she had been knocked about.
Mr. Woodcock: Did she say anything more?
Dr. Iliffe: Nothing more.
Mr. Woodcock: I must ask these questions because it is satisfactory to her parents
to know all. Did she say she wanted peace and quietness?
Dr. Iliffe: She did not. On that occasion she did not say she would not stand the banging about, and there is no truth in any statement that has been made to that effect. I have seen Mrs. Hoddell with many bruises before, and I been careful to find out how they have been acquired. They were generally caused by falls. On one occasion she fell down stairs with a lamp in her hand.
The Coroner: Did she ever complain to you of any ill treatment on the of part of the husband?
Dr. Iliffe, never.
Mr. Woodcock: Two servants were present, and you say this on your oath, that she never said anything about being banged about?
Dr. Illife: She used the words knocked about, but never banged; though I cannot see much difference between the two. The under part of her lip was bruised, and there was a bruise on the outside of her arm and another on the leg below the knee, which I think can easily be accounted for.
By Mr. Woodcock: I ordered tea and egg. She said she “would” not take it, not “could” not. She asked for whiskey and water afterwards. |I left instructions with the servants by all means sleep in the same bed as her, and to put on the bed extra clothing; not to give more spirits, but to feed her, and to have at hand soda water, because I knew she would be thirsty.
Mr. Woodcock: Did you find any bruises at all?
Dr. Iliffe: Yes, on the arm and leg.
Mr. Woodcock: Could bruises on the arm arise from anybody taking hold of her by the arm and shaking her?
Dr. Iliffe: I think it is quite possible.
Mr. Woodcock: These bruises could be made in that way?
Dr. Iliffe: Oh yes; but they were not, I think, on such a part of the arm as would be caught hold of, if one wished shake to shake a person. There was a small bruise on the outer aspect of the left upper arm; and a larger one on the same aspect of the fore arm. There was also a small scratch on the right hand. That may be accounted for easily.
The Coroner: But how Doctor?
Dr. Iliffe: She so frequently broke china, crockery &c., that it was an easy matter to get her hands scratched.
The Coroner: Of course that would not have caused death?
Dr. Iliffe: Oh no. There was abruise under the right knee, which might have been done getting in or out of bed. I don't know what Dr. Dewes opinion of these might be, but I think they could not have caused death.
Dr. Dewes: I attach no importance to them.
Dr. Iliffe: I am of the opinion that bruises did not conduce to death in any shape or way.
By Mr. Woodcock: I never saw her again alive. She died at a quarter-past one o'clock on the same day, 13 hours afterwards. I know from her husband that she was much better in the morning, and it was expected that she would get up.
By Mr. Young: I saw no marks upon her body which I should not expect to find on the body of a person who had been drinking for some time and going about the house. She did not point out the bruises to me, she asked me to look for the bruises. At that time she was under the influence of drink. The servants told me that at one time she had been a little bit delirious, but she was better before I went. I did not hear that while delirious she had been holding any angry conversation with some imaginary person. Mr. Hoddell asked me that night if there was any danger, and I told him that in my opinion there was not. I was fetched to see her by her husband himself.
Mr. Young: You told us you enquired how spirits came into the house, and found they were fetched by the groom. Did you also ascertain that it was Mrs. Hoddell who sent the groom for the spirits?
Dr. Iliffe: Oh, yes, clearly. I am aware that on account of Mrs. Hoddell's habit of drinking her husband would not have spirits in the house, and that every drop of spirits came there without his sanction.
The Coroner: From what source do you know that?
Dr. Iliffe: We have often gone into this question, and I told Mr. Hoddell that no medicine was required, but that it was only necessary to keep out the spirits, and we have planned to do this in every way.
By Mr. Young: I have heard from the servants that Mr. Hoddell would not have spirits in the house, and he has forbidden them to bring spirits into the house on pain of instant dismissal. I have also heard from the servants that she used to get spirits unknown to her husband.
The Foreman: When she asked you to look for the particular bruise on her back, did she give you any reason why she did so?
Dr. Iliffe: When she related that she had been knocked about she said, “I have a large bruise on my back; you look and see.” I looked, but there was no bruise; neither did the post mortem reveal any bruise. She did not say by whom she had been bruised.
The Coroner then read the analyst's report which was as follows:
“County Analyst's Laboratory
Birmingham, May 5, 1880”
Dear Sir,-I beg to report that I have made a careful toxicological examination of the stomach and vomit delivered to me by Inspector Coombs in two jars on the 27th ult.
“Both jars were sealed with your seal, which in each case was unbroken.
“The stomach was somewhat congested, but I have been unable to discover any poison either in it or the vomit, which consisted to a large amount of spirits- probably gin. I shall be glad to hear whether you will require my attendance at the adjourned inquest on Saturday.
“I remain dear sir,
“Yours faithfully,
“A Bostock Hill, M.D., F.J.C.,
“County Analyst, &c.
“Thomas Dewes Esq.,
“H.M. Coroner,
“Coventry,”
The next witness was Emma Adler, who said: I am a domestic servant at Mr. Hoddell's, and have been there a little over a year and a half. I am a housemaid and it was part of my duty to attend to the mistress. She has been in the habit of taking too much to drink. When the family lived at Allesley, she used to send for it by the carrier. She would send while her husband was away, and get it before he returned. We did not know what it was she sent for beyond the fact it was spirits. The family left Allesley about six weeks ago, and came to live in Coventry. Before they left Allesley I have seen the mistress in a state which showed she had had too much to drink. I have seen her in this way often-daily, and generally towards evening. Since we have been in Coventry she has continued the same habit. The last time any spirits were fetched I went for them. About nine days before she died she sent me to order a dozen of sherry and a dozen of whiskey. The deceased and her husband did not live happily together during the last part of the deceased's life, I think because she drank. I never saw her husband ill treat her. I have never seen him strike her nor knock her down. I have never seen him take violently hold of her and shake her, nor ill use her in any way. I've known her to fall when she was not sober, both at Allesley and Coventry. I know that Mr. Hoddell had given strict directions that no spirits should come into the house, and I have heard him say so. Whatever spirits were brought in were by her order and not by the order of Mr. Hoddell.
By Mr. Woodcock: I did not carry the sherry and the whiskey home, but it was delivered afterwards, It was placed in the wine cellar, of which the mistress kept the key. She always carried the key of the wine cellar. I did not pay for the sherry or whiskey but it was entered to Mr. Hoddell. I asked for it for Mrs. Hoddell. It was brought to the house about three o'clock in the afternoon, and the other servant put it in the wine cellar. Mr. Hoddell was not at home at the time. I never saw him go to the wine cellar. About ten or eleven o'clock on the Tuesday morning before her death her father called at the house. She was then in her bedroom, but she came downstairs to see him. I have picked her up when she has fallen, but i did not pick her up on that day. I picked her up on the previous Monday morning I picked her up, and she was not sober then. That was in the hall at about one o'clock midday. She had hurt her lip. She and her husband were in the hall immediately before that. I heard the door bang to. I went out and saw the mistress catching hold of the master by the coat. After the master had gone she sat down on the floor. Her lip was hurt then, I saw it bleeding before she went down on the floor. Her mother came in in the afternoon. I never told her mother that Mr. Hoddell had knocked her down in the hall, and I picked her up. I gave her what he ordered. She took a little of the egg and tea. I attender her that night. I attended her on Tuesday and Wednesday. She died on Thursday. I did all that I could.
By The Coroner: I was not with her when she died. I had been with her all the previous night, but I left her for a few minutes in the morning. She vomited a good deal in the morning. She vomited a good deal on Wednesday, a little at night and on the morning before she died. I placed the vomit in the jar. She strained a good deal. She was slightly conscious before she died. She spoke to me about six o'clock, and never spoke afterwards. I took her clothes off on the morning of her death. She had a dressing gown on.
By Mr. Young: She was very violent while under the influence of drink. She was tipsy when I saw her take hod of her husbands coat. He did not strike her or push her in any way. He said to me, “Take your mistress away, and fetch her parents.” They seemed to be affectionate when she was not under the influence of drink. I did not send for her parents that day, because when Mr. Hoddell came back, in about an hour afterwards, he brought Mr. Westrap with him. The mistress used to drink on the sly, and we found empty bottles concealed in the house. She told me that when I ordered the sherry and whiskey she wanted it because she was expecting company. No company came between that time and the time of her death. I never saw any arrangements being made for company, and I looked upon what she told me as an excuse. Mr. Hoddell asked me if I knew where the spirits came from. I did not tell him. I heard him ask the mistress for the key of the wine cellar, and I heard her refuse to give it to him. He came to think that there were spirits in the cellar when he found her tipsy. I had not then said anything about spirits being there. He told me to try and get the key of the cellar from his wife. That was after he had tried to get it from her himself. I asked her for the key, and she said she did not know where it was. On the morning she died I found it in her pocket. I have often heard her husband try to persuade her not to take drink. On the previous Monday night we lost sight of her in the house, and did not know where she was. We looked for her and the cook found her underneath a bed upstairs. I went up after that and saw her in my bedroom. That was about 8 o'clock at night. Mr. Hoddell was away. I asked her to go down to her own bedroom, but she refused. She was then on the bed. Mr. Hoddell did not come home that night. On Tuesday he sent me up to ask her to come down several times, but she refused. She gave no reason for doing so. On Tuesday morning I washed an dressed her, and while I was doing that, I found a bottle a quarter full of whiskey hidden away between the bed and the mattress. Her husband was always gentle and forbearing towards her in my presence.
The Coroner: Can you tell us at all how the injury to the lip occurred?
Witness: She ran after the master, and my impression is that she caught her lip on the latch of the door.
By the Foreman: We lost sight of her on the Monday night at about seven o'clock and we could not find her for an hour.
Elizabeth Langley, cook, at Mr. Hoddell's generally corroborated the evidence of the previous witness.
In reply to Mr. Woodcock, witness said that on the night before her death, the deceased drank a good deal of water, but refused anything else.
In answer to a juror, witness said the deceased was always alone when she drank. Her husband was never present when she took the spirits.
Mr Young said he would examine Mr. Hoddell thoroughly on this matter if he thought that it was necessary. but he thought it was totally unnecessary, and he thought it would be a most painful thing to ask him to say things against his late wife. But for fear that anybody should think that he was reluctant to give evidence, he (Mr. Young) proposed to tender him, and have him sworn, and if anybody wished to ask him any questions, he would answer them satisfactorily.
Mr. Woodcock said he appeared for the parents. He dared say there were gentlemen in the room who had children, and if they saw one of them apparently well on a Tuesday and found her dead on the Thursday morning, they would be greatly shocked. They all knew that rumours did not decrease by passing from mouth to mouth, and there was no doubt that on the Thursday and Friday the parents of the deceased felt strongly on the point, and therefore consulted him. Certainly, he thought that, in Mr. Hoddell's interest, and for the satisfaction of the public at large, it was very necessary that some open enquiry should take place into the cause of the death of the deceased. A great many things had come out that day which the parents could not have known before; and now that they had heard the two reports presented they would be fully convinced in their own minds that their child had caused her own death.
Mr. Hoddell was then sworn, but neither the Coroner, Mr. Woodcock , nor Mr. Young, had any question to put to him, the latter explaining that Mr. Hoddell was only too pleased that the whole matter should be thoroughly investigated.
In answer to a juror, Mr. Hoddell said the parents of the deceased were perfectly aware of the fact that their daughter drank.
The Coroner briefly summed up, remarking upon the sad and painful nature of the case, and expressing pleasure at the presence of the legal gentlemen who represented the deceased's friends. Without their aid many things which had come out would probably never have been got at at all. It was plain that the aimmediate cause of death was alcoholic poisoning -both the analyst's report and the report of the post mortem examination were completely corroborative of that; and it was equally plain that every imputation was removed from Mr. Hoddell.
The Foreman said they were satisfied by the statements which had been put before them that there was not the slightest ground for suspicion that Mr. Hoddell had in any way contributed to his wife's death, which he had done his best to avert in every way. He spoke of the straightforward manner in which the two servants had given their evidence, and said that the evidence proved that the deceased had been for years addicted to excessive drinking.
The jury then returned the following verdict:
“That on the 22nd April, Dinah Hoddell died from effusion of the brain together with exhaustion, due to incessant vomiting, the result of the excessive use of stimulants; and there is no blame attachable to Mr. Hoddell, and the jury condole with him.

Dinah married Cope Hoddell, son of James Hoddell and Ann Watkins, on 28 Jun 1866 in St Thomas, Coventry. (Cope Hoddell was born in 1841 in Coventry, died on 28 Sep 1920 and was buried in 1920 in London Road Cemetry, Coventry.)