Tragedy...

Distressing Tragedy at Salisbury...

That is what the headline read. In the March 12, 1926 edition of the Salisbury Journal from England. It was about the death of my great-great grandfather, Frederick Miggins. My sister found the article while researching. He was a resident engineer in the Salisbury Volunteer Fire Brigade. He committed suicide in the stable in the rear of the Fire Station.  He was 49 years old. I have no photograph of him. No letters. No ephemera to even prove he existed except a large newspaper article about his tragic death. He served at the Fire Station for 22 years. Then, apparently without reason, he hung himself.

According to the article, Frederick went and got the milk at 8:00 in the morning. Put on a kettle for breakfast. Walked away to the stable and hung himself. His nine year old son, Gordon, came running up the stairs crying after finding his father's body hanging in the stable.

There was a coroner's inquest and the coroner determined, after interviewing many witnesses, family and friends, that there was very little reason for my great-great grandfather to have taken his life. It was determined to be a sudden impulse which led him off to that beam in the stables that fateful morning.

His friends and co-workers said Frederick was "always kind, always regular, very conscientious in the performance of his duties and obliging to all with whom he came in contact. He did his duties at the Fire Station well and he had left everything in perfect order." I am very proud to have such a great ancestor with so many people who loved him and praised the character of his life. And who grieved at his senseless death.

I can't imagine my son, who is also nine, discovering the body of his father. Life would be forever altered for everyone. I pray for my great-great grandfather and am blessed to know something about his life. And, unfortunately, his death. He could never imagine how much his great-great grandson would love him. And the profound lessons he was able to pass on to me in his own personal tragedy. Of life. Of love. Of good character. Of kindness. Of public service. Of choices. Of irreversible decisions. Of unintended consequences. Of hurting all you ever loved...