Mexborough & Swinton Times, October 29, 1949

Sick Woman in Locked House

Tragic Sequel to Kilnhurst Find

Residents in Beighton Road, Kilnhurst, were accustomed to seeing their 68-years-old neighbour, Mrs. Elizabeth Bradford, standing at her garden gate each morning waiting for the postman. Last Friday she did not appear, and when Barbara Jackson ran into Mrs. Bradford’s back garden later in the morning to pull some grass for her rabbits the curtains were still drawn.

Barbara’s mother, Mrs. R. Jackson, of 24, Beighton Road, became anxious and called to Mrs. Bradford but got only a faint reply. Mrs. Jackson told the “South Yorkshire Times” on Tuesday, “When I looked through the letter box I could see Mrs. Bradford’s foot.”

With her husband’s help Mrs. Jackson broke into the bungalow and found Mrs. Bradford lying on the kitchen floor in a collapsed state. A doctor was called and said it appeared Mrs. Bradford had eaten very little food for several days.

Mrs. Bradford’s three daughters, Mrs. Elizabeth Hill, of Thurnscoe, Mrs. M. Atkinson, of Nelson (Lancashire) and Mrs. Elsie O’Connor, were summoned, but although Mrs. Bradford appeared to improve, she had a relapse on Wednesday and died during the night.