Documents relating to John Trevor Standeven

Hanged Himself in Cloakroom

Lightcliffe wife tells of Tragic discovery

At an inquest at Lightcliffe School today on John Standeven worsted manufacturer (38), of Longlands, Lightcliffe, a well known business man and former RU Footballer who was found dead at his home on Saturday.

The Coroner Mr E. W. Norris sitting with a jury recorded a verdict of suicide while of unsound mind.

Barbara Standeven said that her husband had not had good health for some years and during the last six months his condition had been worse. He had found everything to be more of a strain he worried about his health and could not do some things he wanted to do.

He was at business on Saturday and returned home about 12:30 pm and seemed naturally cheerful. After lunch, he had a sleep as usual on Saturdays but slept longer than customary. At about 4:00 pm, he stirred and she asked him what time he wanted his tea because he was intending to go as head warden to a parade to "Salute a Soldier Campaign." He replied that he would have his tea at 4 o'clock; he got up and they left the room together, witness to make tea and her husband going to the cloakroom. She thought he was not properly awake as he often slept very heavily and it was usual for him to be not properly awake for some time. She returned to the morning room for a cup of tea and went to the cloakroom to see why her husband had not joined her. She cried out and tried the door but it was locked. She ran round the house to try the window but it was closed as usual. On returning to the house she moved the door bolt on the cloakroom with a pair of scissors and on entering found her husband hanging from a hook. She tried lifting him down but could not do so, so she ran to the kitchen to get a knife to cut him down. Help was secured from the lodge.

Witness said there was nothing to trouble her husband, they had been away for Whitsuntide and had a very happy time. Whilst they were away, he was fooling about on a bike and he fell off and it was giving him a lot of pain.

The Coroner asked if there was anything to cause him undue worry?

Witness: nothing at all. She added that there had not been peculiar in the last few days and no note was found.

Dr K. S. Dick said he had attended Mr Standeven for the past five years – he had been suffering from Hypoglycemia (lack of sugar in the blood) - it would have some effect on him being sleepy and was quite likely to cause some mental depression.

Witness had never noticed Standeven was depressed.

Witness said Dr Lawson and others had just given up artificial respiration when he arrived – the cause of death was Asphyxiation from strangulation.

The hook in the cloakroom was around 5 feet from the ground and his own height was six feet

Mr John Trevor Standeven of Longlands, Lightcliffe, late joint assistant managing director of Standeven & Company Limited, worsted manufacturers, Halifax, who died on June 3, son of John Standeven of Heath Bank, Halifax, left £87,876 19s 3d gross with net personalty £81,046 19s (duty paid £21,689). He left £500, his household and personal effects, the use of "Longlands" and £2,000 per annum to his wife, and the residue upon trust for his children. Probate has been granted to his widow, his father and his brother Denis W. Standeven, of Acre Mead, Halifax