• Born: 1841, Sittingbourne, Kent, England
• Christened: 31 Jan 1841, St. Michael, Sittingbourne, Kent, England ¹
• Married: 27 Apr 1876, St. Benet Paul's Wharf, London, England ²
• Died: 5 Dec 1891, Gravesend, Kent, England
• Buried: 10 Dec 1891, St. Michael, Sittingbourne, Kent, England ³

  Research Notes:

Maria daughter of Thomas Burley of Sittingbourne, tailor, and Frances (baptismal record)

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At the time of the 1851 England Census Maria Burley, age 10, born in Sittingbourne Kent, scholar, was with her parents in East End, Sittingbourne.

In Oct 1854 Maria Burley was present at the marriage of her sister Frances Burley to Robert Rapson in Sittingbourne.

In Mar 1856 Maria Burley was present at the marriage of her brother Thomas Burley to Eliza Amner in Minster in Sheppey Kent.

At the time of the 1861 England Census Maria Burley, age 19, born in Sittingbourne Kent, was with [her brother] Benjamin Burley, unmarried, grocer, at 14 Milton Road, Milton Kent.

At the time of the 1871 England Census Maria Burley, age 28, born in Sittingbourne Kent, unmarried, was with her brother Benjamin Burley, unmarried, grocer, at 21 Milton Road, Milton Kent.

At the time of the 1881 England Census Maria Green, age 35, born in Sittingbourne Kent, and husband William R Green, age 49, born in Gravesend Kent, livery stable keeper, were living at 83 New Road, Gravesend. Present were children (born in Gravesend), William* (22), medical student, Emma* (17), milliner, and Frances (3).

* Children of William's first marriage

At the time of the 1891 England Census Maria Green, age 45, born in Sittingbourne Kent, and husband William Richd. Green, age 59, born in Gravesend Kent, livery stable keeper, were living at 83 New Road, Gravesend. With them were children (born in Gravesend): Emma (27), Frances (13) and Maria (9).

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Maria Green of Gravesend died aged 50 years (burial record).

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SAD SUICIDE OF A MARRIED WOMAN.

On Monday evening, an inquest was held at the Town Hall, by Mr. W. G. Penman, borough coroner, on the body of Maria Green, aged 50 years, wife of William Richard Green, 83, New-road, cab proprietor, who died at the Hospital on Saturday evening from a self-inflicted wound in the throat.—Mr. David James Terry was chosen foreman of the jury.—The Coroner, at the outset, expressed sympathy with Mr. Green in his sad bereavement.—William Richard Green, husband of the deceased, stated that she had been attended by a doctor for the last six weeks for nervous debility. She did not labour under delusions. She had been in the habit of going out in the day time, and she was out on Friday, when she seemed somewhat better. During Friday night, however, she was very restless and complained of pains in her head. On Saturday morning witness got up at seven o'clock and left deceased in bed. He looked in at nine o'clock, and then went to his business, leaving his sister to attend the deceased. He returned about half-past ten o'clock, when his sister shouted to him to go upstairs at once. On entering the room he saw deceased lying on the floor leaning against the bed post. Blood was flowing freely from a wound in the throat. He saw a razor lying on the floor near the deceased. It was his razor, which he had left in the washstand drawer, where he always kept it. He at once sent for Dr. Pinching, who was immediately in attendance, and sewed up the wound. The doctor thought it advisable that deceased should be taken to the hospital, and she was accordingly removed thither. Deceased was never violent. At the hospital she told witness that she was not responsible for her actions. She had never threatened to make away with herself.—Francis Raspison*, living at Horsham, said she was sister to the deceased. She was sent for on Thursday week to attend to her sister. Deceased complained of pains in her head, and she was in a despondent state. She brooded over the apprehension that she was going to become a useless person, having previously been so active. On Saturday morning witness went into deceased's room at half-past seven o'clock. Deceased told her that she had had no rest that night, and that she did not feel inclined to get up. On returning to the room about half-past ten o'clock, after a short absence, witness found deceased sitting on the floor at the bottom of the bed, with a razor lying near her. She at once called the last witness. Deceased had never given them any reason to think that she would do away with herself.—Dr. Pinching said that deceased had been in the habit of calling upon him since the 26th October. She suffered from sleeplessness and general nervous debility. She complained of pains in her head and eyes. She grieved on account of her inability to do her work and attend to her husband and children as she formerly did, and was afraid that she would end her days in a lunatic asylum. She had given him no reason to apprehend that she would be likely to do away with herself. Her mental condition was that to which women at her time of life were subject, but which very often passed away. Her general health was good. He met deceased in the street on Friday night, when she thought she was better. He was called to the house of the deceased on Saturday morning, about ten minutes to eleven o'clock, when he found the deceased in her room as already described. Her throat was cut right across from left to right, severing the windpipe, and partially severing the gullet. He ordered her removal to the hospital, where she died about seven o'clock the same evening from exhaustion, loss of blood, and shock due to the wound in the throat. The wound had been self-inflicted, when deceased was not in her right state of mind.—A verdict in accordance with the medical testimony was returned.

Gravesend Journal, 12 December 1891, p. 8

* Frances Rapson