WOMAN’S BODY FOUND IN HARBOUR

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25740, 28 February 1949, Page 6

WOMAN’S BODY FOUND IN HARBOUR

The body of Cecilia Williams, a single woman, aged 59, who lived at Oxford street, Lyttelton, was found in the harbour at Lyttelton yesterday morning.

At an inquest opened before Mr Raymond Ferner, Coroner, yesterday afternoon, evidence was given by John Patrick Williams, 'a brother with whom Miss Williams lived, that his sister had been in ill-health for more than a year. He last saw her at 10 o’clock on Saturday night. She appeared quite cheerful and spoke of things to be done the following morning. She had never at any time disclosed any suicidal tendencies. At 6 a.m. yesterday he discovered the front door open and that his sister was missing from her bed. He informed the police. Edward Gillard, watchman for the Lyttelton Harbour Board, said that at 7.55 a.m. some youths told him that there was a body under the breastwork. He saw the body, which was clothed in night attire, across a wooden wall. It had apparently been left there by the falling tide. Robert William Burns, a nephew of the deceased, said he had been searching for his aunt. From the position in which he had found the body it was possible that she had struggled on to 'the wall in an effort to save herself when the tide was higher. The inquest was adjourned to Christchurch, sine die, and a postmortem examination was ordered.