“TAKING MY PEARLS WITH ME.”

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 May 1937, Page 2

“TAKING MY PEARLS WITH ME.”

PLYMOUTH. April 7. When the French liner Colombie arrived here to-day. it was revealed that a. woman passenger, wearing a valuable rope of pearls, had jumped overboard last night. She was Mrs Maude Fairclough, 65. who was on her way to Haddon Hall Hydro. Buxton, and she had made a cruise to the West Indies and back. Mrs Fairclough was accompanied by her niece, Mrs D. P. Cooke, of Cheadle Huhne. Cheshire. Last night, she attended a farewell concert. It is believed that a few hours later, clad in a dressing-gown over her night attire and wearing the pearls, she jumped into the sea. She was reported missing when she failed Io take.a bath that she had asked her stewardess to prepare. When a seai ch proved fruitless, a letter was found in her cabin. In it, wore the phrases:— "I have no more interest in life. My sight, is going. My memory is failing. What doos lite hold for mo? | am taking my pearls with me. they hold such wonderful memories." The pearls were the only article other than the clothinv missing from Mrs (•;.bin. and a p.assenger stated that Mrs Fairulough had once said th.-t sin- would never part with them. Mr ( yri! Maude, tin' actor, who was also rmuriiiiß from Hie cruise. said, "The letter explains what would have been a. mystery. Throughout the trip .Mrs !■ airclough was happy and gay."