This has to be a case of postnatal depression or something similar. She had at least 3 children born in 1912, 1914 and 1916. The war would have been raging for almost 4 years and her husband was away with the army. Her mother and father had divorced in 1903 when her mother had given 'way to drink and vicious habits'. Who did she have to support her and the children mentally and physically?
These articles also highlight the inaccuracies in newspaper reporting at the time.
Evening Despatch - Monday 29 April 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000671/19180429/061/0003
MIDLAND TRAGEDY. SENSATIONAL SEQUEL TO VISIT TOWOLVERHAMPTON On Saturday night young married woman, named Ethel Murden, whose home is at 110, Willows-road, Birmingham, visited the house of her father, John Mitchell James, bootmaker, 315 and 316 New Hampton-road West, Wolverhampton. She had with her one of three young children, Irene, aged 2 1/2 years. After telling his daughter to wait while locked up the shop, Mr. James put out the lights, and was startled at hearing screams in the street, and Mrs. Murden was found bleeding from a wound in the throat. The child also was found to be injured, and was taken the hospital, where death took place shortly after. Mrs. Murden was taken to the institution, and last night was in critical condition.
Birmingham Daily Gazette - Monday 29 April 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19180429/074/0003
MIDLAND TRAGEDY. SENSATIONAL SEQUEL TO VISIT TO WOLVERHAMPTON.
On Saturday night a young married woman, named Ethel Murden, whose home is at 110, Willows-road, Birmingham, visited the house of her father, John Mitchell James, bootmaker. 315 and 316, New Hampton-road West, Wolverhampton. She had with her one of three young children, Irene, aged 2 1/2 years.
After telling his daughter to wait while he locked up the shop, Mr. James put out the lights, and was startled at hearing screams in the street, and Mrs. Murden was found bleeding from a wound in the throat.
The child also was found to be injured, and was taken to the hospital, where death took place shortly after. Mrs. Murden was taken to the institution, and last night was in a critical condition.
Birmingham Daily Post - Monday 29 April 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000033/19180429/120/0006
DAUGHTER’S TRAGIC VISIT TO WOLVERHAMPTON.
Wolverhampton was the scene of a distressing tragedy on Saturday night. A young married woman, Ethel Murden, of 110, Willow Road, Birmingham, paid a visit her father, John Mitchell James, bootmaker, 315 and 316, New Hampton Road West. She is the mother of three young children, and had with her one of them, Irene, aged 2 1/2 years.
Mr. James observed that his daughter was rather strange in her manner. When she was leaving he asked her to wait while he locked up the shop, and that he would go with her to the station. Mrs. Murden went outside the shop, and in a few moments her father heard screams in the street. Immediately afterwards Mrs. Murden was found by a man passing by bleeding extensively from a wound in the throat. The baby girl was lying on the ground near at hand, and was also injured. A woman took the child to the hospital, where death followed the same night. Mrs. Murden lies precarious state in hospital Her husband is now in the army, and was formerly a railway clerk.
Birmingham Daily Gazette - Tuesday 30 April 1918 & Evening Despatch - Tuesday 30 April 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19180430/058/0003
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000671/19180430/051/0003
WOLVERHAMPTON TRAGEDY The Birmingham woman, Ethel Murden, of Willows-road, who was found outside her father’s shop at Wolverhampton on Saturday night, with her infant boy James— not girl, as previously stated—both suffering from wounds in the throat, was reported last night to be in grave condition. The inquest on the boy is fixed for Wednesday.
Birmingham Daily Gazette - Friday 03 May 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19180503/082/0003
Ethel Murdin, Willows-road, Birmingham, who figured in the tragedy at Wolverhampton Saturday night, was reported last night to be little better.
Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 04 May 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000252/19180504/109/0007
Daughter's Tragic Visit. Wolverhampton was the scene of a distressing tragedy on Saturday night. A young married woman. Ethel Murden. of 110, Willow-road. Birmingham, paid a visit to her father, John Mitchell James, bootmaker, 315 and 316, New Hampton-road West. She is the mother of three young children, and had with her one of them, Irene, aged two and a-half years. Mr. James observed that his daughter was rather strange in her manner. When she was leaving asked her to wait while he locked up the shop, and said he would go with her to the Station. Mrs. Murden went outside the shop, and in a few moments, her father heard screams in the street. Immediately afterwards Mrs. Murden was found by a man passing by bleeding extensively from a wound in the throat. The baby girl was lying on the ground near at hand, and was also injured. A woman took the child to the hospital, where death followed. Mrs. Murden lies in a precarious state hospital. Her husband is now in the Army, and was formerly a railway clerk.
Birmingham Daily Post - Thursday 09 May 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000033/19180509/124/0005
BIRMINGHAM WOMAN'S CRIME. SUICIDE AFTER MURDERING HER SON
The Coroner's enquires into the tragedy Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton, the victims of which were Geoffrey Phillip Murdin (2 1/2), and his mother, Ethel Murdin (32), of 110, Willows Rood, Cannon Hill, Birmingham, who died after lingering a week in the Wolverhampton Hospital, concluded at Wolverhampton last night.
The evidence showed that Mrs. Murdin, whose husband is a signaller, on active service, arrived unexpectedly on the night of April 27 at the boot shop kept by her father, John Mitchell James in Newhampton Road. Wolverhampton, and when he expressed surprise she said she was obliged to come but did not explain what she meant. The father told her they had just moved into a private house, and he did not know how they could manage, but would go round with her and if they could not do anything he would see her to the station. He said her mind seemed in a terrible state, but she had been very strange for a long time. Whilst he was locking up the shop Mrs. Murdin went out and apparently took a knife from the counter, for just after she was found cutting at her throat with the knife whilst the boy was lying on the ground with his throat cut.
Mrs, Murdin's brother, Ernest A. James, Ladypool Road, Birmingham, said she had been very strange for 18 months. He saw her the day of the tragedy, and she talked wildly, and asked to be put in an asylum. He was about to see about having her placed in an institution, but could not do so on that day. Her married life had not been unhappy.
It was stated that the husband had been wired to, but nothing had been heard from him. The jury returned a verdict that the boy was wilfully murdered by the mother, who herself committed suicide whilst of unsound mind. They recommended the coroner to censure strongly the father and the brother of Mrs. Murdin on their treatment of her on the day of the crime. - Both the father and the brother stated that they had done all they possibly could for Mrs. Murdin, and the Coroner himself said he could not go as far as the jury in their view.
Birmingham Daily Gazette - Thursday 09 May 1918
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000669/19180509/085/0003
THE MIDLAND TRAGEDY. Verdict at the Wolverhampton Inquest. A disagreement between the Coroner and jury on a question of censure arose at the inquest at Wolverhampton last night into the circumstances of the tragedy on Saturday week involving the death Geoffrey Philip Murdin, aged 2 1/2, and his mother, Ethel Murdin, aged 32, wife of a signaller in the cavalry, and formerly residing at 110, Willows-road, Cannon Hill, Birmingham. Mrs. Murdin visited the shop of her father, John Mitchell James, bootmaker. Wolverhampton, just before 9 o'clock on Saturday night week with her two children, He was very much surprised, but promised that if they could not put her up for the night—having moved into private house the day before— he would see her to the railway station. A Cobbler's Knife. While was locking the shop his daughter went outside and apparently took with her a cobbler's knife off the counter. for a moment later she was found in the street hacking at her throat, while the child lay on the pavement with his throat gashed. Mrs. Murdin's brother, Ernest James, also a bootmaker, Ladypool-road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham, said his sister had been strange in her mind for eighteen months, but was not in financial difficulties.
Not Unhappy.
She had not been unhappy in her married life, though owing to her eccentricity she once separated from her husband, only become reconciled in a few weeks. She called at his house on the day of the tragedy and asked to be put away in asylum, or even in prison, and he promised to see what could be done next day.
The jury returned a verdict "Wilful Murder" against the mother and that she was insane when she committed suicide, and they requested the Coroner to censure both the brother and father of the woman for their treatment her on the day of the tragedy.
Both were recalled, and stated they had done all they could for the deceased. The Coroner said he could not go so far as the jury himself. The Foreman, however, said the woman ought never to have been left.
Her parents' divorce
Leominster News and North West Herefordshire & Radnorshire Advertiser - Friday 13 March 1903
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002105/19030313/062/0003
A PAINFUL STORY Mr. Justice Barnes and a common jury, on Friday afternoon, had before them the case of James v. James, in which Mr. John Mitchell James. a bootmaker in Birmingham, sought a dissolution of his marriage with his wife on the ground of her adultery with a man unknown. Mr. Priestley. K.C., stated that the story was a peculiar and a sad one, especially when it was considered that the woman was of the age that she was, and the principal witnesses were the sons of the petitioner and respondent. The parties were married as long ago as 1873. and there had been eight children of the marriage. the eldest being 27 years of age. The petitioner was a bootmaker in a small way of business at Ladypool Road, Birmingham, and it appeared that six years ago the respondent gave way to drink and vicious habits. She had been seen by her sons last year in the company of men. In May last, when Ernest, one of the sons, was in bed he heard the voices of a man and a woman talking. He went down to the back of the house, and found a man coming out. He made a spring at him. and asked him who he was. " Ask the missus." he said, "I have been courting the missus." The husband taxed his wife the neat morning, and she said. " I know I have done wrong. Forgive me." Petitioner replied that he could not forgive her because of the disgrace to the children. —Ernest James, the son of the petitioner and respondent. gave evidence, and in the course of it he broke down, sobbing bitterly in the box.—Mr. Justice Barnes, on the jury intimating that they had heard enough, said that the case was a very sad one, and in which there seemed to be but little doubt.—The jury found for the petitioner, and his Lordship granted a decree nisi.
Evesham Standard & West Midland Observer - Saturday 14 March 1903
https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002560/19030314/216/0007
A PAINFUL STORY. Mr. Justine Barnes; and a common jury, on Friday afternoon, had before them the case of James v. James, in which Mr. John Mitchell James, a bootmaker in Birmingham, sought a dissolution of his marriage with his wife on the ground of her adultery with a man unknown. Mr. Priestley. K.C., stated that the story was a peculiar and a sad one. especially when it was considered that the woman was of the age that she was, and that the principal witnesses were the sons of the petitioner and respondent. The parties were married as long ago as 1873, and there had been eight children of the marriage, the eldest being 27 years of age. petitioner was a bootmaker in a small way of business at Ladypool Road, Birmingham, and it appeared' that six years ago the respondent gave way to drink and vicious habits. She had been seen by her sons last year in the company of men. In May last when Ernest. one of the sons. was in bed he heard the voices of a man and a woman talking. He went down to the back of the house, and found a man coming out. He made a spring at him. and asked him who he was. "Ask the missus." he said, "I have been courting the missus." The husband taxed his wife the next morning. and she said, "I know I have done wrong. Forgive me." Petitioner. replied that he could not forgive her because of the disgrace to the children. Petitioner gave corroborative evidence. Ernest James, the son of the petitioner and respondent, gave evidence. and in the course of it he broke down, sobbing bitterly in the box. Mr. Justice Barnes, on the jury intimating that they had heard enough said that the case was a very sad one, and one in which there seemed to be but little doubt. The jury found for the petitioner, and his Lordship granted a decree nisi.
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