Annie Vidler

William and Annie Vidler are buried together in Tunbridge Wells Cemetery. They were brother and sister; 2 of the 9 children of William Vidler and Mary Jane Slarks, also buried at Hawkenbury.

Annie Vidler was born in July 1873 in Goudhurst, and was William and Mary's 1st child.

Twenty four years later her death was the subject of an inquest. Annie died suddenly on 20 April 1898 at her parents’ house in St James' Park, Tunbridge Wells. The Kent & Sussex Courier reported that at 10.30pm her father had found her vomiting and she said she didn't need a doctor. Annie told him she had mixed some sherbet from her box in milk and water as she was thirsty. Her father thought she had taken something else by mistake - she had a box of acids for her job as a housemaid. When she couldn't stand up, a doctor was called. At 11pm she died in her mother's arms.

The report states that she was engaged and had moved home before her wedding. Her mother said they had been talking about the wedding that evening and Annie had been very cheerful the rest of the day. The doctor examined the contents of the cup and found it to be Oxalic acid (a corrosive poison used for cleaning brass). Its appearance would be similar to sherbet and was regularly sold by chemists.

The jury returned a verdict of 'death by misadventure' having concluded it wasn't suicide.

By Emma Vidler