Rene Florence York

Rene Florence York was suddenly taken ill on the Monday night, 23 March 1942 and was admitted to hospital the following day where she died about five minutes after admission.

The doctors said that they could find no marks of violence on her body and a post-mortem was ordered. However, when the post-mortem did not reveal her cause of death her organs were sent off to the Home Office pathologist in Nottingham who later determined that she had died from an overdose of aspirins and reported that 21.5 grains of aspiring, the equivalent of seven tablets, was found.

It was noted that Rene York had been a regular taker of aspirins.

It was heard that a fatal dose of aspirins was between 60 to 100 grains and that although Rene York only had 21.5 grains in her system, it was noted that before she was taken to hospital she had had a vomiting attack.

Her sister said that they had slept together on the Monday night, 23 March 1942, and that during the night Rene York was taken ill and that on the following morning she found that she was unconscious and at once called for the doctor who ordered her removal to the hospital where she died soon after arrival. It was said that when she had arrived at the hospital she had been in a comatose state.

She was a munitions worker.