Margaret Alexandria Cramp [26573]

   FamilySearch ID: LXSP-428.

  Noted events in her life were:

• Occupation: Librarian, 1942.

• Registration: Death, 1942, Woollahra District, New South Wales, Australia. ² 4832/1942
CRAMP, MARGARET ALEXANDRA
KARL REGINALD
ETHEL MAY
WOOLLAHRA

• Newspaper: Family Notices, 1942 Mar 31, Sydney District, New South Wales, Australia. ³ Family Notices. (1942, March 31). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 10. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17794991>

CRAMP-March 27, 1942, Margaret Alex-
andra, cherished daughter of Mr. and the
late Mrs. K. R. Cramp, 12 Birriga Road, Bel-
levue Hill, sister of Reg, Cameron, and Ethel.

• Newspaper: GLOOMY HOME LIFE LEADS TO GIRL'S SUICIDE, 1942 Apr 11. ⁴ GLOOMY HOME LIFE LEADS TO GIRL'S SUICIDE. (1942, April 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848-1954), p. 3. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8241528>
GLOOMY HOME LIFE LEADS TO GIRL'S SUICIDE
SYDNEY, Fri: Margaret Alexandria Cramp, 22, of Bellevue Hill, de- scribed as a brilliant university librarian, was found dead in front of a gas-stove at a friend's home on March 27, and Mr Orain, city coroner, found today that she had committed suicide.
Dr John McGcorge, of Macquarie st, psychiatrist, said in a letter to the Court that the girl's home sur- roundings had been unbelievably gloomy, "more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life." He had advised her to leave her home, and she had seemed much brighter after doing so.
It was also stated in court that her father, Carl Reginald Cramp, retired public servant, had insisted, after her mother's death in 1940, on displaying pictures of her all round the house.

• Newspaper: "HORROR OF HOME ENVIRONMENT", 1942 Apr 11. ⁴ "HORROR OF HOME ENVIRONMENT". (1942, April 11). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954), p. 13. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17809828>


"HORROR OF HOME ENVIRONMENT"
At the inquest yesterday on Mar- garet Alexandria Cramp, 22, a doctor stated that she had "almost a horror of her home environment."
Miss Cramp was found dead in front of a gas oven in a friend's home on March 27. The Coroner's finding was suicide.
Dr. John McGeorge, psychiatrist, of Macquarie Street, gave evidence by letter that when he first saw the girl at her home, in Birriga Road, Bellevue Hill, in May, 1941, she had made a half-hearted attempt at suicide. Her home surroundings were unbelievably gloomy, more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life.
Her mother had died, and her father insisted on displaying pictures of her all round the house, including an Illuminated one, which he kept alight all night.
The girl's activities were restricted, and she had to be home at a certain hour, her father walting up. His attitude was one of continual, unex- pressed reproach, stated the letter,
"Loyalty to her father prevented her from expressing her true feelings, which, I feel sure, were almost of horror of her home environment," the letter stated.
"She was a brilliant graduate in Arts, with considerable distinction, and was appointed to the University library.
"I can only assume that my almost violent demands that the girl should live with other University girls in some hostel, rather than remain home, were completely ignored by her father."

• Newspaper: LIBRARIAN'S DEATH, 1942 Apr 11. ⁴ LIBRARIAN'S DEATH. (1942, April 11). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879-1954), p. 6. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47188490>
LIBRARIAN'S DEATH. SYDNEY. April 10.-After an in- quest today concerning the death of Margaret Alexandria Cramp (22). of Bellevue Hill, described as a brilliant university librarian, who was found dead in front of a gas stove at a friend's home on March 27. The Coroner (Mr Oram) found that she had committed suicide. In a letter to the Court a psychiatrist said that the girl's home life had been un- believably gloomy-more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life. Deceased's father, it was also stated in Court, after her mother's death in 1940, had insisted on displaying pictures of her throughout the house.

• Newspaper: Suicide's Gloomy Home Life, 1942 Apr 11. ⁴ Suicide's Gloomy Home Life. (1942, April 11). The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931-1954), p. 7. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48752385>

Suicide's Gloomy Home Life
SYDNEY, April 10.
Margaret Alexandria Cramp, 22, of Beuevue Hill, described as a brilliant university librarian, was found dead in front of a gas stove at a friend's home on March 27. The City Coroner (Mr. Oram) to day found that she had committed suicide Dr. John McGeorge, a Macquarie street psychiatrist, in a letter to the court, said the girl's home sur roundings had been unbelievably gloomy, and more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life. He had advised her to leave her home and she had seemed much brighter after doing so. It was also stated in court that her father, Carl Reginald Cramp, retired public servant, after her mother's death in 1940. had insisted on displaying pictures of her an round the house.

• Newspaper: Barrier Miner, 1942 Apr 13. ⁴ Girl Ends Life In Gloomy Home. (1942, April 13). Barrier Miner (Broken Hill, NSW : 1888-1954), p. 2 Edition: LATEST EDITION. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48407405>

Girl Ends Life In
Gloomy Home
SYDNEY, Monday.-A girl's home life was described as "unbelievably gloomy-more like tile scene from a Bronte novel than real life"-in an extraordinary document tendered in the City Coroner's Court, when an inquest was held into her death.
The girl, Margaret Alexandria Cramp- (22) was found at Bronte in a sitting position in front of a gas stove with her head covered with a coat.
"When I first, saw this girl, in her home in May, 1941, she was then in a depressed condition and had made a half-hearted attempt, at suicide," said a letter from Dr. John McGeorge.
"The home surroundings were un- believably gloomy-more like the scene from a Bronte novel than real life. Her mother had died and her father insisted on having pictures of the mother displayed all round the house, including an illuminated one, which he kept alight all night.
"The girl was restricted in her activities and had to be home at a certain hour. The father waited up until she returned, and his attitude was continually one of unexpressed reproach. If she wanted to do any- thing, he looked reproachful, and said resignedly that it did not matter about him-she must do what she wanted to. As a result, the girl's life was one of continual anxiety and, worry."
A finding of suicide was recorded.

• Newspaper: MACABRE STORY, 1942 Apr 17. ⁴ MACABRE STORY. (1942, April 17). Cairns Post (Qld. : 1909-1954), p. 4. Retrieved February 2, 2011, from <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article42340487>
MACABRE STORY. OF GIRL'S LIFE.
WITH WIDOWED FATHER.
SYDNEY, April 16
A girl's home life was described as "unbelievably gloomy-more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life"-in an extraordinary document tendered in the City Coroner's Court.
The girl - Margaret Alexandria Cramp (22)-is dead. The Coroner decided that she committed suicide by gassing herself in the kitchen of her home-at Bronte.
"When I first saw this girl at her home in May, 1941, she was in a de- pressed condition, and had made a half- hearted attempt at suicide," stated a letter from Dr. John McGeorge, of MacQuarie-street.
"The home surroundings were un- believably gloomy-more like a scene from a Bronte novel than real life.
"Her mother had died and her father insisted on having pictures of her dis- an illuminated one which he kept alight played all round the house, including all night.
"The girl was restricted in her activi- ties, and had to be home at a certain hour. The father was waiting up till she returned. His attitude was a con- tinual one of unexpressed reproach.
"If she wanted to do anything, he looked reproachful and said resignedly that it did not matter about him. She must do what she wanted.
"As a result, the girl's life was one of continual anxiety and worry.
"I advised very strongly that she should leave the home and get into brighter surroundings.
"After considerable discussion with the father, this was eventually agreed to and when I saw her about a month later she was very much brighter and more cheerful.
"Her loyalty to her father prevented her from expressing her true feelings, which I feel sure were almost of hor- ror of her home environment.
"She was a brilliant girl, who had graduated in arts with considerable distinction, and had been appointed to the university library. It was the librarian who first drew my attention to her case. Her sister supported me in my insistence that the girl should have a break from the home.
"However, she returned, and I did not see her again.
"I can only assume that in spite of my almost violent demands that the girl should go to live with other uni- versity girls in some form of hostel rather than remain in the home were completely ignored by the father. In a case like this the salvation of the patient lies in breaking away from the environment which is oppressive and morbid and always likely to induce thoughts of self-destruction."
A finding of suicide was recorded.