ANN MORRIS

MARTHA TABRAM'S SISTER-IN-LAW

Saw Her On The Monday Night.

Ann Morris was the sister of Henry Samuel Tabram, and, therefore, the sister-in-law of Martha Tabram.

She appeared as a witness on the final day of the inquest into Martha's death, which took place on the afternoon of Thursday, 23rd August, 1888.

It has to be said that she didn't present Martha in anything like a flattering light, and she, like several other witnessed, remarked on Martha's intemperance.

The East London Observer, published a fairly detailed account of her inquest testimony in its edition of Saturday, 25th August 1888:-

Mrs. Ann Morris, a pale looking woman, whose pallor was increased by her totally black, though neat, attire, said:-

"I live at 23, Fisher Street, Mile End Road, and I am a widow. My husband's name was Thomas.

I knew the deceased, and I last saw her alive on the Monday Bank Holiday about 11 o'clock at night - the "White Swan:". She was alone at the time, but I didn't follow her in and I saw no more of her after that.

She drank very heavily and was a very bad woman in other respects. She was, I believe, on the streets.

We were only on speaking terms. She used to apply to me for money, but not lately.

She used to support herself by hawking, so I believe, although I have never seen her selling articles.

I was not near enough on the Bank Holiday to see if she was sober or not.

I know nothing of the circumstances of her death, and heard nothing of it until last Monday week."

By Inspector Reid:- "She has been three times charged with annoying me by using bad language and threats. On the last occasion she was sentenced to seven days. She was never sober on these occasions; indeed she never judged me wrong when she was sober.

She had two boys by her husband, one of who must be about seventeen by now."

Source: The East London Observer, Saturday, 25th August 1888.

The next day, Sunday, 12th August, 1888, Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, published a more truncated account of Ann's testimony:-

Ann Morris, 23, Lisbourne Street E, a widow, deposed that she was the sister-in-law of the deceased.

Witness last saw her alive on Bank holiday, as she was entering the White Swan public-house in Whitechapel-road.

Deceased then appeared to be sober. She was alone when she entered the bar.

Witness did not know if any soldiers were in the public-house.

Deceased had been charged several times for annoying the witness and breaking the windows of her house. She fancied that the witness was encouraging her brother (the deceased's husband) to live there."

Source: Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, Sunday, 26th August 1888.