Private Thomas Thornton
1170 1/5th East Lancashire Regiment
Missing in action 9th June 1915, aged 33
Lived at 3 Bush Street
Commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli
Burnley Express 19th June 1915 - 3rd July 1915 - 8th November 1915

A WAR TRAGEDY
BURNLEY SOLDIER’S WIDOWS SUICIDE
JUROR AND EASY ACCESS TO POISON
(Burnley Express 21st August 1915)

The death of a Burnley soldier’s widow (Mary Agnes Thornton) under particularly painful circumstances has revealed one of the saddest tragedies of the war locally.
When the war broke out Pte. Thomas Thornton of 3 Bush-street, Burnley was sent away on service with the 5th East Lancashire Territorials, and at about the end of June this year his wife received information that he had fallen in action. Since then she has not worked and had been very low spirited, receiving medical attention at intervals. She tried to work but after two days of it she had to give up and latterly she had been troubled with delusions about her husband. Frequently she had stated that she could see her husband in different rooms, and that she could hear someone knocking at the door repeatedly. She had also stated in a roundabout way that she could not live. About five o’clock on Wednesday the poor women went to her sister-in-law (Dora Thornton) at 49 Tunstill-street and complained of being very much upset. She left at six to go home to provide tea for her two children. About seven o’clock she visited a chemist and, stating that it was for getting iron mould out of clothes, obtained four ounces of salts of lemon. Apparently she then went home and took part of the poison, for at 8-20 she went again to her sister-in-law, who, noticing her appearance, asked her what was to do. She then replied “I have taken salts of lemon” An emetic was administered, and the police and a doctor sent for. The doctor did not go to the house but ordered the woman’s removal to the Hospital. She died before arrival of the ambulance however and the body taken home.