Chain Pier Suicide Attempt

Reported in the "Brighton Herald", Saturday 7th April 1838

By David Rowland

Entrance to the Chain Pier

Roy Wood Collection

Marine Parade from the Chain Pier

Roy Wood Collection

Chain Pier

Roy Wood Collection

On Thursday afternoon 5th April 1838, a determined attempt at self-destruction was made by a young girl of respectable connections, named Mary Shotter, residing at 22 Upper North Street, and whose father was for some years an auctioneer in this town.

It appears that, about half past six on the evening of the above day, the unfortunate girl proceeded to the head of the Chain Pier, and after divesting herself of her shoes and a shawl, threw herself over the railings into the sea. She did not, however, sink, being supported by her clothes, and was floated out by the stream as far as opposite Kemp Town, where having been obvserved by some persons on shore and a boat being put out, she was taken from the water in an apparent lifeless state and conveyed to shore, and thence, in a fly, to the County Hospital.

Mr Lawrence, the house surgeon, was immediately sent for, and on arriving took the most effective means of restoring animation, which, after considerable difficulty, was ultimately happily accomplished, and the patient is now in a fair way to recovery.

We understand that the cause of this rash act on the part of the unfortunate girl, who is 19 years of age, was her neglect or abandonment by the individual to whom she had sacrificed the greatest treasure of a woman - her fair fame.