Originally published in The Leader (Joseph Clatton, junr.) vol.1 #35 (23 Nov 1850).
In our town edition of last week we gave an account of the melancholy suicide of Mr. G.J. Pennington, recently auditor of the Civil List. From the evidence given at the inquest held on the body last Saturday, it appears that he had had an attack of paralysis last August, caused by the postponement of a marriage in his family, and that he had never entirely recovered from that shock. Mr. Hood, surgeon, who had known him for many years, says—
"He recovered partially from the paralysis, but his mind remained much weaker than it was before. This was more evident, because he had always been remarkable amongst his friends as being a man of very decided and strong mind. After he had recovered in some measure from the effects of disease, I advised him to go down into the country; and he went to the Isle of Wight first, and then to Brighton. After he had been there a week he came back unexpectedly, and called on me. This was about a month ago. He told me he had come up from Brighton on account of the agonizing feelings he had had the day before, which caused him to contemplate suicide. He said he felt something that was impelling him to throw himself over the cliff, and that it was with the greatest difficulty he could restrain himself from doing so. He also said he felt sure that if he had had a pistol within his reach he should have blown his brains out. I calmed him as well as I could, and told him that his bodily health was much deranged, and that I would prescribe to restore him, and again advised a sojourn in the country. He went again to Brighton. When he returned, about a fortnight ago, I saw him. He did not complain of having any return of those feelings I mentioned; but on Thursday week last more papers were brought to him than usual by one of the clerks. I think I ought to have stated that I recommended him to go back to the Treasury, as I thought it would do him good, provided he did not do too much work. He did go back to the Treasury, and was there for a few days. He was so frightened at the sight of the papers I have alluded to, that he ran down to the Treasury and resigned his situation to Sir Charles Trevelyan. He told him this on Friday week, and he told me he felt unable to undertake any more calculations, and that he had, in consequence, resigned. He appeared then very nervous, and seemed to me to regret having done it. I have no doubt that his mind was much weakened, and that he never recovered from the effects of paralysis, which left his mind in a very weak state. I have no doubt he was labouring under affection of the mind. I continued to see him after that. He continued very much the same, viz., desponding. I saw him last Wednesday. I did not think it was necessary to place him under restraint, because he was perfectly master of his actions, and struggled as much as man could do against the depression of his mind. I am decidedly of opinion that he was labouring under disease of the brain, and very extensive disease of the heart also. A person labouring under such disease would be likely to commit self-destruction."
From the evidence of Mr. H. Waddington, Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, it appeared that after the attack of paralysis Mr. Pennington's intellect fairly broke down. "He appeared to be labouring under disease of the brain, He would speak coherently for a time, and then lose the thread of his discourse. If he had not died in the way he did he would have had another attack of paralysis. The verdict of the jury was that he destroyed his own life whilst in an unsound state of mind.
Mr. Pennington was the only son of the late Dr. Charles Pennington, of Nottingham, and a nephew of the late Mr. Pennington, of London, who practised for many years as a surgeon, and amassed a large property. He chose the bar as his profession, and was for a time a member of the Midland Circuit. He was afterwards appointed one of the judges m the Ionian Islands, where he resided several years. Shortly after his return to this country he was appointed to the important and lucrative office of Auditor of the Civil List. He married the eldest daughter of the late Thomas Jekyl Rawson (formerly of Ashbourne, Derbyshire), by whom he had two sons and three daughters.