An opera singer killed herself because she was ‘be
An opera singer killed herself because she was ‘beginning to feel her age’ after a series of operations, an inquest heard.
Sheila Laurence, 66, put her affairs in order then took a massive overdose of anti depressants.
Ms Laurence left farewell letters to her friends and instructions to her bank manager on a chair, the inquest heard.
Westminster Coroners Court heard that Ms Laurence had also worked as a part-time secretary for the Department of Trade and Industry.
She was on a two-month break recuperating from an operation on a broken shoulder at the time of her death.
Ms Laurence was in great pain, and had also been prescribed the anti-depressant Temazepam which she used to kill herself.
Her friend and neighbour Reverend Robin Crawford said: ‘I think she was struggling to return to work.
Financially she was finding it a bit tough.
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Rev Crawford said his friend had toured Australia and gave singing classes in London.
The vicar said he had discovered the body at her home at (Flat 48) Dean Abbott House, Vincent Street, Victoria.
He gained access to her room with the help of the warden of the block of flats on December 2.
At first Rev Crawford did not realise his friend had taken her life.
‘There she was, lying well composed on the bed.
It was obvious looking back on it she was dead.
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A letter beginning ‘Dear Friends, I felt this condition coming on for a while’ instructions to her bank manager and a will were found on a chair.
A pathologist’s report showed that Ms Laurence had taken a fatal dose of Temazepam.
The coroner, Dr Paul Knapman said: ‘For all we know she was beginning to feel her age.
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He added the note to her friends ‘makes perfectly clear her intention.
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Verdict: Suicide
ends
