Thomas Boddington's accusations against his wife

Dated 26 Apr 1880, this comes from Thomas Boddington's "Answer" to his wife's petition for their marriage to be annulled, filed on 10 March 1880. Taken at face value,it sheds a light on the her mental state.

Gunnersbury Lodge - "a Hell" according to Emily Boddington

Ordnance Survey 25" to one mile, 1896. Courtesy National Library of Scotland

"Thomas Boddington ... says ... that he has reasonable grounds ... for refusing to permit the Petitioner to cohabit with him."

• She is "of a very governable nature".
• From about 20 Dec 1879 to about Feb 1880 she has "on many occasions used violent, threatening and abuse language" towards him.
• She has "frequently thrown herself into paroxysms of rage at night, and other times, greatly alarming [him] and his servants for his safety"
• She has insisted on "having the entire control of the house and servants, putting [him] aside"
• She "required the butler, who had been twenty years in the family, should be immediately dismissed".
• She has "refused to dine in the same room with [him]"
• She has "brought relatives of her own to [his] house, without his knowledge or authority, to remain with her"
• She has "thrown glasses, china and other articles about the rooms and broken the furniture and glass"
• She has called him "a demon"
• She has called "the place where he resided, a Hell"
• She has said "she would kill herself ... if she met with with determined opposition"
• She has said that "death on the gallows was sweet if the result of satisfied revenge"
• That he "does not consider his life safe with [her]"
• On or about 1 Dec 1879, at Gunnersbury Lodge, she locked him in a room and for some hours violently prevented him from leaving it.
• On or about 15 Dec 1879, at Gunnersbury Lodge, she "violently endeavoured" to prevent him from leaving the room and subsequently hid the blankets and other bedding in order to prevent him going to bed.
• On the same night, she "seized him violently" and prevented him from leaving the room and "kept assaulting him throughout the night, so as to prevent him from sleeping."