EARLY in 2020, I came across the death of Jemima Kiley, the wife of herbalist Roland Kiley.

Jemima died on January 19, 1892, and was interred at Colchester Cemetery in the week ending January 29.

Full details of her inquest appeared in the local newspaper.

Jemima was said to have suffered from flu and bronchitis for 12 days prior to her death.

Her husband said that on the day in question, he had carried Jemima downstairs to the sofa.

He then went out for a walk and on his return, he found Jemima dead where he had left her an hour or so before.

During the inquest, Roland says they had been married for 18 years and had moved to Colchester six months previously.

Jemima’s niece had lived with them for nine years, but had gone home to Norfolk.

Jemima would have no-one else attend her, as she was used to being with her niece.

No doctor was called.

The remedies given to Jemima were detailed.

The cause of death was given as syncope and the inquest closed.

A fortnight later, the paper reports the exhumation of Jemima’s body.

There was much gossip among the neighbours and rumours had reached the ears of the police.

The body was taken to the mortuary and investigated for two hours.

Finally, her stomach, the colon, a part of the liver and two kidneys were sent to Guy’s Hospital, in London, for further analysis.

Historian - Sharon Mooney

Although there were inconsistencies in Roland’s statements and the neighbours disputed he had even left the house for a walk that fateful day, the results came back negative and it was reported a very unjust suspicion of Roland Kiley.

The coroner even congratulated Roland on the candid way he gave his evidence.

Fast forward to 2020, a global pandemic that gave me much time to investigate what Roland did next.

On September 26, 1892, he remarried in Birmingham.

The blushing bride? One Ann Antingham - Jemima’s niece!

Is this the same niece that had lived with them for nine years?

It was the same niece that had returned to Norfolk in January 1892, to give birth to a baby.

Her baby boy, Walter Dye Antingham, was born four days after Jemima’s untimely death.

Little Walter did not survive long and died in March 1892.

I located Jemima’s final resting place in Colchester Cemetery.

She has no headstone and the plot was never purchased.

Roland Kiley's book cover

Sadly, others are buried within the same plot.

A wife of 18 years dispatched and left behind while Roland disappeared into the sunset with her niece to live happily ever after.

Was this an unjust suspicion?

You, the reader, can decide. Is Roland guilty or not guilty?

Roland is mentioned in the papers quite a bit for his lectures.

He is referred to as “The Meandering Herbalist” as he moved around the country.

He also wrote a book - Phrenology and Other Medical Hints.

I purchased a copy and it’s a fascinating read.

In it, he talks of herbal remedies and one such herb mentioned is Colchicum.

He tells us this herb, when administered in large doses, can cause death within about 30 hours.

Oh, one more thing to mention.

Jemima was his second wife. He married her as Richard Kiley in 1873.

After his second marriage to Jemima, he is described as a widower.

I have yet to find the death of the first Mrs Kiley.

Roland Kiley's marriage certificate

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