From the Kentish Gazette, 17 October 1843.

Awful Visitation.

An inquest was held at the "Red Lion," Offham, on Monday last, before Mr. J. Clabon, deputy-coroner, on the body of Mary Grays, a gipsy, aged 40. It appears from the evidence that the deceased had been hop-picking, for Mr. Morphew, who finished on Saturday morning, and in the evening he began paying the people at six to the shilling. Deceased swore very much at those that had been in and received six to the shilling, and at last, when it came to her turn to be paid, she swore with awful imprecations, that if she did take six, she hoped that God would strike her dead and blind. Deceased went in and was paid at six to the shilling. She had not left the house above five or six yards when she fell dead, in the presence of a large quantity of her tribe and others. Sarah Harris said she had known the deceased all her life, never knew her to have fits or faint, and never knew her ill except headache. Was with her all day on the 30th of September; she was hearty, well, and in excellent spirits. Was certain deceased had not been struck during the hop-picking. Martha Harris’s evidence was to the same effect.

John Dennist:— I saw deceased going in to take her money. She was very much agitated, and said she wished God might strike her dead and blind if she took six to the shilling. Saw her come out with money in her hand, and she went to a wheelbarrow and leant her head on her hand with her elbow on the wheelbarrow, and in five minutes she fell down dead; every means was used to reanimate her, but all to no purpose.

Verdict— "Died by the visitation of God."