Wotton man's 'diary date with death' (From Gazette Series)

Wotton man's 'diary date with death'

3:15pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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A 50-YEAR-OLD man made a chilling diary date with death before hanging himself at his home, an inquest heard.

On a whiteboard used for more mundane reminders, computer engineer Christopher Bartlett had written 'Fri: Die 3.45pm', Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore was told.

Police found the note after Mr Bartlett was discovered hanging from the bannisters at his home in Wotton-under-Edge on November 16 last year.

His sister Jane King said she they were very close and Mr Bartlett had excelled at computer systems, travelling all over the world for companies such as IBM and Fuji-Siemens.

He had also lived in France for six years, returning to Britain in 1996.

"While he was working for his last employer Fuji-Siemens, the company lost a large contract he had been working on and there was very little for him to do even though he was still on full pay," she said.

"He became bored and seven months ago, at the age of 49, he decided to give up work altogether. He was financially secure for the rest of his life.

"But I was worried about him because work was his life. I encouraged him to take part in community activities and he also helped with our father. There was no indication that he was feeling down."

She said the last time they spoke in November last year, he had been irritable and angry and she had been unable to get hold of him on the phone the following day.

She said she went to his house after work and found him hanging.

The coroner said Mr Bartlett was fit and healthy and there was no history of depressive illness.

"There was no reason to think he was depressed but when his sister last spoke to him he was irritable and angry, and this was significant as far as she was concerned," he said.

"I believe the note written on the whiteboard was an indication of his intent to take his life." He recorded a verdict of suicide.