Shropshire historian, 73, died after stairs fall in Turkey
An architectural historian from Shropshire died in a tragic accident after falling downstairs in Turkey, an inquest heard.
Julia Ionides had been attending a conference with her husband Peter Howell at a university in Istanbul last month.
But the author, who spent 20 years running a charity for the blind alongside Mr Howell, fell downstairs after leaving the conference hall on November 21 and hit her head.
The 73-year-old, of Greenacres, Ludlow, became unconscious and had to be resuscitated after her heart stopped. She was taken to a hospital where medics carried out neurosurgery after discovering she had suffered a brain injury.
The grandmother-of-eight, who had been researching her family history for a new book, was later flown back to the UK and kept under observation at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, where she died on Sunday without ever regaining consciousness. She had sufferedbleeding inside the skull and her life support machine was turned off after nothing could be done to save her.
Coroner John Ellery recorded a conclusion of accidental death during a hearing at Wellington Civic Centre in Telford on Thursday. Her husband of 30 years, a former architect, today paid tribute to his wife who he said was generous, intelligent and loving.
The pair set up the Dog Rose Trust in 1995 to raise awareness of the visually impaired and regularly advised local authorities, the Government and international charities. They penned a book about their work, as well as books about Shrewsbury-born architect Thomas Farnolls Pritchard and 19th-century Shropshire properties.
Mr Howell said his wife had been researching the history of the Ionides family in Turkey, Greece and England and the pair had been in Istanbul five days when the accident happened.
The 85-year-old said: "I had turned to look for a handrail and I think she missed her footing. She fell about seven steps and hit her head on marble skirting."
The pair's work to help the blind and visually impaired included producing recordings for the British Museum and designing 3D models of popular visitor attractions – including a miniature version of Ludlow Castle, which is on show there.
Mr Howell said: "I miss her terribly. We were together so much, we were like one person."
He said: "She was a generous person. She was liked a lot and well known. She would get on with anyone."
Mrs Ionides, who grew up in Berkshire, also leaves behind three children from a previous marriage and eight grandchildren.
