A “kind and gentle” antique dealer who battled mental health problems took his own life inside his struggling shop, an inquest has heard.
Ben Williams’ body was discovered at the Margate premises after he had been looking for work while feeling deeply concerned over his future.
Ben Williams, owner of Ramsay and Williams in Margate, died in July 2024 by suicide. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
The hugely popular 58-year-old’s death prompted an outpouring of touching messages from fellow creatives, including artist Tracey Emin.
On Thursday, an inquest into the dad-of-three’s death in July last year heard he had endured a “long battle with mental health”.
The hearing at Maidstone’s Oakwood House was told he ran Ramsay and Williams, an antique and ice cream shop in Market Street, which doubled up as an art gallery.
However, by the time of his death, the business was struggling and he had difficulties in his personal life, while he also suffered from bipolar disorder and had been diagnosed with cancer in 2018.
With the shop in financial trouble, Mr Williams had gone to work with a friend – his first day on a job for nine months – where he “held a frank conversation about the current state of his life”.
Ben was 58 when he died. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
Reading from a police report prepared after Ben’s death, coroner Sarah Clarke said: “The person he was working with said Ben had appeared pensive.
“He says Ben had accepted he had previously buried his head in the sand and had been struggling with various things.
“He had expressed some anxiety over being unemployed and was worried that if he couldn’t find some more permanent employment, he might lose his accommodation.”
Upon returning home, Mr Williams arranged to be picked up for work the next day.
But when he failed to open the door that morning, his wife and the police were called to the property, where he was found.
Ramsay and Williams in Market Street, Margate. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
Around the kitchen, officers found scattered pieces of paper reminiscing about the past, and a pros and cons list pertaining to moving out of his property.
While Mr Williams had suffered from mental health issues for the majority of his adult life, he had only attempted suicide once “several years ago”, the court heard.
The furniture restorer had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder more than 35 years ago and had been treated for it using lithium.
However, in the summer of 2023 it was decided to take him off his long-running prescription as his chronic kidney disease had progressed to stage three.
It had left Mr Williams and his family feeling frustrated over the decision made by his mental health consultant at The Beacon in Ramsgate.
Ramsay and Williams in Market Street, Margate. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
They felt doctors did not do enough to fully involve him in the decision to stop the medication.
But the coroner said while she understood the family’s frustrations, she accepted there was a clinical reason for doing so given his kidney issues.
The court heard discussions over new medication prompted fears of mania as a side effect.
It meant he went untreated between June 2023 and February 2024, while efforts to secure full-time employment had proved fruitless.
It was said by a medical professional who spoke to Ben weeks before he died that he “remained low in mood, finding it hard to concentrate and focus on getting things done”.
Ben was a prominent member of the Margate creative community. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
A toxicology report undertaken shortly after Ben’s death came back negative.
Delivering her conclusion of suicide, the coroner said she could “find no reason to suggest it wasn’t a deliberate act”.
“Something has occurred throughout the night that has caused Ben to end his life,” said the coroner in her conclusion.
“Ben had a long history of difficulties with his mental health.
“He was diagnosed, it seems, from a relatively young age with bipolar affective disorder and it seems for many, many years he had managed that quite effectively.
Artist Tracey Emin paid tribute to Ben
“His medication was removed, and I don’t condone the way in which that was done if it wasn’t relayed to Ben in the right way – it certainly should have been.
“However, in recent months before he died I can see that he was engaged with services and he was receiving information about what he could do possibly in terms of medication.
“He was relaying his reluctance to go on an alternative medication. Those are decisions he’s entitled to make.”
News of his death prompted hundreds of tributes from well-wishers, including Ms Emin.
She described Ben as “kind and enthusiastic” and said he “added a lot of energy to the creative community in Margate”.
Ramsay and Williams on a busy day. Picture: @ramsayandwilliams/Instagram
Author and mystic Tree Carr recalled his “gentle soul”, while fellow creatives also reflected on the support and advice Ben was known for.
Ben is survived by his wife and three children.