Coroner’s Inquests 1804 and 1805 cases
There were 12 cases reported in 1804 and 1805, though it is obvious enough that many more must have taken place.
1804
Unknown male – Salisbury
Dyer, Thomas – Downton
Maidment, George – Mere
Noyes, John – Downton
Shirt, Elizabeth – Stockton
Lampard, Mary – Mere
Unknown male – Salisbury
Neate, male – Winterbourne Stoke
1805
Hunt, James – Salisbury
Harford, Mary – Knook
Morris, John – Marlborough
Unknown female infant – Salisbury
Unknown male 1804 April 2nd Salisbury
On Tuesday last a waggoner was accidentally beat down by his horses in Milford-street in this city; the front wheel of the waggon, heavily laden, passed over his body, by which he was so dreadfully bruised, that died two days after.
There was no reported inquest.
Dyer, Thomas 1804 April 2nd Downton
On Tuesday last, Thomas Dyer fell under the wheel of a cart which he was driving near Downton, and was so much bruised by the wheel passing over him, that he died about six hours after. He was upwards of seventy years old; and the accident is attributed to his having drank too freely. On Thursday Mr Whitmarsh, one of the Coroners of the county, took an inquest on the body; verdict, “Accidental Death.”
Maidment, George 1804 April 2nd Mere
On Monday Mr Whitmarsh took an inquest at Mere, on the body of George Maidment, who was found dead. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”
Noyes, John 1804 May 21st Downton
On Saturday the 12th inst., Mr Whitmarsh, one of the coroners for this county, took an inquest on the body of John Noyes, of Downton, who was unfortunately killed by the unexpected fall of an oak pollard, which he and three others were felling. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”
Shirt, Elizabeth 1804 May 21st Stockton
On Monday last Mr Whitmarsh took another inquest at Stockton, on the body of Elizabeth Shirt, who was found dead; no marks of violence appearing on her body, the jury returned a verdict, “Visitation of God.”
Lampard, Mary 1804 May 21st Mere
Mr Whitmarsh took an inquest on Tuesday, at Mere, on view of the body of Mary Ann Lampard, who was found drowned. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”
It is not unworthy of notice, that in the last six years Mr Whitmarsh has taken 14 inquests at Downton, and 12 at Mere in five years!
Unknown male 1804 December 24th Salisbury
On Tuesday night last a poor man, who came passenger from London to this city in one of the road waggons, had a bed provided for him at the Three Crowns public house, in Brown-street, to which he retired in apparent good health, but was found dead the next morning. An inquest was taken on the body, and a verdict returned, that, “He died by the visitation of God.”
Neate, male 1804 December 24th Winterbourne Stoke
On Wednesday morning last Mr Neate, of this city, corn-dealer, set off from hence on horseback to Devizes, but was some time after found dead on Salisbury Plain, about half a mile from the Druid’s Head, having perished, as is supposed, by the inclemency of the weather. A Coroner’s Inquest being taken, the verdict was, “Died by the Visitation of God.”
Hunt, James 1805 January 7th Salisbury
An alarm was spread here on Thursday se’nnight, in the evening, that a man had fallen into the Canal, near the Wood-market, and several persons immediately searched for him, as well as the darkness of the evening would admit of; but the search being ineffectual, it was hoped that the alarm had been unfounded.
James Hunt, of Wilton, was missed from his home on the following day; it was known that he had been on business to this city; and the search was in consequence diligently renewed; it was however unavailing till Wednesday last, when the body of the unfortunate man was found floated down the river, opposite to Kirk’s dairy-house, on the Southampton road. Mr Whitmarsh, one of the Coroners for the county, held an inquest on Wednesday. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”
Hunt was by trade a tucker; and had resided at Wilton about forty years. It is said he was enquiring his way to the Chough Inn; and it is conjectured that from the darkness of the evening, added to his having been drinking, he mistook the rails of the canal for those which fence off the pavement in the Beast Market, and inadvertently plunged in. The stream is very rapid, and whilst the person who had answered his enquiries was calling for assistance, he was in an instant carried under the arches, where it was impossible to give it.
It seems indeed proper, from the numerous accidents within the last four years, that the canal, where it runs through the street, should either be totally covered over, or have additional rails, so as to prevent the possibility of one so fatal recurring again. In that period, the child of a dragoon fell in, and was drowned; the female servant of Mr Raike fell in, was carried a considerable distance, and very narrowly escaped a similar fate; and two children who had fallen in have been taken out by a tradesman, who has only resided a few months in that situation.
It is also to be noticed, that the bodies of drowned persons have at different periods been taken up at the same place where that of Hunt was found; and although it might be concluded at the time that these persons had fallen in thereabout – from what has now occurred, it appears probable that the accident happened to some of them with the city.
Harford, Mary 1805 February 11th Knook
On Sunday morning last, Mary Harford, a widow woman of Heytesbury, was found dead on the high road near Anshaw Hill, in the parish of Knooke. Her mother, with whom she resided, being acquainted of it, said, that the day before she had gone to Warminster, which is the contrary road. On further enquiry by the gentlemen of Knooke and Heytesbury, it appeared this woman had been as far as Corsley, and in company there with one John Hambleton, of Froome, who had courted her; for some time afterwards, at a late hour, at Warminster; and at one o’clock in the morning at Boreham, with a soldier and two men of Warminster Common. Strong suspicions arising from these circumstances, and her being heard to cry murder soon after they had passed through Boreham, a great number of witnesses were collected to give evidence on the inquest taken before Mr Clare, and after a long investigation, the Jury found a verdict specially and particular, stating the facts of the evidence, and that excepting on one elbow, no marks of violence appeared on the body.
Morris, John 1805 October 28th Marlborough
On Tuesday se’nnight a Coroner’s Inquest was taken on the body of a deserter from the 1st Regiment of Foot, who called himself John Morris. He was under the care of a Corporal’s guard of the 50th Regiment of Foot, who were conducting him from Cirencester to Winchester, and when near Marlborough he attempted to run away from the party, when the Corporal repeatedly called to him to stop, or he must fire at him, which he did at the distance of about 50 yards. Morris immediately fell, but got up again, and was going to run off, when the Corporal took hold of him, and asked him how he could be so imprudent as to run away; the man immediately exclaimed, “The Lord have mercy on me!” fell to the ground, and soon expired, being shot through the thick part of the thigh. The Juror’s verdict, “Justifiable Homicide.” Morris had in his pocket about 11l in gold and silver, two 1/- Bank notes, and near 2/- in counterfeit half-crowns, shillings, and sixpences, wrapped up with rags between each piece. When apprehended, he was hawking stockings.
Unknown female infant 1805 November 25th Salisbury
On Thursday the body of a new-born female infant was found in the river near Fisherton-bridge, sown up in a piece of old cloth. It was conveyed to St Thomas’ Church, and in the evening an inquest was held on the body, when a Gentleman of the Faculty attended, and was of opinion that the child was still-born; the Coroner’s Jury therefore returned a verdict to that effect, and that it was thrown into the water by some person unknown.
© http://www.salisburyinquests.wordpress.com, 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to http://www.salisburyinquests.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
I acknowledge with thanks the permission of Salisbury Journal to reproduce their materials on this blog.
Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 