1818

Coroner’s Inquests 1818 Cases

There were 15 cases in 1818.

Petty, Charles – Salisbury

Kerley, Edmund – Brixton Deverill

Hole, Maria – Monkton Deverill

Smith, Francis – Salisbury

Callaway, James – Winterbourne Gunner

Tice, James – Fugglestone St Peter

Spreadbury, Ann – Durrington

Rose, Thomas – Salisbury

Unknown infant – Kingston Deverill

Ellis, Edward – Keevil

Blisto, Thomas – Monkton Deverill

Surton, Jemima – Figheldean

Bowles, John – Ansty

Brockway, Thomas – Quidhampton

Watts, Elizabeth – Winterbourne Earls

Petty, Charles 1818 February 9^th Salisbury

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Friday last, at Fisherton Anger, on the body of Charles Petty, a boy about two years of age, who on the preceding Tuesday, in the absence of his mother, attempted to lift off the cover of a saucepan which was on the fire, when his clothes caught fire. The child ran into the street, and was met by a man, who immediately assisted in extinguishing the flames, but the child was so dreadfully burnt in his chest, throat, &c., that he died the following day. Verdict, “Accidentally burnt to Death.”

Kerley, Edmund 1818 March 9^th Brixron Deverill

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Wednesday last, at Brixton Deverill, on the body of Edmund Kerley, who, a few days before, was ascending a ladder, with some tiles in his hand, to repair a barn, when the ladder gave way, and he fell to the ground. He received so violent a compound fracture, that upwards of two inches of the bone stuck in the ground. Verdict, “Accidentally killed.”

Hole, Maria 1818 March 16^th Monkton Deverill

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Thursday last, at Monkton Deverill, on the body of Maria Hole, an infant 12 weeks old, who was found by her mother, dead, by her side in bed when she awoke; the child had been declining in health for the last fortnight, and, as there were no marks of violence on the body, the Jury returned a verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Smith, Francis 1818 March 30^th Salisbury

On Thursday last an inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh at the Malmesbury Arms, in Fisherton, on the body of Francis Smith, a young lad, who fell out of a cart neat the Malmesbury Arms, and was killed on the spot by the wheel going over his head. Verdict, “Accidental Death.”

Callaway, James 1818 April 20^th Winterbourne Gunner

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Tuesday last, at Winterbourne Gunner, on the body of James Callaway, who suddenly fell down and expired in his master’s yard. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Tice, James 1818 May 11^th Fugglestone St Peter

On the night of Thursday last, the coachman of the North Devon coach found James Tice, at Fugglestone St Peter, lying under his cart dead. Mr Whitmarsh took an inquest on the body on Friday, and the jury returned a verdict, “Accidentally killed by the overturning of a cart.”

Spredbury, Ann 1818 May 11^th Durrington

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Saturday, at Durrington, on the body of Ann Spredbury, who was found dead in her room. It appeared that she had been in an infirm state of health for a considerable time past. Verdict, “Visitation of God.”

Rose, Thomas 1818 July 20^th Salisbury

An inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh on Wednesday last, at Fisherton Anger, on the body of Thomas Rose, a youth 18 years of age, who was found drowned in the river near Fisherton Church between 11 and 12 o’clock on the preceding evening. He had written a short letter addressed to his mother, which was found in his hat by the side of the water. This circumstance led to the search for his body. The following is a copy of the letter, “July 12 – My Dear Mother. I wrote these few lines for you to read for I shall now do the thing which I talked of doing 2 years ago. Let me die the death of the Righteous and let my last End be like his. So no more from your Dieing Son, Thos. Rose.”

It was proved on the inquest by the deceased’s father, and also by Mr Target, draper of this city (to whom he was apprenticed) that he was from his infancy weak in intellect. It appeared also that he attempted to destroy himself some years ago, when he was saved by the prompt assistance of his friends. The many acts of his insanity brought before the Coroner and Jury left no doubt in their minds, and they returned a verdict of having “drowned himself, not being of sound mind but lunatic and distracted at the time of committing the act.”

Unknown infant 1818 July 20^th Kingston Deverill

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Monday last at Kingston Deverill, on the body of an infant 10 weeks of age, who was found dead in his mother’s arms when she awoke in the morning. The child had been subject to fits. Verdict, “Visitation of God.”

Ellis, Edward 1818 August 24^th Keevil

On Tuesday the 11^th inst., an inquest was held at Keevil, before Wm. Clare, Esq., one of the coroners for this county, on the body of Mr Edward Mattick Ellis, late of Hurst Farm, who was found dead in his dwelling-house that morning. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Blisto, Thomas 1818 October 26^th Monkton Deverill

On Saturday the 17^th inst., Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Monkton Deverill, on the body of Thomas Blisto, who was found in Hiscomb Wood, lying dead on the ground, with a short gun (such as poachers use) by his side, and his brains blown out, the contents having entered under his left ear. It appeared from the evidence of a respectable gentleman, who found the deceased, that from the position of the body, as well as from the situation of the gun, that the deceased had the gun concealed under his coat, by his left side, and that by some accident, either of falling down, or his coat touching the trigger, the piece was discharged. The young man, it appeared, had unfortunately been too much in the habit of illegally destroying game. The jury, being perfectly satisfied by the evidence brought before them, that he was accidentally shot, brought in a verdict to that effect.

Surton, Jemima 1818 October 26^th Figheldean

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Monday last at Figeldean, on the body of Jemima Surton, an infant who was found drowned in a pan of water in a garden. The child had not been out of the house of its parents five minutes before she was found drowned; and what is very remarkable, the water in the pan was not four inches in depth. Verdict, “Accidentally drowned.”

Bowles, John 1818 October 26^th Ansty

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Tuesday last, at Ansty, on the body of John Bowles, a lad about nine years old, who, whilst gathering acorns on a tree, fell from thence to the ground. Recourse was had to medical assistance, but in vain. Verdict, “Accidentally killed by falling from a tree.”

Brockway, Thomas 1818 November 9^th Quidhampton

On Wednesday last Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Quidhampton, near this city, on the body of Thomas Brockway, a waggoner, who had been employed in driving Messrs. Brown and Brice’s Taunton and London road waggon, and over whose head one of the wheels of the waggon had passed, crushing it in a most dreadful manner.

It appeared on the inquest, by the evidence of a boy, 15 years of age, who was riding on a pony by the side of the waggon horses, that on the preceding night of Tuesday, at about ten o’clock, the deceased was in an intoxicated state riding in the waggon, when he fell forward on the shafts, and from thence to the ground; one of the wheels then passed over his head, and he instantly expired.

The accident occurred about 2 miles from this city and one from Wilton, the waggon being on its journey to London. A man of the name of Bowles came up in a few minutes after the accident, and on hearing of it he desired the boy to stay by the waggon whilst he went to procure assistance to move the body to a barn.

Bowles had not left the boy more than ten minutes when three men came up, and charged the boy with having driven over the man on purpose to kill him; one of the men collared the boy, whilst another held his hands; they then insisted on his going to Wilton for help; he told them that two men and a woman were gone for that purpose, but they continued to enforce his going, when he set off for Wilton, and having called up some men, he returned with them, and found that the three fellows had in his absence plundered the waggon of several hampers of butter, with which they had made off.

On this witness being asked, “why he told the men that two men and a woman were gone to Wilton, when he stated to the Jury that only one man (Bowles) came up after the accident?” he replied, that he told them so in order that they should not force him to go, as he was afraid something might be stolen. The Jury put several questions to the boy, which he answered in a very clear manner; he said that the deceased was alone in the waggon when he fell, and that it was light enough to have seen any person on the road. It appeared that the men did not rob the person of the deceased, as his watch, a guinea, a one-pound note, and some silver, were found on him. Upon a full consideration of the facts which had been proved on the inquest, the Jury returned a verdict of, “Accidentally killed by falling from a waggon.”

Watts, Eliza beth 1818 November 23^rd Winterbourne Earls

On Friday an inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh at Winterbourne Earls, on the body of Eliz. Watts, a child about four years of age, who on Tuesday last fell into a pot of boiling water, which had not been taken off the fire more than one minute, and placed on the floor, when the deceased, who had been out at play, returned into the house, and fell backwards into the boiling liquid; she lingered until the following morning, when she expired. Verdict, “Accidentally scalded to death.”

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