1821

Coroner’s Inquests 1821 cases

There were 19 cases in 1821.

Norris, Jane – Kingston Deverill

Cunditt, Mary – Newton Toney

Masson, James – Horningsham

Hicks, Jane – Amesbury

Unknown male infant – Tisbury

Lever, Lot – Ansty

Coleman, Ann – Tilshead

Ginger, William – Idmiston

Card, Joseph – Sutton Veny

Adlam, J – Tollard Royal

Hillier, Charles – Stourton

Knowles, Hannah – Trowbridge

Bennett, William – Great Wishford

Hillier, John – Marlborough

Foot, Robert – Donhead St Mary

Snook, Mary – Salisbury

Foot, Lucy – Fovant

Bnenett, Julia – Steeple Langford

Unknown male – Downton

Norris, Jane 1821 January 1^st Kingston Deverill

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Wednesday last, at Kingston Deverell, on the body of Jane Norris, who was found drowned in a river in the said parish. Verdict, “Accidentally Drowned.”

Cunditt, Mary 1821 January 1^st Newton Toney

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Thursday, at Newton-toney, on the body of Mary Cunditt, who was found dead in her bed. The deceased had been ailing and infirm for some time past, and was upwards of 80 years of age. Verdict, “Died by the Visitation of God.”

Masson, James 1821 January 8^th Horningsham

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Wednesday last at Longleat House, on the body of Mr James Masson, head cook to the Marquis of Bath, who was drowned by the breaking in of some ice on which he was skating. The deceased had lived many years in the family with much credit to himself, and giving great satisfaction to the noble family. Verdict, “Accidentally Killed.”

Hicks, Jane 1821 January 8^th Amesbury

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at Amesbury, on the body of Jane Hicks, who was found dead in her bed; she had been very infirm for some time, and no marks of violence appearing on her body, the Jury returned a verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Unknown male infant 1821 February 12^th Tisbury

An inquest was held by Mr Whitmarsh on Tuesday last, at Upper Squalls, in the parish of Tisbury, on a fine boy only three years of age, whose death was occasioned in the following melancholy manner – The parents of the deceased were on Saturday evening the 3d inst., taking their tea with their five children; the father had the youngest (an infant) in his arms, when his wife asked him to give her the child to hold, whilst he filled the tea-pot with some boiling water from the kettle, which he did; the deceased was standing near the table with the other children, and had laid his head down on the table, when he suddenly raised up his head, and, unobserved, drank some boiling water from the mouth of the tea-pot. The mischief was irretrievably done when perceived by the parents, and the poor little sufferer survived the accident only about 12 hours in great agony, when he expired. Verdict, “Died in consequence of drinking boiling water.”

Lever, Lot 1821 March 26^th Ansty

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Friday, at Ansty, on the body of Lot Lever, who, the preceding day, suddenly fell down in his house, and expired. Verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Coleman, Ann 1821 June 25^th Tilshead

An inquest was on Tuesday last held, by Mr Clare, coroner of Devizes, on the body of Ann Coleman, wife of the veterinary surgeon of that name, who died on the preceding Sunday. Mrs Coleman, a few hours previous to her death, deposed, in the presence of a magistrate, that her illness was occasioned by blows which she had received on the 19^th ult., from Philip Cooksey. It appeared, however, at the inquest, from the evidence of two surgeons (Messrs. Box and Ives, of Lavington), who had examined the body of the deceased, that she died of cholera morbus, and by their testimony the Jury were guided in returning their verdict. Cooksey, who is a farrier of Tilshead, is bound to answer the charge of having assaulted the deceased.

Ginger, William 1821 July 2^nd Idmiston

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Wednesday last, at Idmiston, on the body of Wm. Ginger, who was found drowned in a well which had been closed down for several months; a search having been made for the deceased (who was a shepherd), in consequence of his not returning home from looking after his sheep, it was found that the covering of the well had been removed, and on letting down a grapple, the deceased was drawn up. Evidence was given to prove his deranged state of mind for some time past. Verdict, “Lunacy.”

Card, Joseph 1821 July 23^rd Sutton Veny

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on the 15^th inst., at Sutton Veny, on the body of Joseph Card, who was found there nearly dead, lying on some straw; he could only tell his name, and say that he was a Chelsea pensioner; he was conveyed to the poor-house, but survived only a few hours. Verdict, “Visitation of God.”

Adlam, J 1821 July 23^rd Tollard Royal

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Saturday the 21^st inst., at Tollard Royal, on the body of J. Adlam, who was killed by a flash of lightning whilst attending his sheep; his grandson, who was with him, nearly shared the same fate, his clothes having been much scorched by fire, which he rubbed off with his hands. The deceased was between two oak trees, which were shattered to pieces by the lightning. Verdict, “Killed by lightning.”

Hillier, Charles 1821 August 20^th Stourton

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Tuesday last at Stourton, on the body of Charles Hillier, a boy about five years of age. It appeared that the deceased had thrown a stone at another lad, who cautioned him not to throw again, as he would punish him for so doing, but the little fellow threw another, and in running away through fear of the other boy, he struck his head against the corner of a wall, and was thrown backwards. He was conveyed home, and a surgeon sent for, who found that the pressure on the brain was so great, that there was no hope of his recovery; and he died shortly. The Jury returned a verdict, “Died accidentally, by running and striking his head against a wall.”

Knowles, Hannah 1821 August 27^th Trowbridge

An inquest was held on Saturday the 18^th inst., at the George Inn, Trowbridge, before W. Clare, Esq., on the body of Hannah Knowles. It appeared that on the 20^th of July the deceased had a quarrel with the wife of John Humphries; and on Humphries being made acquainted with it, he went and struck the deceased a blow that knocked out one of her eyes; from the effects of which, it is supposed, she died. Manslaughter. Humphries has absconded.

I can offer no update on whether Humphries was ever arrested and put to some trial.

Bennett, William 1821 October 1^st Great Wishford

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Friday, at Great Wishford, on the body of William Bennett, who on the preceding day fell from a waggon in the said parish, when the wheels passing over his neck, he was killed on the spot. He has left a wife with several children to deplore his loss.

Hillier, John 1821 October 1^st Marlborough

An inquest was held last week by Mr Clare, on the body of John Hillier, a shepherd, of Savernake, near Tottenham Park, Marlborough Forest. It appeared that the deceased, meeting with his son in law, Henry Broadway, threw himself into a very violent passion, accusing Broadway of acting cruelly towards his wife (deceased’s daughter); soon after he was found dead. Verdict, “Died by the Visitation of the Almighty.

Foot, Robert 1821 October 8^th Donhead St Mary

An inquest was on Saturday the 29^th ult., held by Mr Whitmarsh at Donhead St Mary, on the body of Mr Robert Foot, who was found drowned in a pond near his own house. It was supposed that the deceased must accidentally have fallen in, as a great portion of the bank on which he had been walking, had given way. Verdict, “Accidentally drowned.”

Snook, Mary 1821 October 22^nd Salisbury

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest at the Infirmary on Wednesday last, on the body of Mary Snook, a young woman, who was taken there the preceding day in so debilitated a state, as to be unable intelligibly to answer any question. She was laid on a bed and shortly after expired. Various reports having arisen in consequence of her being removed from home in such a state, the body was opened by the surgeons, and the Coroner made acquainted with her death. It appeared on the inquest, that the deceased died of a mortification of the bowels, in consequence of previous inflammation, and the Jury returned a verdict accordingly.

Foot, Lucy 1821 October 22^nd Fovant

On Thursday, Mr Whitmarsh held another inquest at Fovant, on the body of Lucy Foot, an elderly woman, who was found dead on her bed the preceding morning; she had been ailing and infirm for some time past. Verdict, “Died by the Visitation of God.” The deceased was sister-in-law of the late Mr Foot, who was a short time since accidentally drowned.

Bennett, Julia 1821 November 11^th Steeple Langford

Mr Whitmarsh held an inquest on Thursday last, at Steeple Langford, on the body of Julia Bennett, who was found dead in her bed that morning; she lived by herself, and was in the 81^st years of her age. No marks of violence appearing on her body, the Jury returned a verdict, “Died by the visitation of God.”

Unknown male 1821 December 31^st Downton

Mr Whitmarsh, coroner, held an inquest on Monday last at Witherington, near this city, on the body of a man unknown, who was found drowned in a meadow belonging to Mr Tamlyn. The deceased appeared to have been in the water a considerable time, the body being in a very putrid state, and the eyes removed from the sockets. He was about 5 feet 8 inches high, middle aged, had no coat, waistcoat, or shirt on; the wrist-bands of a shirt were round his wrists, the rest having been washed away. His small-clothes, stockings, and shoes, showed that the deceased was above the lower class of life; and he had a watch in his fob, of London make, No. 4643, maker’s name J. Speedwell, London. The mutilated state of the deceased precludes the possibility of giving an accurate description of his person. Verdict, “Found Drowned, but how or by what means no evidence thereof appears to the Jurors.”

© 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.