1841

Coroner’s Inquests 1841 Cases

There were 115 cases in 1841, presented in six sub-pages.

There are several cases this year, during the building of railways, when the deceased was described as walking alongside loaded wagons when he accidentally fell and was run over – cases include Thomas Packer, Joseph Walker and John Collett – but they should in reality describe how young men run leading horses pulling wagons up to a tip-point, having to detach the horse and jump aside at the vital moment when the wagons reach that point and dump their load, a terribly dangerous operation.

Jesse Compton, aged 14, was rook-nesting with his younger brother, either at the behest of the farmer who employed their parents, or at the pay of the parish, and climbed 30-40 feet into a tree, inevitably falling to his death. Life was cheap then.

The case of Mary Maslen is the first case, working backwards in time, that I found where epileptic fits as a potential cause of death, was thought of seemingly as a temporary insanity. Coincidentally, there are two deaths of wagoners called John Pope, both being run over.

The case of Ruth Ball, an undistinguished one, marks the first inquest taken by the newly appointed Coroner for Wiltshire, Mr George Sylvester, while the death through basic starvation and poverty on the road, of James Jones, is but a footnote in the tale of treacherously bad times for poor people. Thomas King also died of poverty really, breaking stones in the road at the age of 73, in the middle of winter.

Ann Little was murdered by her cohabiting ‘husband’ Isaac Smith in a clear and brutal and inevitable case exacerbated by drink, but both ‘crafty Ike’ and the deceased were described with almost horror as never going to church, their illegitimate children as heathens – Ann, it was said, had come from good circumstances but being of a depraved turn of mind, went to London, and was on the town. This seems to suggest prostitution in the metropolis, usually a result of degradation from financial ruin, bearing an illegitimate child from the result perhaps of coercion or rape, etc.

Sealey, Sarah – Stanton St Bernard

Unknown male – East Knoyle

Lawrence, Henry – Swindon

Carpenter, George – Broad Hinton

Hull, Henry – Chitterne

Middleton, Jane – East Kennett

Hall, Alfred – Overton

Samways, George – Shrewton

Price, John – Seend

Pearce, William – Corsley

Hunt, John – Mere

Stevens, Margaret – Great Cheverall

Packer, Thomas – Cliffe Pypard

Cotterill, John – Wilsford

Whale, James – Froxfield

Unknown male – Salisbury

Martin, James – Whiteparish

Compton Jesse – Stockton

Walker, Joseph – Wootton Bassett

Long, John – Mere

Banks, George – Trowbridge

Curl, Samuel – Whaddon

Targett, Elizabeth – Bowerchalke

Taylor, William – Ludgershall

Hobbs, Keziah – Trowbridge

Maslen, Mary – Allington

Bond, Robert – Lacock

Unknown male infant – Compton Bassett

Hillier, Michael – Melksham

Mathews, Thomas – Broad Blunsden

Cuss, Henry – Cricklade

Flower, John – Hilperton

Harvey, Ann – Lyneham

Holmes, Edward – Wootton Bassett

Townsend, William – Bradford on Avon

Howard, William – Westbury

Blissett, Elizabeth – Poulshot

Smith, Henry – Christian Malford

Holly, Thomas – Calne

Cooper, Benjamin – South Marston

Allsop, James – Stanton St Quinton

Powell, Sarah – Chippenham

Hale, Asenath – Wootton Bassett

Ball, Ruth – Maiden Bradley

Furnall, Henry – Chitterne

Honeywood, Elizabeth – Downton

Giddings, Mary – Devizes

Topp/Tupp, Thomas – Amesbury

Carter, Edward – Codford

Osborne, Maria – Colerne

Hornet, Elizabeth – Whiteparish

Dark, Robert – Broughton Gifford

Kellow, James – Shrewton

Newman, Anne – Bratton

Little, Anne – Box

Horton, Mary – Southwick

Hulbert, Harriet – Trowbridge

Ford, Henry – Downton

Sweet, Isaac – Nettleton

Barchell, Ann – Grittenham

Williams, Edwin – Hinton Parva

Hill, Daniel – Trowbridge

Howel, Elizabeth – Midford

Barrett, Benjamin – Trowbridge

Unknown male – Salisbury

Jones, James – Box

Bridgman, Ann – Somerford Parva

Smith, James – Kington St Michael

Topp, John – Fonthill Bishop

Collier, Hannah – Diltons Marsh

Weston, Ralph – Marden

Pope, John – Melksham

Rawlings, Eliza – Trowbridge

Bartlett, Henry – Warminster

Fulford, James – Downton

Knee, Ephraim – Melksham

Manley, Charles – Wootton Bassett

King, Elizabeth – Horton

Hedges, William – Bradford on Avon

Rawlins, Job – Southwick

Ferris, Paul – Chirton

King, Thomas – Sutton Benger

Painter, Eliza – Great Wishford

Pocock, Samuel – Melksham

Morris, John – Trowbridge

Bennett, Elizabeth – Trowbridge

Macey, Sarah – Fisherton-de-la-Mere

Hinton, John – Wilton

Miner, Mary – Corsley

Butcher, Elizabeth – Great Cheverell

Doddington, Eliza – Mere

Watts, Sarah – Trowbridge

Green, Rhoda – Highworth

Hailston, Matilda – North Newnton

Adams, Ann – Stratton St Margaret

Unknown male infant – Ashton Keynes

Knight, Jeremiah – Chippenham

Holly, Mary – Quidhampton

Cox, Richard – Keevil

Wicks, Jane – Hilperton

McMahon, male infant – Chippenham

Clark, Joseph – Newton Toney

Hillier, William – Stanley

Hayward, Thomas – Trowbridge

Pope, John – Hilperton

Carter, James – Bremhill

Killing, Jane – Chippenham

Barnes, Mark – Dinton

Collett, John – Purton

Ball, Martha – Highworth

Bradfield, Henry – Cherhill

Unknown infant – Britford

Goulding, John – Downton

Newman, James – Westbury

Milford, William – Melksham

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