There were 43 short reports in 1868.
Henry Cooper, because he was an itinerant, travelling around as a tinker, could not obtain any recommendation for admission to Salisbury Infirmary, and in walking towards Salisbury, he died on the road.
The day started early for the agricultural labourer in the 1860s, sixty-nine year old Joseph Carter leaving for his harvest work before four in the morning. Fifty year old John Lush also met his death in the harvesting, where he started at half past five in the morning – he was found with his scythe in his hand. Similarly George Wear, aged 60.
There are several clichés in this collection. One is the idea of a person when drowning going down three times. Another, quoted in the cases of William Gardener and John King, is the one stating that the deceased “died without a struggle.” Yet another, which features in a number of these earlier reports, is the verdict of Visitation of God.
Drug taking has always been a misguided enterprise. Note the ‘young man living near Wincanton,’ who advised Thomas Foot that it was safe to take strychnine, perhaps the most painful of poisons then available.
Barrow, John Fugglestone St Peter
Marshall, Josiah Winterbourne Earls
Moxham, William Compton Chamberlayne
Raddescombe, William Donhead St Mary
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Wiltshire Coroner's Inquests 1801-1920 