Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Saturday Dec 31st
Fatality on the docks
On the body of Adolph RONZER, aged 47, dock labourer of 48 Tenterden St. On Wednesday last the deceased was found lying unconscious in the pit under the bridge on the north side of the Bramley Moore Dock. He was conveyed to the Northern Hospital where he died the following day. There was no evidence to reveal how he got under the bridge, the guard chains were found to be up at the time, but there was an open space 17 to 18 inches just above where he was found. It was suggested that he probably fell in. The jury returned an open verdict.
Accident to a clerk
On the body of George Henry ROSS, aged 17, clerk, residing with his mother at 17 Burnand St. A bout 7yrs ago deceased had fallen and hurt his head and had since complained much of pains. About 3wks ago he caught his head against the mantelpiece and taken ill died on the 29th inst from inflammation of the brain brought on by the recent injury acting upon the old one. Verdict. "Accidental death."
Sudden death
On the body of Samuel Michael DODD, aged 37, joiner who lodged at 121 Litherland Rd. The deceased was working at the Kirkdale Roller Flour Mills, in Grist St, on Friday when he suddenly took ill and died of apoplexy, verdict accordingly.
Infantile mortality
On the body of Edward CHARLES, aged 7wks, a twin who lived with his parents in 5 house, 3 court, Prince Edwin St. The child was found dead in bed on Friday morning, the cause of death being suffocation, verdict accordingly
Distressing case
On the body of Lily CHATTERSON, infant child of Mary Ellen CHATTERSON, who had been received in a spirit of charity into the house of Isaac CURRIE, and his wife, a cotton porter of 6 Valentine Grove, Larch Lea, Everton The woman gave birth to the child early on Wednesday, and Mrs CURRIE rendered assistance, though no preparations had been made. A skilled person named Mrs ROBERTS was sent for, and this lady found that there was nothing to cover the mother and child but an old quilt, some sacking and a horse rug. The next day the child died and no nurse or doctor was in attendance, but Mrs ROBERTS again calling a doctor was sent for. Clothes were also secured by Mrs ROBERTS, and later the mother was removed to the workhouse hospital. The doctor said that the child though strong and healthy had developed congestion of the lungs, and had probably died from suffocation. An open verdict was returned. The Coroner intimated to Mr and Mrs CURRIE that the case would be further inquired into. He complimented Mrs ROBERTS and the lady who provided more suitable clothes upon their humane conduct, without this attention the mother too, would likely have died.
Temporary mental derangement
On the body of Maria COOKE, aged 47, the wife of a picture hanger of 13 Candish St. The deceased became depressed and complained of pains in the head. On Friday she bought 2d worth of carbolic acid, and was later found unconscious. Emetics were administered, but death ensued in less than half an hour from the effects of the poison. Verdict, "Suicide during a period of mental derangement."
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 4th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Tuesday Jan 3rd
Children fatally burned
On the body of Mary VERNON, aged 10, the daughter of a dock labourer of Cable St, Wavertree. On Saturday evening deceased went up stairs into the bedroom, in which a fire was burning, shortly afterwards screams were heard and an elder sister and brother on rushing upstairs found her in flames. They enveloped her in a blanket and called for a doctor, who ordered her removal to the Children's infirmary, where she died the next morning from burns and shock. It is supposed she was writing over the fireplace when her clothes caught fire, a piece of pencil was found in the hearth and scribbling on the wall. Verdict, "Accidental death."
On the body of Ellen Agnes BLUNDELL, aged 8, daughter of a lead worker of 26 Anfield St. About 9pm on Friday, the mother left the deceased in the house with her two sisters and returning in a few minutes found her running round the kitchen with her nightdress on fire. She extinguished the flames and took her to the Stanley Hospital where she died the next day. Her sisters stated that she sat down on the fire stool close to the fire and her dress came in contact with the grate. Verdict, "Accidental death."
On the body of Henry Joseph HOLMES, aged 3, the son of Thomas HOLMES, a carter of 12 Howley St. On Thursday afternoon Mr HOLMES went into a neighbours house to get some water leaving the deceased playing on the rug in front of the fire with his brother aged 4. She had not been gone 3 mins when she heard screams, and running to the door saw the deceased in the street in flames. She wrapped her shawl round him and put out the fire, then took him to hospital where he died on Friday. He said his brother had put a lighted stick to his "pinny" and set it on fire. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Suffocated whilst drunk
On the body of John IRVINE, aged 25, marine fireman of 21 Pascal St. The widow of the deceased said he had been at home for 9wks, drinking heavily until the last few days. On Saturday he went to bed very drunk, and next morning was found lying on his face dead. Verdict, "Died from suffocation."
A child poisoned by whisky
On the body of Bryan O'ROURKE, aged 5, son of a dock labourer of Birkenhead. The deceased lived with his aunt Mrs KING at 70 Johnson St, Liverpool. On Friday his aunt went down at 5am and when she went back at breakfast time she found the deceased staggering around the bedroom, looking wild about the eyes and smelling of whiskey which he had taken from a bottle her husband had left on the chair by the bedside. She put him to bed and he went to sleep, finding some time afterwards that he did not awaken she took him to the North Dispensary, where a stomach pump was applied twice. He appeared to get a little better but never recovered consciousness, and died in a comatose state from alcoholic poisoning. Verdict, "Death from misadventure." the coroner remarked to the child's aunt that he hoped it would be a warning to her husband not to leave his whiskey bottle about.
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 5th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Wednesday Jan 4th
On the body of Elizabeth LEWIS, aged 42, a widow of 52 Springfield St, Old Swan. She was much given to drinking and on Christmas morning was found by a constable lying intoxicated on the footwalk in Kilshaw St. She was locked up in the main bridewell, drunk and incapable, but the same morning the deputy governor seeing her condition at once had her removed to the Liverpool Workhouse Hospital , where she died on Sunday last from bronchitis accelerated by drinking. The jury, giving a verdict to this effect, added that they considered the police had acted with commendable promptness
Burning fatalities
On the body of Richard ASPINALL, aged 6, the son of a joiner of 40 Greenland St. On Monday last about 9.50 am the deceased came down stairs with his sister who asked him to put the kettle on the fire. He stood on the fender and lifted up the kettle, when his nightdress ignited. The father extinguished the flames and he was taken to the Children's Hospital where he died at 4.40pm the same day. Verdict, "Accidental death."
On the body of Annie JONES, aged 2, daughter of George JONES, hay salesman's foreman of Gilead St. Whilst the deceased was in the kitchen with another child on Monday afternoon her clothing caught fire. She was taken to the Northern Hospital where she died the same day, the doctor in attendance describing the case as the worst in his experience. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Victim of the festive season
On the body of John BOYLAN, aged 30, a labourer in a brewery, who lived with his parents at 25 Stanley St. It appeared the deceased had been drinking a good deal this Christmas season and on Friday was admitted to the Liverpool Workhouse Hospital suffering from delirium tremens from which he died on Sunday. Verdict accordingly.
Infant suffocation
On the body of Christina BOYLE, aged 3mths the child of a housekeeper of 170 Arlington St. Deceased was accidentally suffocated whilst in bed with her mother and aunt.
Natural Causes
On the body of William CUMMINS, aged about 43, who for the last 5wks has lodged at 20 Mill Lane, off William Brown St. On the 29th ult was admitted to the Liverpool Workhouse Hospital suffering from pneumonia in both lungs, and died there on Monday last. Verdict, "Natural causes."
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 6th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Thursday Jan 5th
Deaths in the street
On the body of William PURCELL, aged 54, corn porter of 54 Beatrice St, deceased died suddenly in the street on Saturday afternoon last, from rupture of a blood vessel in the lungs due to consumption. Verdict accordingly.
On the body of Robert JEFFREYS, aged 61, coach body maker of 5 Troughton St. Deceased drank heavily. On Tuesday last at 2pm he was found seated and moaning in a doorway of a shop in Holland Place, a died almost immediately from what a doctor stated as heart disease. Verdict accordingly.
On the body of William Thomas MORSES, aged 38, chief cook on board a steamship who lived at 67 Gordon St. The vessel arrived in Liverpool on Sunday night at about 10.15 the deceased left it in the Alexandra Dock. He was not a strong man and complained very much about the cold, an hour later he was found unconscious in Newsham St and was removed to the Northern Hospital, where he died before reaching the institution from failure of the heart's action. Verdict, "Natural causes."
On the body of Elizabeth JONES, aged 59, the wife of a joiner of 28 Bourne St. During the 36yrs of her marriage the deceased had been a heavy drinker, and this, 4yrs ago brought on paralysis. Last Christmas she began a drinking bout, which lasted till this week. On Thursday she had a fit and died within 3hrs of coming out of it, from failure of the heart's action. Verdict accordingly.
Playing with fire
On the body of Ellen Elizabeth BADDELEY, aged 4, daughter of James BADDELEY, cotton porter, of Brown's buildings, Prince Edwin St. On Tuesday last while the mother was put shopping for ten minutes, the deceased according to her own statement lit a piece of paper and it set her pinafore on fire. She was taken to the East Dispensary and afterwards brought home, where she died the next morning. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Perils of cotton porters
On the body of Joseph GREAVES, aged 55, cotton porter who lodged at 75 Roscommon St. About 10am on the 29th ultimo the deceased was helping to load a waggon with large bales of cotton from a warehouse in Dublin St. He was standing on top of a tier of cotton on the waggon, when a bale weighing 5 cwt, which was being lowered by ropes from a height of 36ft dropped out of the sling and fell on him. He was taken to the Northern Hospital suffering from fractures of all the bones of the face, and nearly all his ribs and died on Sunday. Verdict, "Accidental death." The jury considered that the bale should have been more carefully slung. The coroner conveyed to the deceased's fellow workmen that more care would prevent such accidents.
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 11th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Tuesday Jan 10th
Excessive drinking
On the body of Mary Ann JOHNSON, aged 42, wife of Thomas JOHNSON, dock labourer living in a court off Brindley St. Deceased indulged in periodical sprees, but since coming out of the Southern Hospital, where she was treated for bronchitis and heart disease, her husband had restricted her to two glasses a day. On Saturday she had a fit and died immediately afterwards from heart disease, accelerated by excessive drinking. Verdict accordingly.
Fatal Fall
On the body of John Stanley CUNNINGHAM, aged 13mths, son of a police constable of 165 Kensington. On Friday the deceased fell off a sofa on to his head, causing concussion of the brain, on the following morning convulsions set in, from which he died. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Before Mr BRIGHOUSE County coroner
Scalding accident
At the Seaforth Castle Hotel, on the body of John Albert CALDON, aged 2, the son of a night watchman. On the 6th inst a child aged 11, placed a pan of boiling water on the kitchen floor then went to the back to get some cold water. Meantime the deceased fell backwards into the pan and suffered injuries causing his death on the 8th inst. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Before Mr F. A. JONES, Deputy-coroner for South-west Lancashire
Suffocated whilst seeking warmth
At the Royal Hotel Formby, on the body of William ALCOCK, aged 30, formerly of Liverpool, but who for the past 2yrs had worked irregularly as a labourer at Formby, where he slept in outbuildings. On the 5th inst at 11am the deceased was found dead in the malt drying room of the Royal Hotel, evidently suffocated. The witnesses had no doubt that the deceased, finding himself cold by sleeping out on the night of the 7th, had entered the malt room by a ladder in order to get warm. Deceased had repeatedly been warned not to sleep in the malt room, and the danger of doing so pointed out to him. As deceased had often helped to carry up the malt he knew the place well. A perforated tile was produced showing how sulphur could enter the chamber, and the evidence was that the deceased had cleared the malt away from the spot where he had lain down. Police sergeant FYFE said, the deceased's only relative was his mother, a housekeeper in Soho St, Liverpool. She had been unable to reach Formby in time to attend the inquest. Verdict, "Accidentally suffocated."
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 16th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Saturday Jan 14th
Fatal fall while intoxicated
On the body of Margaret M'DONALD, aged 42, of Brisbane St., the widow of a dock labourer who fell down some steps in Lancaster St, on Thursday, and died in the Northern Hospital the same night from failure of the heart's action due to the fall. Verdict to this effect, but the jury held there was not sufficient evidence to show how the deceased came by her fall.
Natural causes
On the body of Joseph LLOYD, aged 51, cab driver of 32 Sutherland St, Edgehill, who died in bed on Thursday morning from heart disease. Verdict "Natural causes."
Paraffin lamp accident
On the body of Alfred FROST, aged 13mths, son of John FROST, journeyman baker, of Iris St, Kirkdale. The previous Saturday whilst the deceased was ion the back kitchen with two other little children a paraffin lamp was knocked off a table on to him, causing a burn at the back of the neck. This was dressed by a doctor but on Thursday convulsions set in from which he died. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Burning fatality
On the body of Rose Ann M'NALLY, aged 34, wife of James M'NALLY, who lived with her father at 23 Gorton St. Deceased's dress caught fire while in the kitchen of her sister's house in Greetham St on Tuesday, and despite the presence of mind of a man named William FIELDS, who, the Coroner remarked did his level best to save her, she was so badly burned she died at the Southern Hospital on Wednesday. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Excessive drinking
On the body of Margaret TRILLER, aged 48, of 100 Rathbone St. Deceased had been drinking since her husband, a seaman went to sea, and on Wednesday when a neighbour refused to fetch her any more whiskey, threw a jockey-bar at her. Next day the people with whom she lodged broke in the door of her room and found her lying on the floor dead, in consequence of failure of the heart's action due to excessive drinking. Verdict accordingly.
Fatal fall into the Harrington Dock
On the body of Thomas MALONEY, aged 22, dock labourer, of 27 Greenland St. On Monday last the deceased was working on the steamship York at the Harrington Dock. When trying to get up a temporary stage erected on the vessel he fell back on to the deck of a flat beneath, and rolled into the dock. He was picked up by a boat and walking ashore with assistance was taken to the Southern Hospital where he died on Thursday. Verdict, "Accidental death."
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Liverpool Mercury Jan 18th 1893
Corners inquests, before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool
Tuesday 17th Jan
Financial difficulties and suicide
On the body of John DOBSON, aged 55, master plumber, and painter of 47 Irvine St. The deceased was not a very temperate man, and not long since consulted his medical adviser on that account. Since the 7th he has been missing from home, he was not seen again until Saturday when a sheriff's officer found him dead in the workmen's closet. He was fully dressed and near him was a bottle containing a small quantity of carbolic acid. It seemed he was in financial trouble and his wife did not search for him believing he gone away from his difficulties. As the men had not been working sine her husband's disappearance no one had been near the place where the body was found. Dr JOHNSTONE was in no doubt death was due to carbolic acid poisoning. Verdict, "Suicide during temporary insanity"
Infantile mortality
On the body of George Thomas CANTRELL, aged 3wks, child of a draper of 7 Ashton St. The child was found dead in bed on Sunday. Verdict, "Accidentally suffocated."
Before Mr H. CHURTON, Coroner Birkenhead
Fatal burning accidents
At the Wirral Children's Hospital on the body of Edward JONES, aged 3, son of John JONES, labourer, 12 Moon St. On Thursday last the deceased was left in the kitchen with two other children by his mother, when by some means his clothes caught fire. The flames were put out by the mother and he was taken to the Children's Hospital, where he died on Sunday from his injuries. Verdict, "Accidental death."
At the Market Inn, Birkenhead on the body of Mary STAVELEY, aged 13, daughter of George STAVELEY, ship's fireman of 49 Henry St. On the 4th inst, the clothes of the deceased were accidentally set on fire, and before the flames could be extinguished she was badly burned about the body. She was attended by Dr WILSON, but died on the 15th inst. Verdict, "Accidental death."
Before Mr J. WORSLEY, Coroner of Halton
A boatman drowned at Runcorn
Yesterday the body of Joseph Henry EVANS, aged 17, of Clarence St, hand on board a Mersey float who was drowned in Runcorn docks on Saturday morning. The evidence showed the deceased was moving the float from the Alfred to the Fenton dock, when his boathook failed to grip, and he slipped and fell into the water between the dock wall and his boat. A number of people who witnessed the accident threw a rope, but he failed to get hold of it and drowned. The jury commented strongly on the fact that the bystanders made no other efforts to save the deceased and complained that only the lifeboat was provided at the docks. Verdict, "Accidental death."
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Liverpool Mercury, Feb 2nd 1893
Coroner's Inquests
Before Mr T. E. SAMPSON, Coroner of Liverpool, Wednesday Feb 1st
On the body of John ROUTLEDGE, aged 21, omnibus conductor, who lodged at Anderson St. Deceased suddenly expired on Monday afternoon in the Tramway Company's office, Pudsey St, from failure of the heart's action due to its weak state. Verdict, "Natural causes."
On the body of Margaret McGRATH, aged 18, single woman and hawker, who lived with her sister in a court off Back Bond St. On Saturday night the deceased's clothing caught fire through the upsetting of a paraffin lamp, she was removed to the Northern Hospital where she died on Tuesday from shock and exhaustion. An open verdict was returned.
On the body of Jane CAHILL, aged 73, wife of David CAHILL a labourer, who had recently been away in Ireland. The deceased and her son lived together in Boundary St, and on Saturday she was found in the house bruised about the head and body. These marks of violence it was alleged, her son had caused, but the woman told the doctor she had, had a fall. The latter stated that on examining the body after death he found the heart in an advanced state of fatty degeneration, the lungs pneumonic, the left one being gangrenous, and the arteries precarious, and death was due to natural causes. A verdict to the effect was returned - The Coroner, calling the son before him, said he could not help thinking there must have been some ill-treatment on his part, though, fortunately for him, there was no evidence of it, so that really he had been standing up to the present time in a perilous position.
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Birmingham Daily Post, Oct 2nd, 1893
A Bootle fireman named WATERMAN was drowned under remarkable circumstances on Saturday, September 30th, a fire broke out on the steamer St Ronaus, in the Langton dock and the fire brigade pumped water into her filling one of her holds to the depth of several feet. WATERMAN was standing over the hold when he was overcome by smoke and fell into the water and drowned before assistance could reach him.
Liverpool Mercury, May 15th 1894 from Bootle Fire Brigade, regretting the loss of Engineer WATERMAN, suitable provision was made for his widow and four children by the committee.
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