6th August 1926 - Inquest at the Poor Law Institution

Original image on Facebook

Inquest at the Poor Law Institution

The District Coroner (H.F.J. Banham, Esq.) held an inquest, without a jury, at the Poor Law Institution on Saturday, July 30th, touching the death of Walter Benstead, 60 years of age, a labourer, who died as the result of a fall whilst window cleaning.

Stephen Baker, labourer, of Buntingford, stated: "I lived with Walter Benstead for about eight months. I have known him 20 years. He has an uncle in Buntingford, who is his nearest relative. I saw him in the morning before he went to work, and soon after he was brought home by Mr Postle. I have known him to be giddy at times. He would not see a doctor. The body I saw in the mortuary is that of Walter Benstead."

Mr Harry Postle, dairyman, of Salisbury House, Buntingford, stated: "Deceased has been in my employ for about seven years, doing odd jobs about the place. On Saturday last in the afternoon he was cleaning windows, which he has done several times before. My house is in the main street. He used a 20 round ladder with a 56lb weight at the foot to keep it from slipping.

I saw him at 11 o'clock when I gave him a pint of beer. He was quite sober. I saw him again about 4.30 p.m., when my brother brought deceased to me in the yard. He was being carried. His faced was grazed and his right-hand knuckles were bleeding. I bathed his face with cold water, gave him some tea and sent for the doctor. Dr Dixon came at once. Deceased soon came round and told the doctor he came over giddy. Deceased then walked round and went home with assistance."

Frank Postle, brother of the last witness, stated: "I was sweeping up the front near the deceased. I saw the ladder slip on one side - the weight was at the bottom of the ladder. As the ladder came down the weight remained in an upright position at the bottom, but was pushed out into the gutter with the ladder. Deceased came down and hit his head on the doorstep. When I saw him he was about 10ft. from the ground cleaning the window over the porch. His pail and clothes were on the porch. He came down the side of the door post rather sharp."

Mrs Julia Conyard, of Buntingford, stated: "I was standing in the High Street near Mr Postle's house on the opposite side of the street. I knew deceased. I saw him up the ladder; his pail was on the verandah. I saw the ladder slip out. There was a weight at the bottom. The ladder came down straight. Deceased fell upon his face and struck the doorstep. He came down with the ladder."

Mrs Ethel Milton, of Buntingford, stated: "I saw Benstead on the top of the ladder. I saw the ladder slipper - the foot into the road. Deceased was coming down with the ladder. He fell and struck his face on the doorstep. I saw the weight at the bottom of the ladder. It had rolled over on to its side."

Dr Richard Wm. Fell, Medical Officer at the Institution, stated: "I saw deceased on Sunday after he had been admitted. He was unconscious. He roused a little when spoken to. He had a slight abrasion on the nose and bruise on his right arm. The left side of the face was paralysed. He had a strong pulse.

There was every evidence of a cerebral haemorrhage. The caused would be a diseased artery of the brain. It would not required any violence to bring on the haemorrhage, probably carrying the pail up the ladder would be sufficient exertion to cause it. There was no injury to the body of any importance. The paralysis of the face was characteristic of cerebral haemmorhage."

The Coroner summed up after inspecting the weight, and stated that the evidence was not conclusive as to whether the ladder slipped and caused deceased to fall, or whether he pushed the ladder away and then fell. He would return a verdict of "Death by Misadventure."

10th June 1927 - Fatal Holiday Accident

Original image on Facebook

Fatal Holiday Accident

Motor-Cyclist Collides with Cart

Whilst motor cycling for [from?] Chatham, where he was stationed, to West Riding, on Friday last, Flagman Ernest A. Shoobridge collided with a farm cart at a dangerous corner in Cottered and was killed instantly.

There is a sign post on the corner and it is thought that the deceased, who had lost his correct route, looked up at the sign post and failed to notice the approach of a farm cart.

The district coroner, Mr H.F. J. Banham, conducted the inquest, which was held at the Cottered Rectory on Saturday evening last, when the following were sworn on the jury: Messrs. W.N. Sanders (foreman), J. Smith, J. Darton, W. Hills, C. Smith, W. Deards, W. Hummerstone, B.A. Edwards, T. Kingsley, J. Warner, H. Sheppard, G. Fenner, and F. Hummerstone.

Eric Sellers, a leading seaman in the Royal Navy, who was accompanying the deceased on another motor-cycle, said "We left Chatham on Friday morning at 6.30 for Nessborough, Yorks. The deceased was riding a 3 and a half h.p. Norton motorcycle. I was riding in front of my friend, and as I passed the corner I noticed a cart on the right side of the road, but I had no difficulty in getting by.

I happened to glance round and saw the deceased looking at the sign post; he turned his head back, and as he did so I saw a surprised look on his face as though he had noticed the cart and did not know what to do. I then heard a crash, and on going back found my friend lying across the road. He appeared to be dead. His speed at the time of the accident would be about 12-15 miles per hour."

Sidney Andrews, a carter, of Moor Green, Ardeley, said "On Friday, 3rd June, I was in charge of a horse and cart on the road from Cottered to Buntingford. As the horse approached the corner a motor-cycle passed, and immediately afterwards came another in the same direction. The second cyclist crashed into the hose, which was only moving at walking pace.

Part of the horse's harness was broken, and when I went to deceased he was lying in the road by the wheel. When the accident occurred I was about one yard from the near side of the road."

James Fuller, a roadman employed by the H.C.C., said "I was working near the corner in question on Friday, June 3rd, when I noticed two motor-cycles coming from the direction of Buntingford. The first one passed me all right, but the second one, which came on about 15-20 yards behind, took a big sweep; the rider shut off the engine and put out his right foot as if to save himself.

The cycle swayed, and I saw the rider strike the horse and then fall into the road. I went round the cart, but the deceased appeared to be dead."

Frederick James Savage, of High Street, Walkern, a labourer, also working on the corner, gave similar evidence.

Alfred James Ives, a police constable, stationed at Cottered, said "On Friday, 3rd June, about 10.15 a.m., I received a report that a motor-cycle accident had occurred on the Buntingford road. I went to the scene of the accident and saw a Norton motor-cycle lying close to the wheel of a cart which was standing on the north side of the road and facing north-east.

I found that the rider of the motor-cycle was lying with his right leg over his machine. His skull was crushed, and he was quite dead. The machine was slightly damaged. The width of the road at the particular point was 18ft. 6ins. There was 9ft. 6 ins. between the offside wheel of the cart and the other side of the road."

Dr R.W. Fell, of Buntingford, said "On arriving at the scene of the accident I saw the deceased lying on his back across the road. There was a lot of blood in the road and the deceased was dead. On examining the body I came to the conclusion that he must have struck his head on the shaft of the cart, and have died instantly."

The jury returned a verdict of "accidental death," the foreman requested the coroner to repot on the dangerous corner to the Herts. County Council.

28th May 1926 - Sudden Death of Mr James Stoten

Original image on Facebook

Westmill

Sudden Death of Mr James Stoten

The Coroner's Verdict

We regret to announce that Mr James Stoten, of Cherry Green, met with a sudden death on Thursday in last week. The deceased, who was 82 years of age, was found dead in a pig-sty near his house. He had been in ill health for some time.

A post-mortem examination was made the following day, and the facts reported to the District Coroner (Mr H.F.J. Banham), who held an enquiry at Cherry Green on Friday evening.

After hearing the evidence of Dr Dixon and other witnesses, the Coroner said he would return a verdict of "Death from natural causes."

The funeral of the deceased took place at Westmill Church on Tuesday afternoon last. There were many expressions of sympathy, the deceased being well known and respected in the village.