Murder inquest - families in/near Bedlington 1890s

[HeatherW]

Hello, everyone. I'm researching the murder of a child in Blyth Terrace,  Guide Post 1898. The basic story is here if anyone would like to read it

https://www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk/post/the-shocking-tragedy-of-choppington

A number of names come up in the reports, and currently I'm looking at the inquest, which was held in the Anvil Inn on July 1, 1898. The names of witnesses, the coroner and the inquest jury are in the handwritten account of the inquest, which I've copied from the Northumberland archives. Is anyone on the forum descended from these people, or knows more about them? I haven't done any further research into the names yet (trade directory, census, births/marriages/deaths etc). I have not been to the scene yet, either.

Here we go:

Joseph Richardson Davidson Lynn - coroner

Mrs Elizabeth Thompson - witness. Neighbour of the victim, in Blyth Terrace

Mrs Hair - witness. Likely to be a neighbour

Dr John Trotter - witness

Inquest jurors were:

William Johnson, landlord of the Anvil Inn

William Harrison

Andrew Napier

Ernest Wheatley (I think he had a butchers)

Armstrong Ede (can't be sure of this last name - handwriting not clear)

John Kidd

James Nicholson

Peter McHugh

George Rutter

William Horsham

James Young - two of these, apparently, but it may have been an error in the clerk's report

George Ternant (again, not sure of this name)

 

Hope someone has a link or even a family story that hooks up with the murder or any of these people. 

Thank you!

 

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

2 hours ago, HeatherW said:

Hello, everyone. I'm researching the murder of a child in Blyth Terrace,  Guide Post 1898. The basic story is here if anyone would like to read it

 

Dr John Trotter - witness

 

 

Hope someone has a link or even a family story that hooks up with the murder or any of these people. 

Thank you!

 

@HeatherW - welcome to the group. 

I can't recall any member mentioning the story you are researching.

Guidepost is just over 2 miles from Bedlington but it is not an area that is normally discussed on this group but if there is any info that is known, or can be traced, by a member then I am sure they will share it with you.

Looking down your list of names the only one that stands out to me is Dr John Trotter. Not that I know of his involvement in the case just that the name Dr Trotter is well known to Bedlington folk as there is a monument to him in Bedlington.

One of the easiest ways to check out what has been posted on this group is to use the 'Search' facility - top right hand corner :-

 

In the search box if you put "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" around the text then the system will only return results containing that specific phrase. If you don't put quotes around a line of test then the system will return every comment that contains a word with the phrase🙂

Hopefully we can find some info for you.

[HeatherW]

Thank you so much! I’ll certainly check out Dr T’s memorial and check it’s the same man. In-person research has been curtailed in recent months. 

Another name is the police constable who arrived at the scene. 

This was Robert Stuart, born Bamburgh 1865, who acc to the census lives in the police house in Bedlington in 1911. He was married to Isabella, orig from Chatton and they have sons Robert junior, Joseph, Albert Edward and daughter Mary Elizabeth. He died in 1919. 

What I’m hoping for, I suppose, is for someone still living who remembers their relative hearing the story from their own older relative. That’s how my own family heard a version (incorrect, as it turns out) of it. 

 

Thanks again 😀

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

3 hours ago, HeatherW said:

Thank you so much! I’ll certainly check out Dr T’s memorial and check it’s the same man. In-person research has been curtailed in recent months. 

 

Heather - sorry to say I was thinking fully, the Trotter memorial in Bedlington is for Dr JAMES Trotter - not John - sorry.

[HeatherW]

No problem! Perhaps his son....will check him out 👍

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

On 12/04/2021 at 11:52, HeatherW said:

Hello, everyone. I'm researching the murder of a child in Blyth Terrace,  Guide Post 1898. The basic story is here if anyone would like to read it

https://www.northeastheritagelibrary.co.uk/post/the-shocking-tragedy-of-choppington

A number of names come up in the reports, and currently I'm looking at the inquest, which was held in the Anvil Inn on July 1, 1898. The names of witnesses, the coroner and the inquest jury are in the handwritten account of the inquest, which I've copied from the Northumberland archives. Is anyone on the forum descended from these people, or knows more about them? I haven't done any further research into the names yet (trade directory, census, births/marriages/deaths etc). I have not been to the scene yet, either.

Here we go:

Joseph Richardson Davidson Lynn - coroner

Mrs Elizabeth Thompson - witness. Neighbour of the victim, in Blyth Terrace

Mrs Hair - witness. Likely to be a neighbour

Dr John Trotter - witness

Inquest jurors were:

William Johnson, landlord of the Anvil Inn

William Harrison

Andrew Napier

Ernest Wheatley (I think he had a butchers)

Armstrong Ede (can't be sure of this last name - handwriting not clear)

John Kidd

James Nicholson

Peter McHugh

George Rutter

William Horsham

James Young - two of these, apparently, but it may have been an error in the clerk's report

George Ternant (again, not sure of this name)

 

Hope someone has a link or even a family story that hooks up with the murder or any of these people. 

Thank you!

 

@HeatherW - shot in the dark. You mentioned a William Johnson, Landlord on The Anvil Inn in your comment. 

@Rigger started this topic - Anvil Inn Guide Post - in History Hollow as he was researching his family history and he mentions his relative 'William Johnstone'. He may have discovered some info on the trial/murder.

This is a direct link to the topic Rigger created :- 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)

[HeatherW]

Thanks Alan. Yes, I saw that first time I looked at this forum a year or so ago....and in fact it is the same person. When I looked again at the inquest record, and at the spelling of the name of the landlord - host of the inquest and also on the inquest jury - it’s Johnstone 👍

This is indeed one of the men who judged how little Charles died. 

Shout out to @Riggerin case he has any family knowledge. A murder inquest, esp for a child killed by his mother, would be a huge event in the village at that time, and likely to be remembered for a while, anyway, even after the death of the next generation or two. 

[Rigger]

This is new to  me.  My 2x great grandad was landlord at the Anvil Inn.   The spelling is Johnstone and his middle name was Bruce but he did not use that name.  I would be interested in any information from the inquest. thanks

[HeatherW]

Hi @Rigger. I have a photograph of the handwritten inquest report - from memory it’s about four pages and I think William Johnstone’s name is mentioned three times. I am happy to upload the pages here, as they may be of interest to others...it’s local historical stuff, after all. I’ll do this tomorrow. Thanks for your reply. 

[HeatherW]

@Rigger, I am uploading in order the pages of the inquest which your ancestor hosted, and served at, as a jury member. The originals are in the Northumberland archives. The copies are not great, and when I can, I plan to return to the archives and ask permission to scan them. The paper is thin and it was written on both sides so there is show-through. 

I'll try to upload in order. 

There are contemporary reports of the inquest and of course the whole incident in local newspapers but the inquest report is obviously more detailed with the names. 

[Rigger]

Thanks very much for providing this information, greatly appreciated