| Notes |
- This is a bit squeamish .... but tells us a lot about social life.....
On view of the body of a new born female bastard child daughter of Hannah Ward of Bellerby 9 July 1868
.... sign of the Cross Keys....
Jurors Miles Broadley, John Ridley, William Thistlethwaite, James Ridley, John Fawcett, George Bows, Henry Calvert, Francis Walker, William Walton, John Pearson, Benjamin Brockhill, Isaac Spence, John Scott.
Witness Elizabeth Ward, Thomas Simpson, Dr Metcalf, Hannah ward
Verdict Accidental injury to head at birth, daughter of Hannah Ward singlewoman.
this is a newborn child that was buried clandestinely in the church yard at bellerby. From enquiries made it appears that Hannah Ward , single woman, residing in Bellerby is the mother of it. She states that on Thursday evening last she was unexpectedly confined whilst alone in the house and was unable to get any assistance and the child was dead when it was born. it further appears that Dr Metcalf was called in the next day he saw the child and examined the navels tring , it appeared to ahve been broken and the woman Ward said it had broken when the child dropped from her whilst she sat upon a pail thinking that she was going to have a motion. She told the Dr that the child gasped once and then died. He the Dr told them to bury it. There does not appear to have been any attempt to conceal the child but the clandestine burial of it appears to have created the suspicion that there is something wrong, Signed Wlamsley police constable at Leyburn.
sworn statement of Elizabeth wife of Thomas Ward of Bellerby, farm labourer. .... I was out at work at the hay and ... my daughter Hannah sent for the .... I went ... and she told me that she had been delivered of a child and that it were in the ?....? That night I put it into a pail. Nobody saw the body until Dr Metcalf come who I went for on Friday morning .... next very difficult tor ead
Elizabeth ward X her mark
sworn statement of Thomas Simpson of Bellerby labourer . One morning during last week I buried the body of a child which I was told to do by my wife. She said that it belonged to Hannah Ward and that Elizabeth Ward had brought it over the night before. I was alone when I buried it. The same body I have taken up today and given it unto the charge of the police constable.
Thomas Simpson X his mark
sworn statement of Richard Metcalf of Leyburn surgeon. I was sent for to see Hannah Ward on Friday last . I saw her at 4 in the afternoon and found her in bed and was told that she had a child but they could not get the afterbirth away. The child had been born the previous day. I removed the afterbirth . I asked to see the child. it was brought to me in a pail. I saw nothing particular about it, no makrs that I could detect. The umbilical cord had evidently been torn not cut. I saw no reason to suspect anything wrong and told Elizabeth Ward to have it buried in the usual way. I saw the body of the child ?....? the ?....? and have since ... a post mortem examination of it ... healthy full grown child .... no makrs ... child had breathed, death caused by injury of the head whilst falling... R Metcalf.
sworn statement of Hannah Ward A week today about 6 I was delivered of a child. I told my mother about it as soon as she came home between 6 & 7. I was delivered suddenly and unexpectedly ..... rest unreadble.....
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1830 - Yes, date unknown
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