Ref: C493 - K2/1/29 number 1478
Inquest into the death of THOMAS JACKSON, 30th October 1868, at the house of John Shay, Wagon & Horses Inn, Knottingley.

Hannah Daw of Knottingley a widow says: Deced was my father. He was 75 years old a Shoemaker. He has always been healthy. Yesterday morning he got up about ½ past 7 o'clock as usual. Having eaten a good breakfast he made the fire in his shop and started work. About ½ past 11 o'clock a man called on the deced to be ferried over the Aire. I went with them to the staith. Deced unfastened the boat. The wind was blowing westerly and strong and the water was flowing very fast down. When deced got about 3 yards from the side I asked him to come back. The man in the boat also asked him to return - deced said "I was to go home and mind my own business as he was capable of managing the boat." I watched him land the man on the other side of the river but in the regular place. I watched him returning. He was standing up sculling the boat which was blown down the river and caught a post of the weir and deced was thrown out into the water. The boat stuck. Deced went along toward the weir and called out for help. I ran for help. His body was about 10 minutes in the water.

John Burston of Knottingley a Joiner says: Yesterday noon I heard an alarm and went to the river side and saw deced in the water. His head and arms were then out. I immediately ran about 200 yards and got into a small boat with another man and went toward deced who was then in the middle of the little river where I pulled him out with a boat hook. The water was muddy. Deced's nostrils were full of mud. He seemed to breathe once afterwards.

Verdict: Accidentally drowned.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/30 number 1491
Inquest into the death of THOMAS CUNNINGHAM, 20th November 1868, at the house of George Earnshaw, Railway Hotel, Knottingley.

Ann Cunningham of Moorhouse Row, Knotting a widow says: Deced was my husband a 61 year old Licensed Hawker of Earthenware. He has generally enjoyed good health. He was generally strong but about 9 years ago he was ruptured whilst running to get up to a cart in which I and my son was riding. He has regularly worn a truss. Last Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock we got up and Bernard Fisher whom I have known a long time as a Tinman came in. He has for some time travelled about and lived in a caravan and sometimes in a house. He left a house in Moorhouse Row about three weeks ago. Last Wednesday morning when deced and I and our son Richard (who is 19 years old) were about to get our breakfast, Bernard came in and said "Come out Dick and fight." My son replied that he would not go to fight and was not able to fight. I told Bernard to go out and thrust him out. He appeared to be sober. He swore and said if my son would go out he could kill him. My son did not go out but my husband went out and said " Go away we don't want any falling out here." Bernard went toward the turnpike road. I shut the door when deced went out. Directly after he went out I heard women screaming. A woman came and knocked at my door and I looked out and saw deced who was being held up by 2 men. Deced was brought into the house. I went for a doctor. On getting back deced was in bed. I never heard him speak after he went out of the house. He died yesterday afternoon about 3 o'clock. I did not see anything in Bernards hands. Deced was not out of the house above a minute or two altogether. Last Tuesday evening about 6 o'clock I was at the yard end and heard a noise and went out and found Bernard and my son fighting. My husband was coming on the road with a can of water. He put down the can and went to Bernard and my son and tried to separate them. My husband was knocked down twice. On getting into the house I saw deced was bleeding from the left cheek bone and his nose end. He also complained of pain in his left ankle which was very much swollen.

William Naylor of Moorhouse Row a Thrower in the Pottery says: I knew deced very well. Last Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock I heard him and Barnie Fisher and I went out. Fisher said "You're a damned old hypocrite." They were meeting one another . Deced said "he has you under his finger and thumb." Fisher then struck deced on nose and mouth with his fist. Deced immediately fell backwards with his head on a small piece of limestone. Fisher immediately went away. I helped carry deced into his house. I saw him trying to get his son and Barnie who were fresh on Tuesday evening. Deced was then struck and knocked down.

Benjamin Hartley of the Street, Knottingley, Tinman, says: Last Wednesday morning about 8 o'clock I saw deced come out of his house in a passion. He stooped down to lace his boots. I did not hear what he and Barnie said. They appeared to be quarrelling. I went to them and took deced to his own door and his son pulled him into the house but he came out directly I and Fisher who is also called Crosby and Andrew Wilson then went towards the gate and a woman screamed out " He's killed the child." Barnie's brother lives next door to the deced. Barnie went back and on returning he met deced and struck him with his right hand fist about the mouth. Deced fell and I went to him and helped Naylor to carry him into the house. Blood flowed from his mouth and the back of his head.

Thomas Edward Gaggs Bywater of Knottingley a Surgeon says: I saw deced last Wednesday night at his own house. He was unconcious and paralysed on the right side. There was a scalp wound about an inch long on the upper and back of the right side of his head. The left cheek was swollen and was cut by the teeth. I made a post mortem examination of the body this morning. The skull was not fractured.. He then goes on to describe the findings of his examination on other parts of the body before concluding: In my opinion the cause of death was extravasation of blood in the substance of the cerebrum and left ventricle of the brain. The rupture of the vessel causing the extravasation would be in my opinion produced most likely by a violent blow or fall on the upper part of the head.

Verdict: Manslaughter against Bernard Fisher - a warrant was issued for his apprehension to appear at next Assizes in Leeds.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/29 number 1555
Inquest into the death of WILLIAM WAINWRIGHT, 1st February 1869, at the house of Edwin Fell, Anvil Inn, Knottingley.

Sarah Ann the wife of Robert Shaw of Castle ford a Bottle Sorter says: Deced was my father and was 51 years old a Canal Boatman. He lived at Brotherton with his wife and two children. I did not often see him. He was a healthy man.

George Townsley of Brotherton a Canal Boatman says: I have known deced for the last 20 years. I have not seen him for more than a week. I came here from Leeds last Saturday night and heard that he was missing. I saw his waistcoat on board of Mr Carter's vessel with which deced went. I went to Brotherton yesterday morning and called at his house and saw his wife who said she had not seen him since last Monday. I then came back to Knottingley and went to the staith where the vessel was in the Aire & Calder canal. I felt with a boat hook and afterwards with a grappling iron and found deced's body in the middle of the canal near the vessel. His clothes were allright.

William Jackson of Cow Lane, Knottingley a Shipwright says: I began to work on board a keel last Wednesday. Deced was minding the vessel. Between 4 and 5 o'clock last Saturday afternoon I had finished my work and left deced alone on the vessel. He said he was going to put on the fore hatches and then go to Brotherton. Yesterday morning as I past the vessel I saw that the hatches were still off. Deced was quite sober when I left. I had taken the man ropes off. Deced appeared to be in good spirits.

Ann Dodgson of Knottingley a Widow says: I undressed and laid out the deced's body and saw no mark of injury.

Verdict: Found drowned - accident.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/32 number 1672
Inquest into the death of WILLIAM COWARD, 21st May 1869, at the house of Frederick Saul, Greyhound Inn, Ferry Fryston.

Mattw Coward who is a lime burner.
Deced was 1 and ½ years old this month and my son. He has always been a very strong and healthy child. He has been able to walk and run about for the last 6 months. Yesterday morning about 11 o'clock he was standing alone in the yard when I went into the house. The garden gate was shut and fastened. After I had been in the house 5 or 10 minutes my sister Eliza who is 17 years old went out to look after deced. A minute or two afterwards I went out and saw Eliza on the front road. She said she could not find deced. I looked about the yard and then opened the garden gate and went down the garden. As I was passing an open well near the bottom of the garden I saw deced's clothes in the water. The well has been uncovered for several years past. The water is about 6 feet from the top of the well and is about 3 feet deep. I called out and Thos Robinson came and went down the well and pulled out deced's body. 2 or 3 weeks ago I put a box with some bricks in it against the water tub and the end of the railings to prevent deced from getting into the garden. I found the box a little removed yesterday morning after deced's body was found. Deced had his face upwards.

Thomas Robinson of Ferrybridge a Railway Platelayer says: I was working on the bank of the North Eastern Railway about 60 or 70 yards from the well yesterday morning about a quarter past 11 o'clock and suddenly heard screams. On turning round I saw Hannah Coward in the garden and I ran to her with Jas Shepherd who was working near to me. On reaching the well I saw deced in the well and as I thought moving his eyelids and lips slightly. I took the body out and handed it to Shepherd. The diameter of the well is rather more than a yard. I saw no signs of injury except a slight graze on the right cheek.

Verdict: Accidentally drowned.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/32 number 1674
Inquest into the death of CHARLES DRAPER, 24th May 1869, at the house of Mary Marshall, Three Horse Shoes Inn, Ferry Fryston.

Benjamin Draper of Fishergate, Ferrybridge an Earthenware plate maker says:
Deced was 5 years old and my son. He has always been strong and active. Yesterday morning he went to school and afterwards got his dinner. I then went out to the Island being the narrow slip of land between the River Aire and Aire & Calder Canal. About 5 or 10 minutes after going across the lock gates to the Island I returned home and got my dinner. My wife asked me whether I had seen deced as he had gone to call me in. She went out about 5 minutes afterwards and I followed. I went again to the lock gates and saw Thos Link take deced's cap out of the canal about 100 yards off the lock, the cloughs of which were being opened as I was going to the Island. The cap had been first seen in the lock and went through the clough. There is a footboard on the top of the lock gates with a rail. There is not a footpath over the canal.

Charles Endeacott of Fishergate a Blacksmith says:
I married deced's aunt. Yesterday morning I saw deced about 9 o'clock. About 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon I was at home and heard his father call out. I went to the canal side and saw deced's cap. A man about 150 yards further down called out that the body was there. I ran with a boat hook and took out deced's body which was floating down the canal with the face downwards. I carried the body home. There was not any mark of violence about it.

Verdict: Accidentally drowned.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/33 number 1718
Inquest into the death of FOUNTAIN BUCKLEY, 14th July 1869, at the house of George Southernwood, Greyhound Inn, Knottingley.

Harriet the wife of John Buckley of Waterfield Hill, Knottingley a Railway Platelayer says:
Deced was 6 years old and my son. Last Monday afternoon between 6 and 7 o'clock I left him and my son Thomas who is 9 years old at home while I went to Mr Josh Taylor's. When I got there I was fetched to Mr John Fozard's where I saw deced's dead body.

John Buckley of Waterfield Hill a Labourer in Lime Quarry says: Deced was my brother. Last Monday afternoon I saw him and my brothers Thos and Solomon going towards Edwin Wood's Quarry. About 10 minutes afterwards Thos who was naked called out and I went to a part of the quarry where there was some water and there saw deced who was also naked just going overhead. I helped Thos out and tried to reach deced who did not come up again. I made an alarm and John Law came and got deced's body out after it had been in about half an hour.

John Law of Cemetery, Knottingley and Iron Moulder says: Last Monday afternoon about 7 o'clock I heard screams and went to Mr Edwin Wood's quarry into which I went and pulled out deced's body.

Verdict: Accidentally drowned.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/33 number 1721
Inquest into the death of MARIA HORRICKS, 17th July 1869, at the house of Thos Nichols, Beehive Inn, Knottingley.

Mary Jane the wife of John Keighley of Low Green, Knottingley a Compositor Printer says:
Deced was my mother and I have lived with her all along. She was 63 years old and the widow of William Horrocks a Vessel Owner. He died 11 years ago. My husband lives in Pontefract. Deced has always been stout. About ½ past 11 o'clock last Thursday night before I went to bed I went upstairs and saw her in bed. She asked me whether I was going to bed. I then got into bed and immediately noticed that her breathing was shorter and on speaking to her she made no reply. I then fetched Mrs Jackson.

Margaret the wife of Thos Jackson of Low Green a Gardener says;: I saw deced last Wednesday evening about 7 o'clock. About midnight on the following day Mrs Keithley called me up and I went to their house and saw deced in bed.. Mrs Wass and Mr Brown went with me. Deced died a few minutes after 12 o'clock yesterday morning. I helped to wash and lay out her body. She was very stout.

Francis Creaser of Knottingley a Joiner says: I have known deced for many years.

Verdict: Died from natural causes.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/33 number 1721
Inquest into the death of THOMAS HORRICKS, 23rd July 1869, at the house of Thos Nichols, Beehive Inn, Knottingley.

Mary Jane the wife of Joseph Keithley a Printer (Compositor) says:
I lived at Low Green, Knottingley with deced who was my brother. He was 26 years old and a Labourer in Earthenware Pottery. He has not worked for the last 6 or 8 weeks as he has suffered from diarrhoea and since my mothers death last week he has been very low spirited. He has not been confined to bed. Last Wednesday he seemed to be very wild in his appearance but he was in no way violent. He ate his meals. Mr Hollingworth attended him up to a fortnight ago. There has not been any unpleasantness since my mothers death. He went to bed about 11 o'clock last Wednesday night as usual and then appeared to be calm. He has frequently been restless and talking during the night since my mother died but last Wednesday he talked more than usual. He was in bed about a quarter of an hour and I put out the candle to try to keep him quiet. Mrs Earnshaw was with me. About 10 minutes afterwards after continuing to talk very wildly he set up a shriek and said my mother had been to him and that he was going into a fit. He screamed and shook the bed. I went to him and after a while he became composed and told me to go to bed again and he would go to sleep. I had no sooner laid myself down again than he began to shout and scream saying my mother had come again to fetch him. He got up and lighted the candle and said he wanted a drink of water. He drank about a pint and then said he would fetch some more. I told him he had had sufficient. He walked rapidly around the room and suddenly set off downstairs closing the doors after him. I opened the window and saw him come out of the house door. I called him to come back. He then threw himself down on the ground saying he was in a fit. I told him that if he did not come in I should fetch him. He then jumped up saying "I'm going to drown myself you'll never see me more, Good-bye lass." He then ran across the road and I and Mrs Earnshaw went out but could not see anything of him. We made an immediate alarm. Deced was always weak intellect. He never had a fit that I know of and never heard him talk about one before.

Harriet Earnshaw of Knottingley a Widow says:
Last Saturday night I went to stay with Mrs Keithley. Deced was the only other person in the house. He seemed to be very weak but to be no worse than usual in his mind. He has gradually become restless at nights and last Wednesday he talked very incoherently. After getting into bed that night he began to shout and knock the chairs about. Mrs Keithley went to him. I then began to find out that he was really insane but he suddenly rushed downstairs. Mrs Keithley opened the window and called out to him but he said he would go and drown himself. Mrs Keithley and I went out and round the neighbours immediately. It would be about 1 o'clock yesterday morning when deced went out. He was never considered to be bright.

Robert Smith of Knottingley a Ship Carpenter says:
I have known deced for many years past. He has been in the habit of coming into the yard when we are at work. He has appeared to grow thin and weak lately. He came last Wednesday noon and seemed to be as usual. Yesterday morning about 11 o'clock I was on a vessel which was pulled out of the Knottingley and Goole canal on to a slip and then I saw deced's body in the Dock or inlet from the canal. He had on his shirt and stockings and did appear to have received any injury.

Verdict: Drowned himself when of unsound mind.

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Ref: C493 - K2/1/35 number 1839
Inquest into the death of REBECCA THORP, 7th December 1869, at the house of William Myers, Royal Oak Inn, Knottingley.

William Thorp of Back Lane, Knottingley a Canal Labourer says:
Deced was 28 years old and my wife. We have been married 9 years. We have had 5 children and 1 is dead. The youngest is 7 months old. Deced has always appeared to be in good health and spirits. Last Wednesday night I got home having been away since the preceding Monday. I was unwell and staid in bed all last Thursday. Deced attended to me and seemed to be allright. On Thursday night I told her I wanted nothing more and that she had better come to bed. She replied that she would rather sit up as she could then attend the fires. I fell asleep between 10 and 11 o'clock that night and did not wake up until one of the children called about 7 o'clock last Friday morning. I then called out for deced but received no answer. She was lying on the bed alongside me when I went to sleep. I got up and went downstairs and found the house door partially open.

Ann the wife of Thos Finney of Back Lane a Labourer says:
I have known deced for the last 12 years. For the last 3 months she has seemed to be very low spirited. She said she had nothing to complain of but could not help it. Mr Bywater attended her and said she required better food and rest . At this point the inquest was adjourned to 9 December.

9 December:
Ann Finney further says:
Since Mr Bywater died the deced has varied considerably in health and spirits. She said she did not let her husband know how she was as she was afraid he might become ill. She seemed to live on the best terms with him.

Samuel Parker of Knottingley a Waterman says: I was not acquainted with deced. Last Saturday and Monday I was searching for her body in the Knottingley and Goole Canal. About ½ past 9 o'clock last Tuesday morning I found her body in the canal near Sebastopol boatyard. I had also searched in the River Aire last Saturday morning. Deced was without boots.

Ann the wife of William Sayner of Knottingley a Waterman says:
Last Tuesday morning I helped to undress and lay out the deced's body. Her father died a few months ago and she has been low spirited ever since.

Verdict: Found drowned - probably suicide