| 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 Hann
ah Ward of Bellerby 9 July 1868
.... sign of the Cross Keys....
Jurors Miles Broadley, John Ridley, William Thistlethwaite, James Ridle
y, John Fawcett, George Bows, Henry Calvert, Francis Walker, William Wa
lton, 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 sin
glewoman.
this is a newborn child that was buried clandestinely in the church yar
d at bellerby. From enquiries made it appears that Hannah Ward , single w
oman, residing in Bellerby is the mother of it. She states that on Thur
sday evening last she was unexpectedly confined whilst alone in the hou
se and was unable to get any assistance and the child was dead when it w
as born. it further appears that Dr Metcalf was called in the next day h
e saw the child and examined the navels tring , it appeared to ahve bee
broken and the woman Ward said it had broken when the child dropped f
om her whilst she sat upon a pail thinking that she was going to have a m
otion. She told the Dr that the child gasped once and then died. He the D
told them to bury it. There does not appear to have been any attempt t
o conceal the child but the clandestine burial of it appears to have cr
eated the suspicion that there is something wrong, Signed Wlamsley poli
ce constable at Leyburn.
sworn statement of Elizabeth wife of Thomas Ward of Bellerby, farm labo
urer. .... I was out at work at the hay and ... my daughter Hannah sent f
or the .... I went ... and she told me that she had been delivered of a c
hild and that it were in the ?....? That night I put it into a pail. No
body saw the body until Dr Metcalf come who I went for on Friday mornin
g .... next very difficult tor ead
Elizabeth ward X her mark
sworn statement of Thomas Simpson of Bellerby labourer . One morning du
ing last week I buried the body of a child which I was told to do by m
y wife. She said that it belonged to Hannah Ward and that Elizabeth War
d had brought it over the night before. I was alone when I buried it. T
he same body I have taken up today and given it unto the charge of the p
olice constable.
Thomas Simpson X his mark
sworn statement of Richard Metcalf of Leyburn surgeon. I was sent for t
o see Hannah Ward on Friday last . I saw her at 4 in the afternoon and f
ound her in bed and was told that she had a child but they could not ge
t the afterbirth away. The child had been born the previous day. I remo
ved the afterbirth . I asked to see the child. it was brought to me in a p
ail. I saw nothing particular about it, no makrs that I could detect. T
he umbilical cord had evidently been torn not cut. I saw no reason to s
uspect anything wrong and told Elizabeth Ward to have it buried in the u
sual way. I saw the body of the child ?....? the ?....? and have since .
.. a post mortem examination of it ... healthy full grown child .... no m
akrs ... child had breathed, death caused by injury of the head whilst f
alling... R Metcalf.
sworn statement of Hannah Ward A week today about 6 I was delivered of a c
hild. I told my mother about it as soon as she came home between 6 & 7. I w
as delivered suddenly and unexpectedly ..... rest unreadble.....
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