LEITHEAD James

[squirejay]

Born at Melrose in 1830's between 1834 and 1838, a Joiner, married a Janet Aitkin (?) in Hawick in 1860, had 5 children and was on 1871 census at Sunnybank Place near Meadowbank. Died in 1872, in Royal infirmary, Edinburgh of a Compound fracture of the Skull and rupture of Liver. on the Correction it states that he was Knocked down by a Passenger Train!!
I would have thought there may have been more details in the Newspapers, but cannot find any. Can anyone point me in the right direction, please?
Possible Inquest? or report?

Squirejay

[DonM]

There will be no police report or inquest.  The RCE which you have is it.  He was hit by a train which caused the injuries which he died of.  And, being smacked by a train wasn't uncommon.

If he's the lad who had twins a year earlier perhaps he was mentally exhausted or daydreaming and became distracted.

Don
 

[dowdstree]

Just to expand a little on the answer by DonM -

There are no Coroner Courts or Inquests in Scotland. Any suspicious/accidental death is investigated by the Procurator Fiscal's office and the Procurator Fiscal decides whether it merits any further action. If they were satisfied there was no foul play then the RCE was attached to the Death Certificate.

A bit of background information on that area of Edinburgh. Sunnybank Place is beside the main East Coast Railway Line between Edinburgh and London. It began in 1862 and the journey took 10 1/2 hours. The train left London at 10.00 a.m. and at the same time the other one left Edinburgh Waverley. There would be other trains using the line too. On the other side of the track is the Queen's Park which leads to Arthur Seat and Salisbury Crags. The road goes right round and leads to other parts of the city.

Could poor James have been returning from work and taking a shortcut home across the line?

Dorrie

What time of day did James die?

[squirejay]

checking the Death Certificate , all it has is he died a 0h 20m am in Royal infirmary, Edinburgh, where he actually died . Not the accident location!  He was a Joiner, possible not with a railway company?

there is a Correction by the Procurator-Fiscal's Office dated 26 October 1872 by the Assist Registrar, by the Procurator-Fiscal (J Connell) on the 22nd October 1872 and by two initials (looks like N. E. dated 19th August 1873
All of which is confusing, mainly the delay between the dates!

Squirejay

[Forfarian]

Quite often the newspapers report an accident without naming the person or people involved, so if you are searching by name you won't find them.

[Hibee]

Don't see it on any railway fatality website.

Hibee