Have you seen this report?
Oxford Chronicle and Reading Gazette, 13.1.1849
At Abingdon, on 8th inst., on view of the body of John clempson, aged 79, who was found dea upon the floor quite naked, except that a blanket had been thrown over him. It appears that his wife, daughter and grandson had been living together in the most abject state of misery, wretchedness and filthiness, and that on the week previous, when they received their weekly money from the parish, they owed it all save 1s., with which they bought a loaf and a little firing. The bread was all eaten on the Friday; on the Saturday they had nothing all day; on the Sunday they borrowed a loaf off a neighbour. The deceased, who was quite a cripple, on the night previous to his death had been crawling about the room and slipped partially downstairs. His daughter got him into the room again and covered him over as stated. No medical man was sent for. A verdict of died from natural causes, accelerated by cold and want of proper attention. The deceased was for several years in the habit of opening the gate which stood at the bottom of Bagley Wood until its removal, in consequence of being a nuisance.
How terribly said this is.
