How to find inquest details?

[mulberry-rose]

Hello,
I’ve come across a death certificate which states that an inquest had taken place. However I’m unable to find any details of said inquest in the papers. How would I go about finding the possible records? I’m aware the Northumberland Archives have records for Coroners Inquests for South Northumberland, but since the death was in Widdrington it falls under North Northumberland. All the North Northumberland inquest reports I’ve found (on national archives) seem to be 20th-21st century.

Mary Ann Rooney died 5th Jan 1893 at Widdrington Colliery. Daughter of John Rooney, coal miner. Cause of death is stated as “ulceration of part of the bowels the result of burns accidentally received”. Inquest was held 7th Jan 1893 by Charles Percy, coroner for North Northld.

I’m also strangely unable to find a baptism and burial for her, despite two younger siblings having been baptised in Widdrington. 

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[CaroleW]

No details given re age - she is shown as 1yr old at the time of death

What was her mothers name & maiden name?  There is a birth in the Dec qtr 1892 Morpeth for an Ann Rooney - mmn Conroy

[mulberry-rose]

 
Oops!

She was 17 months old at death (born 9 Aug 1891). Mother Ellen Rooney nee Conroy.

For her birth her surname was misspelled as Roney.

[AllanUK]

About 20 years ago I had cause to search for a coroner's report on a death in the 1890s for Shillbottle and eventually found out (I think by Northumberland Archives) that such reports had been destroyed many years ago.

[belfordian]

Try looking in local newspapers around that time. They often provide verbatim evidence from witnesses and can sometimes be more useful than the actual inquest report.

[mulberry-rose]

Try looking in local newspapers around that time. They often provide verbatim evidence from witnesses and can sometimes be more useful than the actual inquest report.

I’ve already tried searching the newspapers (Morpeth Herald, Blyth News, etc) but unfortunately nothing came up.

[mulberry-rose]

About 20 years ago I had cause to search for a coroner's report on a death in the 1890s for Shillbottle and eventually found out (I think by Northumberland Archives) that such reports had been destroyed many years ago.

Oh dear 

[belfordian]

If you look on Find A Grave you will see the family details listed for the death of this child,s mother in 1928, burial in Netherton Lane Cemetery. You will note that 3 of the children apparently died in infancy, although there is no mention of the child you mention. It is not uncommon to find that one or more children are not baptised when others in the family have been. Sometimes there are practical reasons such as moving house or domestic crises which cause baptisms to be delayed and subsequently forgotten about.

I doubt if Widdrington  would come under North Northumberland for inquests. It is near Morpeth but could come under the same category as Alnwick. Have you contacted Woodhorn or Berwick Archives? And have you looked in The Alnwick Mercury newspaper?

Best of luck in your search.

[mulberry-rose]

belfordian

Thank you for the response. I suspect constantly moving around would be the cause for the lack of baptism—the Rooneys moved quite frequently back and forth from Northumberland to Lanarkshire (although no baptism was found there either). I know their youngest son wasn’t baptised till 3, so maybe they just never had the chance.

As for inquests, Mary Ann’s death certificate states that it was done by the coroner in North Northumberland. Although I did think Widdrington wouldn’t be under that category too. Haven’t had the chance to contact the Archives yet, but I will look through the Alnwick Mercury  .

(I created the FindAGrave memorial for Mary Ann’s parents/siblings. Don’t really know why I didn’t add the children’s names but have since included them. Hoping one day I can add a memorial for Mary Ann too, if a burial ever surfaces  )