Or any other mention in fact. Leigh Chronicle and Weekly District Advertiser - Friday, 25th February 1898, Page 7 SHOCKING DISCOVERY NEAR KENYON JUNCTION. A shocking discovery was made on the London and North-Western Railway between Parkside and Kenyon Junction on Saturday morning. Shortly before five o'clock, the body of a man was found lying on the line. Both legs bad been nearly severed, and the head was badly damaged. Life was not extinct, and he was removed by train to the Salford Royal Infirmary, where death took place shortly after admission. A card was found in his possession, with the name of Malcolm Henry Gibbs, Balfour Institute. and an address, 82, Boswell-street, Liverpool. The Salford police have issued the following description :—About twenty-four years of age, 5 feet 7 inches in height, clean shaven, dark brown hair, and grey eyes. He was dressed in brown jacket and vest, blue cloth trousers, brown striped shirt, and military socks. Also what I don't understand is, if they had his address (and they did, his family lived there) why didn't they just go to the house..... His burial in Toxteth Park Cemetery (with his parents and one other brother) SURNAME - Gibbs FIRST NAMES - Malcolm Henry DATE OF BURIAL - 23 February 1898 AGE - 18 years RANK - Tin Smith ADDRESS - Trafford Hospital Salford MODE OF BURIAL - Freehold Grave SECTION -3 GRAVE NUMBER - 278 CONSECRATED - UnConsecrated CEMETERY - Toxteth Park
If you can't find anything, worth knowing that coroner's papers were the property of the coroner themselves. I found this out when looking for information on the death of my 3rd great grandmother. Got in touch with the LMA who informed me of this. I was most disappointed.
You'd think that there would be some follow-up on the accident though. I'm blowed if I can find anything.
As he was buried in unconsecrated ground, could it have been deemed a suicide? If his parents and brothers were buried with him later, the ground might have been consecrated later... Perhaps... Injuries to legs and head seems to indicate laying across the track... Maybe... Just random thoughts.... Do you have a copy of the death certificate? If not, that's one to lay your hands on. My 2x great grandfather walked out in front of a train in Kent. The certificate names the cause of death as suicide as recorded by the Coroner.
Could have been someone else's visiting card rather than his own, especially if there was only one ... still would have seemed logical to ask at that house first. Though I suppose that they wanted to be sure
The inquest papers for the Liverpool Coroner 1898 - 1982 are held at Merseyside Records office if that is any help
I don't have the death cert, I've done some research on the family for a friend, the lad in question is a brother to her great grandmother. If she wishes to get it later that is up to her. He was the first in the grave, his other brother and parents followed later, it was still UnConsecrated on their burials. His grandparents are also buried in the same cemetery and are also in UnConsecrated graves. Maybe they were non-conformists.
Just seen the burial register on Ancestry and, although it is headed up 'Unconsecrated', I see that the transcription says 'Non-Conformist'.
The inquest would have been held in the district where he died, ie Salford. If there were any surviving records for that date they'd be in Greater Manchester Records Office - but unfortunately there aren't. Info from https://www.salford.gov.uk/births-m...istory/genealogical-sources/coroners-records/ but it does suggest there might be a fairly full press report if you can find it.
Thank you all for you're help with this. Looks like the only way forward is the death certificate. I will mention this in my report when I hand it over.
It might be worth contacting the Salford Local History Library, as they have a collection of local newspapers that are not online anywhere, so far as I know. That might include the one mentioned at the link @arthurk posted above? Contact details are here:- https://salfordmuseum.com/explore/the-local-history-library/
