From the Dover Telegraph and Cinque Ports General Advertiser, Saturday 22 February, 1845. Price 5d.

CORONERS INQUEST

SHOCKING CASE OF DESTITUTION

An inquest was held on Monday afternoon, at the "Good Intent" public house, Queen Street, before G. T. Thompson, Esq., Coroner for the Borough, and a respectable jury on the body of Lydia Chatfield, aged 51. The jury having been appointed Mr. W. Skillman their foreman, the Coroner said before proceeded to view the body he thought it proper to explain why the inquest was held so long after death. It appeared that deceased died on Wednesday morning; but it was not till Saturday Correll called to give him the information. He then, having ascertained that Mr. Sibbett attended deceased, called upon that gentleman. From the statement, and hearing a report was prevalent that the parish had refused to bury the body, he considered it quite necessary to hold the present inquiry. The jury then proceeded to view the body, which was lying at the house opposite. On entering the place a scene of wretchedness was presented, for which we were unprepared. The body was lying in the corner of a dark damp cellar, in which it appeared the whole family had lived. The floor was bare earth, and there was not a particle of furniture or bedding in the place.

The jury having returned to the inquest-room, the following evidence was adduced:-

 Edward Sibbett, surgeon - On the 29th of January I was called upon as a medical officer of the Dover Dispensary to attend a child, named Martha Chatfield, for erysipelas in the face. When I called I saw very great distress in the cellar, which was used as an apartment. The deceased was at the time walking about attending to the child. There was no bed or blankets for any of the family, nor the least particle of furniture, except a box and a small table. I asked deceased if her husband was in work, and she replied no, and had not been for a long time. I then recommended her to make application to the parish for relief. She said her husband did not like to do so. Two or three days after I paid a second visit, and found then very much in the same state. I asked if she had made application to the parish, and she replied no. On Wednesday week I again called to see the child, and found her recovering. I enquired for the mother, and the child told me that was her lying on the floor before the fire. On looking I found her lying on the bare floor, only covered over with an old sack. I spoke to her, and found her extremely weak. I told the child to come with me to the Dispensary, and I sent a cordial medicine, although I did not think it would do much good without other nourishment. I then went and called on Mr. Foord, one of the guardians, who said he could do nothing an the relieving officer, Mr. Bourner, lived in the town; but promised to speak to him should he meet him. I called at the house a day or two afterwards to see the child, and found the deceased in much the same state, but much weaker. One of her daughters was making her a little gruel, and deceased told me her husband had been to work for a day or two. I told her I should state her case to the relieving officer, which I did about half an hour after; and also sent her more cordial medicine from the Dispensary. I then returned to the cellar, and found they had procured a small mattress, on which she was lying. I stated to them what I had done, and did not see her afterwards. I attributed her death to want of proper nourishment and necessaries of life, and by exposure of the cold from lying on a bare earth-floor, without any covering to protect her from the cold. She was labouring under no disease. I never saw any other food in the house but the gruel I have mentioned and a piece of bread. I did not attend to deceased professionally, nor had she made any application at the Dispensary. I merely attended her out of charity from seeing her miserable state.

In reply from a question from the foreman of the jury, Mr. Sibbett said he certainly did consider deceased in great danger.

Thomas Chatfield - I am a labourer, and deceased was my wife. I have rented the cellar in which I now live for the last eighteen months, and am a weekly tenant, hiring it of Mr. W. Horsenaill. In the cellar I live with my wife and three daughters. The rent I pay is 1s. 6d. per week. During the time of my living there I have worked at Mr. Walker's cement-store, and also for Mr. Iggulden and Mr. Bradley. I have not been in regular employ; the longest time I recollect was five weeks at Mr. Iggulden's. I had only three weeks work during the fortnight before my wife's death. I earned 2s. 9d. per day, and owe 9s. 6d. for rent. I had 12s. a week when I worked for Mr. Iggulden. I do not think I have earned more than 20s. a month for the last eighteen months. I have been in Dover four years. My wife has been low and weak for the last four months; but did not lay up until lately. We seldom had any meat, except sometimes of a Saturday when I have been in work. When we had meat she seldom ate any, as she liked bread and butter and tea better. On Friday week when I came home she was worse, complaining of a pain in the side, which continued till she died on the Wednesday morning following. During this time she had gruel and a little wine, which my daughter got for her. I bought her five half-pints of porter. She kept nothing in her stomach for more than a few minutes. I went to Mr. Bourner on Tuesday last, about 6 o'clock in the evening. I told him the state of my wife, and he said he would report it to the Board of Guardians, and I was to call again on Thursday. I went again on Wednesday morning and reported the death of my wife. I have often gone without food; but have left some for the family. I don't think my wife died for want of nourishment. We have never slept on anything but straw littered on the floor, and were very short of covering. I have been obliged to pawn my clothes, and so has my wife. I think she has about 13s. worth now in pledge. The cellar is not cold; but in wet weather the floor is damp.

By one of the jury - My wife used to go out washing till within the last four months. I have never applied to the parish for relief since I have been in Dover. I did once think of doing so, but my wife said we had brought up the family so far, and thought we could keep out of the union.

William Bourner - I am relieving officer for St. Mary's Parish. On Tuesday, the 11th inst. Mr. Sibbitt called at my house and reported to me the case of a woman who was ill in a cellar near the Charity School. He said they were in a deplorable state, and if anything could be done for them it would be an act of charity. I said the application did not come in the regular way, as he could not apply for another person; but, upon his representation, I would go down and see about it. About 5 o'clock the husband of the deceased called at my house, and I told him I was about to see after his wife, as Mr. Sibbitt had called. I asked him what he required, and he said he wished me to apply to his parish, High Halden. He gave me the particulars, and I promised to write to Mr. Longley, the relieving officer, who also promised to bring his case before our Board of Guardians. He told me his wife was ill, and I said if he wanted immediate relief would give him an order to go into the house. I asked who attended his wife, and he replied Mr. Sibbitt. I said then you don't want an order for a medical man, and he said no. I offered him an order to go into the house as being an able-bodied man; but could not give him out-door relief. He went away apparently satisfied; but came back the following morning, saying his wife had died at mid-night, and asked for a coffin and shroud, for which I gave him an order. I did not go to see the family, as the man having called I considered sufficient. I did not hear anything of the case till informed by Mr. Sibbitt; nor did I know anything of the family.

Mr. Bourner said as reports were current that the parish had refused to bury the body, he considered it necessary to state that, in addition to giving Chatfield the order for the coffin on Wednesday, he had paid the burial fees on Thursday.

Mr. Foord said he had heard such reports, in consequence of which he had attended the inquest. If there had been any neglect on the part of the relieving officer, he should be the first to bring the same before the Guardians. They had hitherto had no ground for complaint against Mr. Bourner, and he was happy to find that in this case no blame whatsoever could be attached to him.

A desultory conversation took place between some of the jury and the superintendent of police as to the irregular life led by the family, which was stopped by the Coroner, and the examination continued.

John Barkley - I am a dealer in marine stores, and occupy the room over the cellar in which deceased lived. I have lived there eight months, during which time I have never entered their cellar, as they were very close, and would not allow any one to go there. I have often had conversations with deceased, who never complained of being destitute, although I think she must have been so, and she often sold me bones and rags for a halfpenny. I never saw deceased and her husband quarrel, and think they lived comfortably. I have not seen deceased for the last fortnight; she then appeared in good health. I heard nothing of her illness until the day after she died.

Martha Chatfield - I am 17 years of age, and the deceased was my mother. I have lived with her since we have been in Dover. My father has only had odd jobs occasionally; he, however, always gave to my mother the money he earned. We have never been a whole day without food, which consisted chiefly of bread and butter. I have never heard my mother complain of hunger and having nothing to eat. She was taken with a pain in her inside last Friday week. On that day we had about 1½lbs. of mutton, with potatoes, for dinner; and also had bread and butter for breakfast and tea. This was not the best or worst day's living we had had. Between Friday and the day my mother died she had had 3 or 4 penny buns, some tart, 3 or 4 half-pints of porter, and four penny-worth of wine, which were procured by my father. My sister also brought her some gruel and brandy. My mother was always sick after she had eaten anything. When she died, my father, sister and myself were in the cellar; she was lying on the mattress before the fire. No one was called in at her death; and my father got all that he could for my mother.

Edward Sibbit, surgeon, recalled - I am still of the same opinion relative to the cause of death. The pain in her inside was caused, no doubt, by the gastric juice acting on the coat of her stomach, which was also the cause of the rejection of the food stated to have been given to deceased during her illness, and which food was highly improper for her state.

The whole of the evidence having been adduced, the summing up by the Coroner was proceeded with, and the jury, after a brief deliberation, returned the following verdict:- "That the deceased died from natural causes, accelerated by the want of proper sustenance and necessaries."