Macdonald's District: North East Middlesex

[Bridewell]

Photographs

Thanks for that, Dave O. Interesting and very sad story. Do I understand that the LMA allowed you to take your own photographs? I only ask because I'm going down there later this week and I don't want to miss out on anything in the unlikely event that I find what I'm looking for.

Regards, Bridewell.

[Dave O]

Hi Bridewell,

Yes, not all archives do, but the LMA does allow photography. You have to sign a copyright declaration (this is why I got written permission before posting photographs) and pay a small fee (a couple of pounds). You have to do that for each visit you want to take photographs. They'll set you up at the main desk. They'll also give you a receipt--the thing to do is leave it in plain view on the desk where you're working so other staff will see it.

Good luck to you! I hope your visit turns out well. I found the staff to be very helpful.

Best,
Dave

PS One thing I learned, and I learned it the painful way, is that I found it to be a real good idea to take photographs of the backs of documents since they'll sometimes have a reference number on them. Even if it's just blank paper, photographing the backsides can be very helpful, especially if you're transcribing stuff months after your visit. When I got back to the States and started going through what I'd taken, I found a couple of mortifying instances where I had turned two pages instead of one (not good going on my part), and missed an entire page of material, and it was too late to do anything about it. Other times, the record might be incomplete, for example only one page of a letter might have survived. So having copies of the backs of the documents and all the LMA's reference numbers helped determine whether a document was missing or if I just messed up. It's something I picked up as I went along and I wish now that I'd done it all along.

[Dave O]

And if I can give a little more unsolicited advice without being an ass about it (and keep in mind that my page-turning ability is proven to have been deficient on occasion), I would say photograph every scrap of paper you find, even if it doesn't seem relevant, and especially if you're interested in not only the documents themselves, but in how they've moved throughout their history. For example, these scraps I found at the beginning of Box 6 have something to say about when and how this particular box made its way to the LMA (I haven't quite puzzled it all out though).

[Dave O]

Two inquests opened quickly

Following are the two cases from Wood Green where I found Macdonald opening inquests on the same afternoon the bodies were reported to the police.

On October 4, Macdonald held five scheduled inquests. On that day, he begins at The Mermaid in Hackney, then moves to the Whittington & Cat in Bethnal Green, where he holds two back to back. Then he goes to Tottenham for one at Coleraine Hall. The fifth inquest finds him at the Alexandra Park Tavern in Wood Green, where the death of a 15 week old child from bronchitis is investigated.

At this time, Macdonald's officers in Tottenham and Wood Green were police sergeants. This was news to me--Stewart Evans once wrote in a post to me (I think on Howard's site) that he knew of similar examples happening in a borough, but I hadn't thought this to have been the case in the county. Later on I went to London to do research, and you know how it works out. At the third inquest in Box One at the LMA, I came across a station sergeant serving as Macdonald's officer! At that moment, I remembered Stewart.

In fact Macdonald had two sergeants serving as coroner's officers; they did so before the creation of the North Eastern district, and would have worked with Wynne Baxter. In Tottenham was Sgt. Peter Hagen and Sgt. Frank Dorey in Wood Green (there's a third who seems to rotate in and out, but mostly it's Hagen and Dorey). I've developed a fondness for them as the records seem to pop a little more when they're involved. There's just a little oomph in the surviving detail.

These cases are held by the LMA, and are to be found in the last quarter of Box 2, they're No. 10 and 11 in Macdonald's rotation, which probably ended when he turned his expenses in (then a new rotation starts). You may notice in some of the photographs that the LMA assigned it's own reference numbers, which run consecutively. So according to the LMA's number, the first case is Macdonald's 279th inquest held since his election and the second is 281. However, the cases were held consecutively, and in case anyone wonders, the reason you see the little jump in the LMA's reference number is that an earlier record was misfiled between the two, prior to the LMA assigning their own number. This record is 280 but it's from October 1, Case 3 in Macdonald's rotation.

The order I'm posting these photographs isn't the same order they're found in the LMA's file. I'm posting in chronological order.

I don't have much of a timeline for Macdonald on this day, but I suspect that the first inquest was held at 10 or 11 a.m. and that the fifth was held sometime during the early afternoon, perhaps mid-afternoon. Right about the time this fifth inquest would have been held, or perhaps just before it, the first body was reported to the police.

Dave

[Dave O]

Sgt. Dorey's report to Macdonald on the first body, which was that of a child. Apologies for the blurry photograph.

[Dave O]

Body's reported at 12.30 on October 4. Witnesses and the body are being brought to the Alexandra Park Tavern, so Macdonald must still be there with his jury from the bronchitis case. I cannot say whether they're holding the bronchitis case or if they're waiting for these people to arrive, but you see that these people are testifying about an event that had just happened.

Apparently Hill was acquainted with Jennings.


Joseph Hill, labourer, 4 Queen’s Road, Bowes Park, Wood Green. At 12 o’clock today 4th Oct 1888 I was in a field between Albert Road and Palace Road Bowes Park and from what Mr. Jennings, a dairyman, living in Palace Road Bowes Park, told me, I went to a corner of the field and lying in a pool of water with its face above the water I saw the body of a child. I had passed the spot before and had seen something white but did not examine it. I at once called the police. Jennings said he had seen the body there for the last two or three weeks.

Frank Dorey police Sergt. 48Y. At 12.45 pm from what the witness Hill told me I went to the field described above and found the body lying with its face out of the water much decomposed. I removed the body to the Alexandria P.H. Green Lanes Wood Green. I called Dr. Hockin, [Divisional] Surgeon, Truro Road Wood Green.

[Dave O]

Backside of the previous photograph. This testimony is from the 4th (once both inquests adjourn, you will see different paper being used). Per the evidence of Dr. Hockin (or Hocken), he examines the body in the yard of the police station at 2.15. Since the jury's first bit of business after being sworn would have been to view the body at the tavern, this inquest may be opening around 3 or so.

Likely using information that Hill has provided, police have located Jennings. I wonder that the newspaper wasn't produced.

Chas. E. Hockin, M.D. Regd Divisional Surgeon of Police. I was called to the police at 2.15 to see the body of the child in the yard attached to the police station. On examining the body I found it extremely decomposed, probably a female of over 12 months of age. The arms were over 18 inches in length. There was nothing round it when I saw it. None of the bones were broken so far as I know. I think the body was in the water for about a month. The child was undoubtedly a female. It was 12 months old.

Geo. Jennings of 38 Palace Rd. Gardener. I told Hill today I believed the parcel contained the body of a child. I saw the parcel there two or three weeks ago. I said then it looked like the body of a child. I did not think anymore about it then. I saw the face today when I looked at it. I saw the paper round the body of the child. It was a newspaper. When I saw the parcel last it was about two yards from where I saw it first. It might have been there 6 weeks.

At this point, the body is unidentified and there's no cause of death. The inquest adjourns for further evidence until October 11 at 3 pm.

[Dave O]

Now a second body has turned up. Sgt. Dorey's report. On October 4, the body was unidentified. Again, the body is taken to the Alexandra Park Tavern, where Macdonald is likely holding the inquest for the unknown child found in the field.

[Dave O]

Three witnesses are produced at the tavern on the 4th--Macdonald and his jury must still be there. Dr. Hocken returns, having made a second examination in what must have been a very short time. He's done a stomach analysis.

Re Man Unknown
Geo. Culley, 108 Duncombe Rd. Upper Holloway. Porter.-I got to Palace at 9.40. As I was making my way to the banqueting Hall I saw the deceased in the shrubs. About 2 P.M. I had occasion to pass the place again. Went to the man found he was dead and informed the police.

Chas. [Goodburn] P.C. [I do not understand badge number Y/R?]. This afternoon I was called by last witness who told me a man was lying in the shrubs apparently dead. I proceeded there. Sent for the doctor and an ambulance. I produce the articles on the table which I found on the body.

Chas. E. Hockin. M.D. Regd. Of Cleveland House Wood Green. I tested the contents of the stomach. There was a large quantity of Laudanum in it.

This inquest also adjourns until October 11 at 3 pm. Macdonald's held 7 inquests where 5 have been expected. The jurors from the bronchitis case, probably summoned a day or two previously, are now hearing 3 cases where they would have only expected 1. On the 4th, there are 2 bodies lying somewhere at the Alexandra Park Tavern (possibly 3 if the bronchitis case is there). The landlord can't have been pleased.

[Dave O]

Over the adjournment, Sgt. Dorey reports the police's progress on each case to Macdonald. For the unidentified child, nothing has been found.

[Dave O]

Also on the 8th, Dorey makes his second report. The police have had better results with the unknown man. The widow has surfaced and the man's been identified. Dorey transcribes a suicide note.

[Dave O]

Dorey goes on to include the widow's statement. The body is still at the tavern at the time of identification.

[Dave O]

They have found the chemist from whom the laudanum was bought.

[Dave O]

While this is going on, Macdonald's schedule on the 11th shaped up. Deaths hae taken place in the meantime and inquests are being scheduled. Like the 4th of October, the 11th is another 5 inquest day (7 if you add the adjourned inquests from the 4th).

The last before these is in Tottenham, which is scheduled for 1.30 on the 11th. In an unrelated report to Macdonald, also from the 8th, Sgt. Hagen in Tottenham advises Macdonald on the expected length of this inquest (I wondered why Hagen was giving him this estimate until I realized Macdonald had those two adourned inquests in Wood Green at 3--they've got their eye on the clock).

PS this inquest will take about an hour.

[Dave O]

So Macdonald and his jury from the 4th are back at the Alexandra Park Tavern on the 11th. Possibly Macdonald is late. With no new evidence forthcoming in the case of the unidentified child, the inquest is closed. I believe it must have been an open verdict as there's no cause of death. From elsewhere in London, some little girl has to all effect just disappeared.