Barnsley Chronicle February 27, 1909

Sudden Deaths

The deputy coroner (Mr Kenyon Parker) held two inquests at Wombwell in the Wesleyan schoolroom on Monday.

In the first case the deceased was Ernest Wardle, aged 11, of 31 Milton St, Wombwell, who was found dead in bed by his brother’s side on Friday morning.

Mrs Wardle, widow, mother of the deceased, said he was a fairly healthy boy. On Thursday evening he got sick, and vomited several times before going to bed at 11 o’clock. About 3 o’clock next morning she heard him get up and found him sick and vomiting. At 7.30 his brother Joe found him dead in bed beside him. Deceased was not subject to fits, but he had a stroke last summer.

Dr Atkin said he made the post-mortem examination, and found no external injuries. He was for one to go satisfied the boy had died from natural causes, probably suffocation caused by a fit.

A verdict to this effect was returned.

The other enquiry concerning the death of Oliver Wydell , labourer, 56 years of age, of Hough Lane Wombwell who was found dead in a coal wagon at Darfield Main colliery on Saturday. Deceased had been out of work for some time, and only commenced the work of emptying wagons at this colliery on Saturday.

Not seeing Wydell,working, William Reynolds, a fellow workman, looked into the wagon, and found him huddled up in the bottom of the wagon dead.

Annie Wydell, the widow, said deceased was a sober man. She did not know anything was wrong with his heart.

William Wood, medical practitioner, Wombwell, who had made a post-mortem examination, said deceased had died from natural causes, namely rupture of a blood vessel of the heart, which might have happened any time. It was not due to any disease but might have been hastened by Wydell,commencing work after being unemployed for some time.

A verdict of “died from natural causes” was returned.